Talks on Dean Koontz books will lead up to a visit by the author at annual luncheon held by Friends of the Fallbrook Library - Koontz books are the focus of this year's Community Read in Fallbrook

FALLBROOK – The Friends of the Fallbrook Library will hold three Book Talks – Feb. 14, March 14, and April 11 – focusing on the works of best-selling author Dean Koontz. The events are designed to lead up to a personal appearance and presentation by Koontz at the organization’s annual luncheon which is slated for April 27. (The luncheon has sold out.)

The Book Talks are described as: Feb. 14 – “A Big Little Life,” the story of Koontz’s beloved pet Trixie; March 14 – Discussion of Canine Companions for Independence (with a live demonstration), an organization Koontz supports enthusiastically; and April 11 – the “Odd Thomas” series. All will take place at 1 p.m. in the Fallbrook Library community room.

The Friends of the Fallbrook Library selected Koontz’s “Odd Thomas” series as its focus of this year’s years Community Read. “Off Thomas” is designed by the author to be a seven-book series and the sixth book, “Deeply Odd” is due out in April.

“Odd Thomas,” the main character in the book series, is a short order cook with extraordinary skills who lives in a small desert town. His skills require him to intervene in the lives of endangered people.

His novels, readers say “mix suspense with humor, the supernatural with gritty realism, feature eccentric characters, and provide terrific entertainment.”

Koontz was born and raised in Pennsylvania and started his writing career after winning an Atlantic Monthly fiction competition his senior year in college. His past also includes teaching English and working for the Appalachian Poverty Program. After writing full-time for more than 10 years, his breakthrough novel “Whispers,” as well as two of his other novels sold over a million copies. He lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda.

Koontz’s appearance at the Friends of Fallbrook Library annual luncheon will be on April 27, 11 a.m., at Grand Tradition estate in Fallbrook.