‘Big Fish’ author to visit The Bookmark to discuss new novel

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Daniel Wallace, the bestselling author of “Big Fish,” will visit The Bookmark Friday, June 2 at 7 p.m. to discuss and sign copies of his new novel, “Extraordinary Adventures.”

The book follows the story of Edsel Bronfman, a junior executive shipping clerk for an importer of Korean flatware who lives in a seedy neighborhood and spends his free time with his mother.

Life is rather unremarkable for Bronfman, until he receives a call from an operator telling him he’s won a free weekend at a beachfront condo in Destin. There are conditions, however, that are seemingly insurmountable obstacles: The offer is intended for a couple, and it expires in 79 days. The phone call jolts Edsel into motion, initiating a series of extraordinary adventures as he sets out to find a companion for the weekend getaway.

“Edsel Bronfman is one of the most peculiar and inhibited characters I’ve ever met,” said fellow author Mark Childress in a review. “At first I was amused by him, then alarmed by him, then terrified for him. At one point, he almost broke my heart, and I realized I’d fallen completely in love. Daniel Wallace’s ‘Extraordinary Adventures’ is deliciously funny, moving, and generous, and Edsel is unforgettable.”

Wallace is currently serving as a distinguished professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he directs the school’s creative writing program. His other books include “Ray in Reverse,” “The Watermelon King,” “Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician” and “The Kings and Queens of Roam.”

The Bookmark is located at 220 First St. in Neptune Beach.