A Christmas cavalcade of writers regale RPL crowd with tales of derring-do ... etc.

Rochester Poet Laureate Ed Pacht speaks to a packed Community Room crowd at Rochester Public Library during Wednesday's Author's Fair. (Rochester Voice photo)

ROCHESTER - It was a holly, jolly night of spinning tall tales and rhyming iambic pentameters at Wednesday nights' Author's Fair at the Rochester Public Library where about a dozen local authors regaled a packed Community Room with readings of their books and poems born of their humor, passion and pain.
The event was organized by Julian Long, founder of Rochester Writer's Night, which meets monthly to support area authors.
The keynote speaker was Rochester's own Poet Laureate Ed Pacht, a resident of Wyandotte Falls housing.
"Yeah I live in an old woolen mill that was converted into a warehouse for antiques like me," he quipped to a roar of laughter.
Pacht did several readings from some of his hundreds of poems written over the years.
Perhaps one of the most compelling speakers was Martha Lavalle, who said she grew up more of a math and science geek than an author, until about 10 years ago when she got an email from Germany that suggested she had a half-brother unbeknownst to her.
The revelation led her on a journey from anger, angst and disbelief to acceptance and finally joyfulness.
"I decided I had to write a book about this," she said.
Her book is titled, An Only Child No More: Discovering My New Family at 54.
Among other authors on hand were horror writer Greg Bastianelli, mental health advocate Brittany Eldridge and Farmington resident Sharon Lester with her homespun wit and wisdom.
Other authors who attended included Jenny Rainville, Steve Hartford & Mike Harmon, Rochester Voice editor Harrison Thorp, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Katie Costos DiCesare, Mark Hobson and William Trently.