The John Cooper School held its 20th Annual Signature Author Series event on December 6, 2024, at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center. The gala attracted a record crowd and featured New York Times bestselling British novelist Lisa Jewell, known for psychological thrillers such as “None of This is True,” which is set to become a Netflix original film.
Each year this highly anticipated literary event attracts attendees from across The Woodlands and Houston, with proceeds benefitting The John Cooper School’s Visual and Performing Arts Program as well as a local literary organization. Past recipients include The Montgomery County Library System, Children's Books on Wheels, and The Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation.
Jewell gave a keynote address during the event, which also included a VIP room, a drawing for prizes, a luncheon, and book sales from Jewell’s extensive collection of titles, along with works by a cadre of visiting authors who comprised the event's Authors' Alley.
Jewell's journey as an author began with a night class in creative writing which stoked her passion for storytelling. In addition to the blockbuster, “None of This is True,” she is known for other popular works such as “Then She Was Gone,” “Invisible Girl,” and “The Family Upstairs.”
In her witty and introspective address to luncheon attendees, Jewell blended advice to aspiring writers with a look back at her own path. "The biggest obstacle that most authors face is overthinking the whole process--it's too difficult, too hard, it's not going to fit into the market. You just have to really, really be pragmatic and down to earth about writing. You won't know if you can write a book until you have written a book."
Jewell identifies herself as a “pantser,” in that she goes where inspiration takes her “by the seat of her pants,” without extensive preplanning. She encourages writers to maintain their creativity, good humor, and determination in the face of rejection. Jewell said she dedicates time daily to respond to fans on social media, and she underscored the importance of maintaining a strong connection with readers. That philosophy was on display during her interactions at the Signature Author event, where she warmly greeted fans and spent the time to answer many questions posed by audience members following her speech.
"Waiting for a bright idea to arrive is the quickest possible way to never write at all...Every day, keep it simmering, keep it alive. Write about whatever weird little things land in your head, not what the world tells you to write...Don't be oversensitive, accept rejection and move on. Or be the permission giver, the good teacher, the person who says the right thing at the right time, and offer encouragement."
-- Lisa Jewell