Amelia Book Island Author Becomes New York Times Best-Selling Author

Amelia Book Island Festival's featured author Steve Berry will debut on the New York Times Bestsellers List on the week of Sept. 28th at number 24 with his book The Amber Room.

     AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. (PRWEB) September 29, 2003 -- Had Steve Berry not been half-listening to the end of a Discovery Channel program, he probably would not have written a best-selling novel. But the last seconds of a documentary on something called the Amber Room intrigued him enough to research the treasure, travel to Germany and Russia, write a thriller novel and ultimately watch his endeavors rewarded by getting published and making The New York Times Best-Seller List.
     Berry, a featured author at Amelia Book Island Festival this weekend, has had exceptional success with his book, released in August. An action suspense novel, The Amber Room" will debut on The New York Times Best-Seller List at number 24 for the week of Sept. 28.
     The novel focuses on a real-life Russian treasure known as the Amber Room, built 300 years ago and now lost. Berry received high praise for his thriller about a perilous, globetrotting hunt for the stolen treasure -- a room with walls covered with jewel-grade amber -- that disappeared after the Nazis looted it during World War II.
     As a featured author at the Amelia Book Island Festival, Berry will give a talk and reading at Florida Community College at Jacksonvilles Nassau Campus, on Thursday, Oct. 2, at 10:30 a.m. On Saturday, Oct. 4, he joins a panel of authors for a 1:30 p.m. program, The Power of Persistence, Luck, and Desire," At 2:30 p.m., he will speak on a panel titled International Intrigue: Spies and Bad Guys." He will also sign books from 11 a.m. - noon and 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Festivals Saturday workshop and discussion sessions.
     World traveler, amateur historian and debut novelist Berry lives on the Georgia coast in St. Marys, where he is a trial lawyer. He has written prior manuscripts, but this is his first book to be published - and with great success. Dutch and Japanese publishers recently purchased the rights to The Amber Room expecting worldwide sales and success.
     The significance of its rank on The New York Times Best-Seller List is simple. Readers across America are buying the book. The respected 19-year-old list factors the sales of almost 4,000 bookstores plus wholesalers serving 50,000 other retailers and it held as an accurate reflection of what the nation is reading.
     The third annual Amelia Book Island Festival, dedicated to literacy, love of the written word, and the community of writers and readers, is on Oct. 2-5. It features more than 35 authors of novels, mysteries, histories, westerns, suspense thrillers, poetry and books for young readers. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the authors and participate in workshops with authors, agents, editors, publishers and publicists. The festival features several events including Rock-N-Roll Readings, 25 author-led workshops and discussions, Lunch-with-Authors, Dine-with-Authors and Authors-in-Schools of Nassau County. The $15 festival ticket provides admission to all workshops and readings on Saturday, October 4. The Lunch-with-Authors event is also $15. Luncheon seating is limited. Tickets are available now at BooksPlus, First Coast Community Bank, the Amelia Island-Fernandina Beach-Yulee Chamber of Commerce offices and by mail. For more information, visit www.bookisland.org or call the Book Island Festival at (904) 491-8176.

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