Dine with authors at Ragdale's 'Novel Affair' April 26-27

Submitted by The Ragdale Foundation

Ragdale's 13th Annual "Novel Affair" will bring together acclaimed authors for a two-day celebration of arts education and engagement in support of Ragdale, the historic artists retreat in Lake Forest.

For the third year, featured writers will offer presentations in schools from Chicago to Zion on Friday, April 26, as part of the Ragdale in Schools program. Discounted tickets will be offered to local educators to attend Novel Affair's Saturday, April 27, reception.

The April 27 cocktail reception will be held at 4 p.m. at Shoreacres, the historic golf club offering views of Lake Michigan from its elegant David Adler-designed clubhouse. All of the event's celebrated writers will attend and their books will be available for signing. The reception will be followed at 6:45 p.m. by intimate dinners in distinctive North Shore homes, each dinner featuring a pair of writers. Ticketed guests will be advised of dinner locations.

Shoreacres is at 1601 Shoreacres Road, Lake Bluff.

The 2019 lineup includes these celebrated authors:

• Rumaan Alam, fiction, author of "Rich and Pretty" and "That Kind of Mother." Visit rumaanalam.com/

• Melanie Benjamin, historical fiction, author of "The Swans of Fifth Avenue," "Mistress of the Ritz (coming in May 2019)." Visit www.melaniebenjamin.com.

• Jamel Brinkley, short fiction, author of "A Lucky Man." Visit www.jamelbrinkley.com.

• Benjamin Dreyer, nonfiction, author of "Dreyer's English." Visit www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/182489/benjamin-dreyer.

• Carmen Gimenez Smith, poetry and memoir, author of "Milk and Filth," "Cruel Futures." Visit www.carmengimenezsmith.com.

• Julie Klam, fiction, author of "The Stars in Our Eyes," "Friendkeeping," "You Had Me at Woof." Visit www.julieklam.com.

• Jean Kwok, fiction, author of "Girl in Translation," "Searching for Sylvie Lee" (coming in June, 2019). Visit www.jeankwok.com.

• Laura Lippman, crime fiction, author of "Wilde Lake," "Sunburn," "The Lady in the Lake" (coming in July 2019). Visit www.lauralippman.net.

• Rebecca Makkai, fiction, author of "The Great Believers," "The Hundred-Year House," "Music for Wartime." Visit rebeccamakkai.com.

• Faisal Mohyuddin, poetry and creative writing, author of "The Displaced Children of Displaced Children." Visit www.faisalmohyuddin.com.

• Kathleen Rooney, poetry and fiction, author of "Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk," "The Listening Room: A Novel of Georgette and Loulou Magritte." Visit kathleenrooney.com.

• Mona Simpson, fiction, author of "Steps," "Casebook," "The Lost Father." Visit monasimpson.com.

For tickets, call (847) 234-1063 or visit ragdale.org.

Tickets are $500 per person for reception and attendance at one of the dinners. Tickets for the reception only are $150 per person, or $125 per person for teachers and book clubs (five minimum).

Proceeds from Novel Affair support the Ragdale in Schools program which brings distinctive arts-based learning and artists to 50 area schools, primarily in underserved communities. Ragdale is a nonprofit artists' residency, located in Arts and Crafts architect Howard Van Doren Shaw's Lake Forest country estate. Ragdale provides exceptional artists and scholars from around the world with supportive residencies of up to 25 days and then taps their expertise to advance local teachers and their students. Ragdale hosts nearly 200 writers, artists, and composers each year making it one of the largest interdisciplinary artist communities in the country. For more information, visit www.ragdale.org.