Gayle Paben’s Feel-Good Story Set Against the Backdrop of 1980s Sarasota Delights Readers at the L.A. Times Festival of Books 2023

The novels exhibited at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books 2023 feature writers from all across America. Each one tells a story inspired by their experiences, with messages about life and human nature. For Florida author Gayle Paben, her story comes from reflecting on some of her own experiences when she moved to Sarasota FL in 1986.

At the 2023 L.A. Times Festival of Books, plenty of newly published authors exhibited novels and stories set in fantastical places. However, some writers have found that their best stories are those inspired by their own sweet corner of America.

One of them is Gayle Paben, whose novel tells a story about discovering human nature while witnessing the joys and hazards of 1980s Sarasota, Florida.

Titled “The Colors of the Sea,” Paben got her novel an exhibit spot with the help of ReadersMagnet, a self-publishing and book marketing company.

“The Colors of the Sea” focuses on 10-year-old Casey, whose family moves to Florida all the way from Illinois. And like any kid unhappy with a move, Casey doesn’t like her new home. Her parents are the new heads of a condo complex, but it doesn’t make the coastal town any more appealing.

Still, things change when she makes friends with a boy named Matt and an elderly painter named Mr. Kearns. The two show her the thrills and joys of Florida while teaching her a great deal about life in general.

However, it’s not without its problems. A recent theft at the condo complex has cast poor Mr. Kearns as a suspect. Will Casey and Matt find a way to help prove his innocence? Many readers at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books were certainly eager to find out.

The novel is a product of Paben’s love of not just life in Florida but also teaching, painting, and writing. Her previous book had even won her two silver medals from the Florida Authors and Publishers Association. Through “The Colors of the Sea,” she hopes her words can continue to delight readers who enjoy simpler tales about life.

“The Colors of the Sea” by Gayle Paben is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and ReadersMagnet bookstore.

The Colors of the Sea
Author | Gayle Paben
Published date | April 10, 2023
Publisher | ReadersMagnet LLC
Genre | Fiction

Author Bio
Gayle Y. Paben is a retired elementary school teacher who lives in Sarasota, Florida. She taught for 11 years in Illinois and for 14 years in Bradenton, Florida. She loves the arts and enjoys painting, writing, and playing the piano. She is in a choir and bell choir. She also loves to travel both nationally and internationally. She and her husband enjoy their grandchildren and all their activities.

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