Youngstown & Mahoning Valley - It's an annual event that promotes the importance of reading, writing, and keeping libraries alive.

New York Times Best-Selling Author David Baldacci was the keynote speaker of Thursday's Literary Society Fundraiser at The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County. 21 News caught up with him before the event on why it's crucial to keep storytelling alive.

"Every person, every kid should be able to see a writer and shake a writer's hand and ask questions of a writer," Baldacci told 21 News.

It's the largest fundraiser for the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, the Literary Society fundraiser that welcomes one well-known author every year.

"Widely published authors like David Baldacci really give us the opportunity to foreground reading in the community and have a nice event, which allows us to add to the foundation funds," said Aimee Fifarek, Director & CEO of The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County.

Virginia native and New York Times Best Selling Author David Baldacci spent Thursday evening in Youngstown for the event. The author of Simple Genius and The Sixth Man met with book lovers and those who want to support the Valley's library system.

"Libraries meant a great deal to me as a child growing up," he said to 21 News. "My parents took us to the library every week. We would check out all these books and I would read this world of ideas and words and thoughts and it just blew me away. So, it's been apart of my life ever since."

"We've read many of his books and I'm bringing a table of 10 ladies from the area," said Phyllis Bacon of Canfield. "I know we're going to have a wonderful night."

Bacon told 21 News it's important to raise funds for the Valley's library system to keep literature and library systems alive.  

The money raised allows the library to fund other author appearances and a variety of programs throughout the year. Baldacci offered some advice to those who want to pick up a pen and paper.

"Failure is only if you don't sit down and start," he said. "That's the only time you fail. I fail a lot. I write books, I get in the middle, I get hung up, I do not know where I'm going to go, but that's all part of the process. If you sit down and start writing a book, you're already ahead of the 99% of people who said they're actually going to do it, who never sit down to do it."

Baldacci has visited cities throughout the U.S. in the past 27 years and hopes to continue to spread his passion for writing. 

"This is not a job I'm going to retire from," Balducci added. "I'm just going to keep writing until my ideas run out or until my life ends," he joked. "If everyone read books, we'd have a much better world."

Every attendee was given a signed copy of Baldacci's newest book, Simply Lies, published earlier this year. Tickets were priced at $150 and also included an opening reception with the author, a seated dinner, and a presentation/ Q&A with Baldacci. 

Baldacci is one of many writers who is joining the lawsuit against OPEN A-I that could threaten the integrity of the author's work. The lawsuit claims the company behind 'Chat GPT', is illegally using the work of the authors. The authors say A-I is a threat to literary culture and creativity.