The Friends of the Kaufman County Library presents the eighth annual Book & Author Luncheon on Thursday, Nov. 6, an event benefiting the Kaufman County Library. The doors open at 11 a.m. at the Fellowship Hall of the First Baptist Church at 309 S. Washington St. in Kaufman.

Tickets are $20 each or advance reservations are available for tables of 8 for $120, a 25-percent discount. Tickets are available at the Kaufman County Library, 972-932- 6222, or call 972-932-3739 to reserve a table. Individual tickets may also be purchased at the door at the luncheon.

The author line up is exciting for the depth and varied subject matter that will be entertaining to everyone. Deborah Crombie (British mysteries), Jim Dent (true sports), Mike Kearby (historical westerns), and Elizabeth Moon (Science Fiction/Fantasy) will present their latest books and be available for book signing after the luncheon.

For British mystery fans, Deborah Crombie will introduce her twelfth and newest Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James novel, "Where Memories Lie." Crombie will delight both the hardened mystery buff as well as the reader who seeks a little romance. She is the 1997 New York Times Book of the Year winner; listed in the "100 Best Crime Novels of the Century" by the Independent Mystery Booksellers of America and winner of the Edgar and the McAvity awards.

Jim Dent, long-time award-winning journalist and New York Times bestseller, covered the Dallas Cowboys for 11 years in Fort Worth and Dallas. Twelve Mighty Orphans has been called "the Seabiscuit for football fans." It is the story of a scrawny band of orphans, "The Mighty Mites" from the Fort Worth Masonic Home during the 1930s and 1940s. It is a testament to a devoted and determined coach who worked for peanuts to turn a tattered team of orphans into the most feared team winning against the richest and most powerful of high schools in Texas. This is a thrilling football story filled with hope and inspiration against the backdrop of America's Great Depression. Dent has written six books including "The Junction Boys," the story of the legendary Bear Bryant who turned a losing Texas A&M team into a powerhouse. Jim Dent describes his literary approach as, "What I like are sports stories that you can turn into good period pieces, filled with the lives and struggles of the people who were the participants."

Mike Kearby, noted historian, novelist and popular storyteller, will present the first in his Texas trilogy, "Road to a Hanging." It is the story of a Civil War veteran whose past follows him through the person of an old enemy who seeks to destroy him. A former army friend is the only one who can save him from an unfair accusation for rustling. Can the hero find his friend in time? Mike is holder of five patents on irrigation technology and in 2005 retired to his Stephens County ranch to write and raise exotic antelope. He will be speaking about Texas history and the importance of reading to the Kaufman Norman Junior High School Texas history class before the Book and Author event.

For science fiction fans, Elizabeth Moon's "Vatta Series" is a must read. She will speak about the first of these books, "Trading in Danger," in which Ky Vatta, daughter of a wealthy and powerful trading family, is discharged from the Spaceforce Academy and given an old ship to take to the scrap yard. Adventure finds her when she uncovers a plot by pirates to attack the planet.

Elizabeth Moon is a graduate of Rice, the University of Texas and is a U.S. Marine veteran. She has written or co-authored 18 novels, short fiction and magazine articles. She was a Hugo nominee in 1997; "Speed of Dark" was a finalist for the Arthur C. Clarke Award and in 2004 she won the Nebula.

Saul Velasquez, Julio's Restaurant, in Kaufman will cater the luncheon again this year. The menu includes chicken breast with mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, salad, rolls, pie, and iced tea.