As part of the celebration of National Library Week, Collier Library will sponsor book talks and a Ghost talk/tour by three prominent authors:
Robert Steele, former Lions receiver who later played for the Dallas Cowboys, will speak on Monday April 9, at 3:00pm.
Robert is the author of “Steele Here: An Underdog’s Secret to Success”.
Steele Here is about dreaming a BIG dream. Signing a free agent contract to become a member of the World Champion Dallas Cowboys was a dream. The Dallas newspapers called that dream a million to one shot of Robert making the Cowboys that summer. Drew Pearson, Golden Richards the starters from the team that beat the Denver Broncos in Superbowl XII, were returning for another season and in the prime of their careers. Returning also were Butch Johnson and Tony Hill, both members of the 1978 Championship season and beginning to hit their prime. Another fifteen players, not including Robert, showed up in training camp as well with the same mission in mind. They all wanted to be a member of the Dallas Cowboys for the 1978 season. Add one more dramatic turn and Robert showed up in training camp being listed as the twentieth receiver on a depth chart of twenty receivers. Yet, that did not deter his dream or his willingness to pay the price, work hard, and sacrifice his mind and body to see the dream become a reality. Through twists, turns, trades and trying times Robert received the call officially making him a Dallas Cowboy for good. This book follows the ups and downs and makes you feel like you were a part of the 1978 Dallas Cowboys training camp yourself.
Robert is the author of “Steele Here: An Underdog’s Secret to Success”.
Daphne Simpkins will speak at 2:00pm on Tuesday, April 10.
Daphne Simpkins has published four books: Cloverdale, a novel featuring Mildred Budge; Miss Budge in Love (a collection of short stories); Nat King Cole: An Unforgettable Life of Music (for children); and a memoir about taking care of her father while he was ill with Alzheimer's, The Long Good Night.
She has written about life in the South for the past twenty five years, and many of these essays have appeared in a variety of periodicals, but most often The Chicago Tribune. For the past two years, she has been the biographer of Mildred Budge, a character she created to honor the oft-overlooked but very sensible and heroic women who are her neighbors and friends
Thursday night, April 12, author Debra Glass will do a Ghost tour on campus at 7:00pm. Ms. Glass is well known in the Florence area and beyond for her Ghost tours downtown. (Author of Skeletons on Campus: True Ghost Stories of Alabama Colleges and Universities)
Debra Glass is the author of over fifteen books of historical and paranormal romance, non-fiction, young adult romance, and folklore. The recipient of the National Society of Arts and Letters Alabama Screenwriter Award in 1992, she went on to win the NSAL Empire State Award for excellence in screenwriting.
Debra is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Professional Authors’ Network, and Passionate Ink. She is also a member of RWA’s Heart of Dixie chapter.
She lives in Alabama with her real life hero, a couple of smart-aleck ghosts, and a diabolical black cat.
Other events will include a Photo Exhibit by staff and students .
