Olney Local Author Panel - In-person

at the Olney Library

Join Olney Library for a panel featuring three local authors. Their novels span historical fiction to psychological thriller!

Olney Library is very pleased to welcome local authors ANNE ECHOLS, CHERYL D. FAGBEMI and J. HERMAN KLEIGER for an author's panel. Each author has recently published a new work of fiction, all available on Olney Library's Local Author Shelf. During the program, each will provide an overview of their book and give a short reading. 

• Anne Echols: Roland's Labyrinth is a story set in 1400s Provence about a young, passionate doctor who falls in love with a mentally ill young woman—and soon finds himself immersed in a web of danger, deceit, and mystery. For fans of Geraldine Brooks' Year of Wonders.
• Cherry D. Fagbemi: Bad Seed: The Midnight Cries of an Island Girl offers a gripping, emotionally charged story of trauma, resilience, and the enduring power of truth. Perfect for readers who crave intense romance, psychological depth, and unforgettable drama.
  
• J. Herman Kleiger: Pareidolia. Illusions, Deceptions, and Murder, the third book in the Nicola Kitts Psychological Thriller Series, follows a disgraced ex-FBI agent, haunted by combat trauma, guilt, grief, and alcoholism, who is drawn into a deadly mystery by a desperate phone call. As reality fractures and bodies fall, she must uncover the truth before losing her mind—or her life.

Q&A and light refreshments to follow. Copies of the authors' books will be available for purchase/signing.  

NO REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED BUT SEATING IS LIMITED. Hope to see you!

BIOS
ANNE ECHOLS is the coauthor (with Marty Williams) of two nonfiction books, Between Pit and Pedestal: Women in the Middle Ages and An Annotated Index of Medieval Women. Her research for those projects inspired her to go beyond historical facts and imagine the fictional stories of ordinary women from the Middle Ages. A Tale of Two Maidens: A Novel is her first historical fiction. Anne’s current project is a novel in two parts set in southern France and Spain during the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella and the Spanish Inquisition. The first part is titled Roland’s Labyrinth. Anne has a passion for delving into her characters to explore their quest for freedom and humanity at a repressive time period for women and other marginalized groups, such as people who suffer from mental illnesses. After earning a BA and master’s degree from Emory University in Atlanta, Anne enjoyed a long career of teaching English to high school students with language learning disabilities at The Howard School in Atlanta. 

From the moment she could hold a book, CHERRY D. FAGBEMI was captivated by the magic of storytelling. Growing up in Jamaica, her childhood fascination with fantastical worlds and characters sparked her lifelong passion for writing, leading her on an extraordinary journey to becoming a published author. Whether Cheryl is penning stories for children, exploring teenage life, or delving into human emotion, each word she writes aims to educate, entertain, and inspire her readers. With faith and determination, she is dedicated to advancing her writing journey, creating stories that educate, entertain, and enlighten readers of all ages. Cherry Fagbemi is a past member of the Olney Writer's Group.

Throughout his career as a psychologist/psychoanalyst, JAMES H. KLEIGER has focused his work on writing about people’s struggles. He has authored six professional books and scores of papers on the psychological assessment of severe mental disorders. He recently completed his fourth novel, Pareidolia, in the Nicola Kitts Psychological Thriller Series. Writing fiction offers a space to explore intriguing psychological concepts, create diverse and compelling characters, and humanize their brokenness, strength, and resilience. Jim is a current member of the Olney Writer’s Group.

Questions about this program? Contact Olney Library at 240-773-9545.

Sponsored by Friends of the Library, Montgomery County, MD, Inc.

Accommodation Requests

To request an accommodation, contact the library branch where you want the accommodation. If they are unable to help, or if you need an accommodation for an online resource or event, complete our Accommodation Request Form online or call Library Administration at 240-777-0002.

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