Michael Connelly and Jake Tapper are joining forces to help independent bookstores.
The mystery novelist and the CNN anchor/author will take part in an online conversation on Thursday to benefit the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (Binc), a nonprofit that provides emergency assistance grants to booksellers in need.
The conversation will focus on their careers as journalists and novelists. Connelly, known for his detective novels featuring protagonist Harry Bosch, started his career as a crime reporter in Florida and California.
Tapper, a longtime journalist known for his trademark skeptical grimace, published his first novel, The Hellfire Club, in 2018.
The pair will also discuss Tapper’s book and Connelly’s latest novel, Fair Warning, which focuses on the character of Jack McEvoy, a journalist who used to report for the Los Angeles Times.
Binc has had a busy year, collecting money for booksellers and comic book store employees who have been furloughed or laid off because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization accepts applications for grants from employees as well as stores.
The group was one of the sponsors of the #SaveIndieBookstores campaign, which raised more than $1 million for independent retailers in April and early May.
Those interested in listening in on the conversation between Connelly and Tapper can register for the event here. The conversation is free, but viewers are urged to donate to Binc.
Michael Schaub is a Texas-based journalist and regular contributor to NPR.
