Longboat author hosts book signing

Longboat Key author Peggy Lammers hosted a book signing for her debut novel, "Onansburg, Iowa," on Oct. 30 at the Longboat Island Chapel. 

Lammers is a member of the chapel and considered many there to be extended family, though the event was open to the public. Friends and readers lined up for Lammers' signature in their copy of the novel, which follows a fictional small town and draws from Lammers' life. 

"This event is one of the biggest days of my life," Lammers said. "This has always been a dream of mine." 

Behind a table, Lammers signed copy after copy before taking the podium to discuss "Onansburg, Iowa," whose original title was "Old Settlers," after the festival in town. It sounded too much like a wagon train story, Lammers said, so it was changed.

After Lammers shared snippets of her "25-year romance" with writing the novel, daughter Lis Lammers read three excerpts of the novel, which characterized the town, main character Sonny Dawson and another character modeled after someone in Lammers' own Iowa small town.