Book Talk: Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finney Boylan to speak at Tampa Theatre about ‘Mad Honey’

The Oxford Exchange hosts a launch party for local author Amy Christine Parker’s horror novel “Flight 171″ at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 9 at the bookstore, 411 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. Tickets $5 for admission, or $10.74 for admission plus a signed paperback, at oxfordexchange.com/pages/calendar.

The Oxford Exchange presents bestselling authors Jodi Picoult (”Wish You Were Here”) and Jennifer Finney Boylan (”Good Boy: My Life in Seven Dogs”) in conversation about their new novel, “Mad Honey,” with Times book editor Colette Bancroft at 7 p.m. Oct. 11 at Tampa Theatre, 711 N Franklin St. Picoult is the New York Times bestselling author of 28 novels. Boylan, a human rights activist, has published 16 books and been a columnist for the New York Times. The two authors collaborated on this compelling novel that combines courtroom suspense and a tale of family secrets with a love story. Tickets include a pre-signed copy of “Mad Honey” and are $44 at the box office or $45 online at oxfordexchange.com/pages/calendar.

Tombolo Books and Gloria Muñoz present a reading by poet and Harvard professor Stephanie Burt of her new collection of poems, “We Are Mermaids,” at 7 p.m. Oct. 12 at the bookstore, 2153 First Ave. S, St. Petersburg. Free; RSVP at tombolobooks.com/events

Book Talk is a listing of in-person author appearances in the Tampa Bay area in the coming week. To place an item in Book Talk, send author’s name, book title, appearance time, date, venue name and address, admission cost (if any) and a contact phone number to cbancroft@tampabay.com, with “Book Talk” in the subject line. Deadline is 14 days before publication.