John Cooper School’s Signatures Author Series to welcome bestselling novelist Alka Joshi to The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Dec 1

THE WOODLANDS, TX – Each year for nearly two full decades, The John Cooper School plays host to a world-class author to celebrate and fete at the Signatures Author Series luncheon. For the 19th annual event, the school’s Fine Arts Council has reached across space and time to secure the keynote speaker and honoree, Alka Joshi, for Friday, December 1 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center.

Alka Joshi is the internationally bestselling author of the Jaipur Trilogy: The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, and The Perfumist of Paris. Her debut novel, The Henna Artist, immediately landed on the New York Times bestseller list, and was named as a Reese Witherspoon Pick. The first-person narrative novel tracks a woman’s journey of discovery through 1950s India. It has been translated into 29 languages and is currently in development at Netflix as a TV series.

Joshi was born in India and came to the U.S. with her family at the age of nine. She has a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from California College of Arts. Additionally, she shares her writing tips on her YouTube channel and makes herself available for group writing instruction.

Christen Wilson, the Chief Advancement Officer at John Cooper, is elated to be experiencing the event for the first time in her new position at the school.

“Here at John Cooper, this is also a community event for us. Since 2005, we have had upwards of 1,000 guests each luncheon to join us from both within our John Cooper community as well as residents in The Woodlands area and visitors from the Houston region. We feel as though this is a wonderful opportunity for us to reach out and connect with our local community partners,” she said.

The Signatures Author Series luncheon is a yearly highly anticipated event. Previous years have hosted featured keynote speakers and best-selling authors such as Barbara Bush, Dave Berry, Mitch Albom, Anthony Bourdain, John Grogan, Nicholas Sparks, Candace Bushnell, Kathryn Stockett with Tate Taylor, Jodi Picoult, Tyler Florence, Gillian Flynn, Cheryl Strayed, Paula Hawkins, Kevin Kwan, Maria Semple, Jesmyn Ward, Taylor Jenkins Reid, and Elin Hilderbrand. The luncheon also features visiting authors, book signings, and a Signatures-themed drawing.

“I think that people enjoy coming to this event because they’re curious about writing, they’re passionate about literacy, and they know and trust The John Cooper School,” said Wilson

Individual tickets, tables, and sponsorships are still available for a limited time; more information can be found at https://www.johncooper.org/support-cooper/special-events#signatures. Hundreds of attendees come each year, so early reservations are encouraged.

Additionally, a portion of the proceeds from the Signatures Author Series is given each year to a local literary organization. Children’s Books on Wheels is the recipient of this year’s donation. Past beneficiaries include The Montgomery County Library System and The Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation.

The John Cooper School is a PK-12 independent, college preparatory day school that has been serving The Woodlands and greater Houston area since 1988, and has recently been recognized as the Number One Private School in The Woodlands (and #3 in Texas).