Talks that put a room inside the Southern coast
An award-winning novelist and practicing landscape architect, Blake speaks on place, craft, and the long road to a finished book — equal parts story, history, and craft, grounded in thirty years of reading real places for a living.
Warm, vivid, and easy to host: in person across Central Florida and the Georgia coast, or virtual. Most talks flex from 15 to 55 minutes with Q&A, and Blake brings books to sign.
Choose the talk that fits your room
Libraries & Author Events
Craft and the story behind the books, for public libraries and author series.
- Writing Coastal Fiction & a Sense of Place
- From Landscape Architecture to Fiction
- Turning a Lifelong Passion
- Saint Simons Lighthouses
Book Clubs
An evening with the author for groups who have read the books, or are about to.
- Building Memorable Settings
- Creating Fiction Rooted in Real Places
- Reader Q&A + discussion guide
Civic & Community Groups
After-dinner talks for Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, Elks, historical societies, and 55+ communities.
- Turning a Lifelong Passion
- Saint Simons Lighthouses
- From Landscape Architecture to Fiction
Faith Communities
Lighthouse-rooted messages on Matthew 5:16, tailored for men's and women's groups, classes, and full congregations.
- Let Your Light So Shine
- Tend the Light
Also available — The Fall: a performance reading for festivals, podcasts, and literary guilds.
Simple, flexible, and room-ready
- In person or virtual — Central Florida and the Georgia coast in person; anywhere by video.
- Flexible length — most talks run 15 to 55 minutes plus Q&A; Blake tailors to your slot.
- Minimal needs — a mic for larger rooms; a screen only if you would like visuals.
- Books on hand — Blake brings copies to sign and sell, or coordinates with your bookseller.
“You remind me of Pat Conroy's writing. The descriptions draw you into 1873 living on the island.”
— Jill Sluder, Amazon Verified Reviewer
Tell Blake about your event
Thanks — your request is on its way to Blake. He'll be in touch soon to confirm details and tailor the talk to your group.
Blake Gunnels is the author of By the Light of the Bluff — winner of the 2025 International Firebird Book Award for Southern Fiction — and the Cape Fear thriller series featuring harbormaster Nora Banks.