DES MOINES, IOWA (August 13, 2019) — John Sandford, pseudonym of John Camp, the New York Times best-selling author of 52 books and a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, will be the featured speaker at the Des Moines Public Library Foundation’s annual fundraiser, the 2019 Iowa Author Awards Dinner. The event will be held on Tuesday, October 1 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Proceeds from the event support the library’s many programs, services and technology updates.
This is the 20th annual Iowa Author Award sponsored by the Des Moines Public Library Foundation. Past honorees include Bill Bryson, Dayton Duncan, John Irving, James McPherson, Nick Nolte, Marilynne Robinson, and Jane Smiley.
John Sandford was born John Roswell Camp in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He attended school in Cedar Rapids, graduating from Washington High School in 1962. Sandford graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor’s degree in American studies and a master’s degree in journalism. He served two years in the US Army in Korea with the 4th US Army Missile Command as an Army reporter.
A Pulitzer Prize-winner, Sandford won while a reporter for the St Paul Pioneer Press by penning a series about the Midwestern farm crisis. He is best known for his adult thriller Prey novels featuring Lucas Davenport, the Kidd novels with computer genius and painter Kidd, and the Virgil Flowers novels where Flowers solves Minnesota crimes. Many of Sandford’s books include Iowa locations. His 2016 Extreme Prey takes place in Iowa and culminates at the Iowa State Fair.
The 2019 Friend of Literacy award will be presented to the Polk County Board of Supervisors for their support of the library, literacy and education.
The Iowa Author Awards Dinner includes a reception, dinner, program, plus live and silent auctions. Individual tickets are $200. The first 350 people to register will receive copies of Sandford’s October 1 release, Bloody Genius, about a college culture war turned deadly. Sponsorships are available. To purchase tickets or for more information go to dmpl.org/sandford, call the Des Moines Public Library Foundation at 515-412-0180, or emaildorybriles@dmplfoundation.org.
