CLEARFIELD – On April 10, author Kristine Gasbarre wound down the Clearfield AAUW Book Talk series with an entertaining and informative discussion of the world of book publishing.
Moving from the New York Times to Simon and Shuster, she discovered she had an instinct for books that “work.”
What is needed, she said, is a good idea, strong writing and an author who can self promote. Thus began her successful career as an author and coauthor (ghost writer.)
Gasbarre, a DuBois native who now divides her time between Pennsylvania and New York City, is the author of the 2011 adult memoir ‘How to Love an American Man: A True Story’ (William Morrow/HarperCollins),’ whose film rights were optioned in 2017 by Anyday/Leopard Films USA.
Gasbarre has also co-written several books, including Regina Calcaterra’s ‘Etched in Sand,’ the No. 1 international bestseller and 16-week New York Times bestseller, Geoffrey Kent’s ‘SAFARI: A Memoir of a Worldwide Travel Pioneer’ with a foreword by DreamWorks Studios Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Katzenberg and the 2017 Books for a Better Life Award finalist, ‘Raising Ryland’ with Hillary Whittington (optioned for television/film in 2016).
Gasbarre’s books have been translated into German, Polish and Spanish.
Her latest co-authored book, with Donna Hylton, is coming out June 5. It is ‘A Little Piece of Light – A Memoir of Hope, Prison and a Life Unbound.’
Gasbarre described in detail how the book evolved from a woman’s traumatic childhood and eventual 27- year incarceration for murder.
As the one who takes all the facts and research and weaves them into a story, she said, she often feels like an “emotional surrogate.”
A lively question-and-answer session followed the author’s presentation.
