James Patterson Coming to Hartford

James Patterson. Photo: David Burnett

The Mark Twain House and Museum will host a benefit appearance of bestselling author James Patterson in Hartford Wednesday, June 17..

It's a rare on-stage appearance for Patterson, who will engage in conversation with WNPR's Ray Hardman. The event will take place across the street from The Mark Twain House at Immanuel Congregational Church, 10 Woodland St., Hartford. Free parking is available in the parking lots at The Mark Twain House and Museum and in the church's Woodland Street lot.

Tickets available here or by calling 860-280-3130. Ticket prices are $60 for the general public, and $50 for members of The Mark Twain House. There will be a limited number of $175 VIP tickets available that include a pre-event reception at the Town and County Club, 22 Woodland St., next door to Immanuel Congregational Church, with an opportunity to meet and greet with James Patterson; premium VIP seating at the event; and a pre-signed copy of one of James Patterson's books.

In 2011, it was estimated that one-in-four of all hardcover suspense/thriller novels sold was written by James Patterson. He is the first author to achieve 10 million ebook sales and he holds the Guinness record for the most #1 New York Times bestsellers of any author. His success isn't based solely on thrillers like the perennially popular Alex Cross, Women's Murder Club, and Michael Bennett series. Patterson is now also the current bestselling author in the young adult and middle grade categories.

Patterson champions books and reading through the James Patterson Pageturner Awards, his website ReadKiddoRead.com, his College Book Bucks scholarships and his regular donations of hundreds of thousands of books to schools here in the states and to troops overseas.

Hardman joined the WNPR staff in 1996, as a reporter and host. He later became the Music Director for WNPR, and in 2002 he went back to his newsy roots as the host of WNPR's Morning Edition. From 2002 to 2009 Ray divided his time between WNPR and CPTV, first serving as a correspondent on CPTV's news magazine Main Street. He later became the host of Main Street, and from 2005 to 2009 was the host and producer for CPTV's Front and Center with Ray Hardman.