One Book, One Putnam

Posted on January 27, 2020 by mlane1950 in Community, Putnam // 0 Comments

People lined up to enjoy the work of cooks from the Sunrise Rotary Club of Palatka during the kick-off at the Palatka Municipal Golf Course clubhouse.

By MARCIA LANE

PALATKA – One Book, One Putnam 2020 has people burrowing into the book “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens.

Now in its 16th year, One Book One Putnam’s annual event is based on the premise of people throughout Putnam County reading one book and then talking it and celebrating it. It’s also grown and evolved with each year bringing new features.

This year residents are being asked to be creative by submitting their own art and writing for a virtual literary and art magazine.

Original photos, poems, paintings, short stories, personal essays and more are sought. Work should celebrate nature and the role of humans in it. This is a non-juried magazine and as long as the work fits the theme and is appropriate for all audiences, it will be included in the collection, says Jeremy Yates with the Putnam County Public Library system. The Putnam County Library Board Inc. is fiscal agent for One Book, One Putnam.

Submissions are accepted online only at putnam.librariesshare.com/thewildlife/ or email Yates at Jeremy.yates@putnam-fl.com.

A limited number of print copies will be available to contributors by May. Those who enter also get a chance in a random drawing to win a special gift basket.

Greeters Joyce Oliver, left, and Lulu Gail Parish talk with Bob Lee, who served as master of ceremonies for the One Book kick-off. Lee’s the author of Backcountry Lawman, the 2014 choice for One Book.

A kick-off at the Palatka Municipal Golf Course clubhouse earlier in January included Whitney Laboratory, Santa Fe Audubon Society and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission exhibits. A full house turned out to hear talks, see exhibits and enjoy the book-related cooking (yes, there were grits). The morning Rotary Club put on the spread.

Book discussions are coming up related to “Crawdads.” They include:

Interlachen Library, Feb. 4, 11 a.m.

Melrose Library, Feb. 12, 10:30 a.m.. Special guest: Laura Berkelman from the Santa Fe Audubon Society;

Crescent City Library, Feb. 12, Noon, during Meeting with the Greats;

Palatka headquarters Library, Feb. 12, 2-6 p.m. and also Feb. 18 at 5:30 p.m. During the Fabric Arts and Book Club, you can make a reusable bag with a crawdad iron-on. Supplies provided.

Bostwick Library, Feb. 20, 5 p.m. Special guest Holly Pickens plus local chef Shevon Cooper-McNeal, serving up savory Southern dishes.

Also planned is a dance/fundraiser at Beef o’ Brady’s in Palatka on Feb. 21. DJ Buffalo Munn spins the tunes for “The Swamp Stomp: beginning at 6 p.m.

Finale for One Book One Putnam is March 10 at 5:30 p.m. at the GFWC Woman’s Club of Palatka. A stage reading of pivotal scenes from the book will be put on by local theater group Readers’ Repertory of Palatka.