The community will have an opportunity to meet local authors and learn about the writing process during an Author Meet & Greet on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Village Library, 207 Walnut St., Morgantown. At least 13 local authors will be featured at the event and offer signed books for sale.

Among the special guests will be first-time children's author Elise Petersheim, who will be on hand with her book "Great," which was released in October. The book tells the story of an 8-year-old who is looking forward to a visit from her great-grandmother.

"It's about a spicy little girl, Becky, who figures out what it means to be great," Petersheim explained. "She gets to meet her great-grandmother for the first time and doesn't understand why people call her 'great.' It's a way to teach through humor and fun."

Petersheim, a graphic designer, is one of the owners of Masthof Press & Bookstore of Morgantown, a family-owned business that has been printing and publishing books since 1982. "I have been in the book world for many years," she stated. "I always loved books, and I decided to write my own. It was a fun little project."

"I started working on the book about a year ago," she added. "I had the idea and sat down one night and wrote it out."

Petersheim incorporated the traits of family members in the book's characters. "The main character is based on the personality of my kids, so there a few things in there that remind me of them," Petersheim noted. "It is based on my grandma, so that brings a personal touch to it."

Petersheim said she can provide encouragement to aspiring authors who may visit the meet and greet at the library. "I would tell them to start writing and see what happens," she shared. "I have told authors for years, 'I think everyone should write a book,' and now I truly believe it."

Petersheim was able to help Village Library director Carol Donahue secure local authors to take part in the Author Meet & Greet. "I emailed a few local authors who had books released in the past year or two, and I decided to (attend), too," Petersheim said.

Also featured during the Author Meet & Greet will be Lisa Betz, who recently published her third book, "An Ode to Poison." Her other two titles are "Death and A Crocodile" and "Fountains and Secrets."

In the most recent book, the main characters investigate their worst enemy. "A senator's wife dies of poison, and it looks like he is responsible and he is the enemy of my main sleuth," explained Betz. "They are thinking they can finally have justice, until someone else dies so everything they thought they knew is wrong. There is an underlying theme in this one of forgiveness and mercy versus retribution."

Readers may enjoy "An Ode to Poison," even if they have not read the other books in the series. "It is a stand-alone book. Obviously, it is a series, so you learn some things about the main characters through the course if you read them in order. The mystery does not rely on anything else."

Betz also plans to offer advice for those who attend the Author Meet & Greet. "You can't do it alone. If you want to write a book, you need to get to know fellow writers. You need mentors," she stated. "I would say get involved in a writing group, and if you want to get published, you need to go to writers' conferences because that is where you make contacts with agents and editors."

"All good books have good editors," she added. "And that's not just copy editing. That is content editing. Your commas may be in place, but your prose should (be as well)."

Betz, who volunteers at the library and will rejoin the Village Library board this January, said she is looking forward to the meet and greet. "It's exciting that there are this many authors," said Betz. "Plus, it's Christmastime, and you can buy presents."

In addition to Petersheim and Betz, authors who are scheduled to attend the event are Bob Stoltzfus, Donald Kautz, Nancy Groff, Sam Frankhouser, Joel Moore, Brendan Lyons, Carol Quaintance, Alissa Butterworth, Jessie-Marie Heath and Alexis Siriani. Local authors who will have their books for sale but will not attend in person are Ron Richael, Ali Ehly, Henry Youndt and Lois Kulp.

For more information about the event, contact Donahue at 610-286-1022 or smolibrary@gmail.com. More information about library activities is available at http://www.facebook.com/VillageLibraryofMorgantown and http://www.villagelibrary.org.