Florida novelist has profitable pen

By MARY EVERTZ

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 24, 2001

Put James Patterson's name on a book, and it becomes an immediate bestseller.

For the second time this year, the Florida novelist tops the list.

His Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas, which came out this month, was immediately on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, Washington Post, EntertainmentWeekly and Barnes & Noble.

In April, the prolific writer published the first in his new series, 1st to Die.

Even though Suzanne's Diary is a departure from his traditional books -- especially the Alex Cross mysteries, such as Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider -- the response has been impressive.

Patterson, who will publish three books this year, says he is pleased with his latest work. "I've had a dozen people say to me, "This is the best book I have ever read in my life,' " he says, though he adds that such comments are "a little over the top."

Suzanne's Diary is the story of a woman who falls in love with a man who is in mourning for another woman. His new book is "James Patterson meets the Bridges of Madison County meets Horse Whisperer," he says.

He is on the road promoting the book. He, wife Sue and 3-year-old son Jack will be back in Palm Beach soon so Jack can start school. The summer was spent at their place in Westchester, N.Y.

Alex Cross fans need not worry: Their hero will be back in November in Patterson's new mystery, Violets Are Blue.

First lady's festivals

Former St. Petersburg Times staffer and now New York Times Pulitzer Prize-winning author Rick Bragg is among the authors who have been invited by first lady Laura Bush to take part in her Texas Book Festival in Austin Nov. 15-18.

Also set to attend are Tom Wolfe, David McCullough, Ruth Reichl, Dan Rather, Molly Ivins, Kinky Friedman, Michael Beschloss, Dan Jenkins and Stanley Marcus.

Mrs. Bush will also host the National Book Festival in Washington Sept. 7-8. Two headliners there will be Stephen Ambrose and Scott Turow.

Bragg's latest book, Ava's Man, was released Tuesday. It is the story of his maternal grandfather, Charlie Bundrum. Ava was his grandmother.

Designs on Palm Beach

Arnold Scaasi, dress designer to both former first lady Barbara Bush and current first lady Laura Bush, has bought a home in Palm Beach.

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