The George Town Public Library hosted a group of local authors at a book fair and exhibition over the weekend.

The authors shared information about their books with the attendees at the library Saturday.

In addition to a wide variety of fiction, non-fiction and poetry on display, storytelling, face painting and massages were also on offer.

“The response has far exceeded our expectations. The turnout has been amazing … there has been nonstop traffic all day,” said librarian Kevin Goring.

Public Library Service Acting Director Paul Robinson said the event has grown tremendously since it started.

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“We are so happy for the library to have [the authors] here because it’s local. It’s not just any authors; it’s them telling their personal stories and experiences of here in the Cayman Islands,” he said.

Mr. Robinson said authors go through a lot of effort to publish and it’s good they get this opportunity to share their work, he said, applauding Mr. Goring for his efforts in bringing it all together.

Author Kate Ure said the inspiration for her children’s book “Alphabet Island” came from having two small children born on the island. “Their first words were vocabulary words that were in their environment,” she said. “things I didn’t see when I was growing up.”

She said her young children spoke of iguanas, palm trees, coconuts and dolphins, so she started keeping track of those words and intertwined them into a story from A to Z so that island children could identify with vocabulary what they see in their environment.

Fifty percent of the sale of her books, she said, was donated to organizations to help rebuild islands that have been devastated by natural disasters.

Elke Feuer, author and founder of CayWriters as well as the Book Fair, said they were fortunate to have the George Town Public Library take over the event.

A chess game has children in deep concentration. – Photo: Jewel Levy

“I hope, with the George Town Library taking over the event, it will get the recognition it needs, as well as the authors,” she said.

She said the event started five years ago and  approximately 15 to 20 authors have been attending the event every year.