Jaimie Engle is the author of dark thrillers for teens, although she writes that her true passion is talking to kids about writing and social issues, and reminding her listeners that words have power. To that end, she will speak at Barnes and Noble, 1955 W. New Haven Ave., Melbourne, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on January 22. The free event will help kick off Florida Literacy Week, a statewide celebration of books and reading that runs from January 22-26. Engle will sign copies of her novels, discuss the writing process, and answer questions from the audience. For more details, visit thewriteengle.com or bn.com/events.
Author and retired Brigadier General AJ Tata will speak at the Cocoa Beach Public Library, 550 N. Brevard Ave., at noon on January 20. He will introduce his novel "Direct Fire" ($26-$9.99, Kensington Books). The book is a military thriller that explores cyberwarefare coupled with terrorist ground forces on American soil. The free event will include refreshments, and books will be available for sale and signing. For more details, call the library at 321-868-1104.
Michael D. Leinbach was the last launch director in the space shuttle program at Kennedy Space Center. He held that position when Columbia disintegrated on reentry on February 1, 2003, and he was a key leader in the search and recovery effort in the aftermath of that tragic event. Leinbach has collaborated with author Jonathan H. Ward to write "Bringing Columbia Home: The Untold Story of a Lost Space Shuttle and Her Crew" ($25.99, Arcade Publishing).
The book gives an insider's perspective on the Columbia tragedy, and features deeply moving personal stories of people who participated in the response efforts. According to a news release, it is "about how a failure at the pinnacle of human achievement became a story of cooperation and hope." The book is available at online retailers.
Some books are self-published. This column is intended to note new works, not review them.