First Amendment Foundation auction features Florida authors

It’s one-stop shopping: Find a great gift for the book lover on your list and support a righteous cause.

The First Amendment Foundation fights for open government and transparency in Florida, on the principle that accurate information is at the core of freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

An all-star roster of Florida authors agrees, and they’ve donated items to the foundation’s auction, which is underway now.

If you’ve always wanted to have Carl Hiaasen (Squeeze Me) visit your book club (and who wouldn’t?), get ready to bid.

Other authors available for virtual encounters include Gilbert King, whose Pulitzer Prize-winning book Devil in the Grove set in motion the recent and long-overdue exoneration of the Groveland Four.

Or you can talk with stellar novelist Lauren Groff, whose latest, Matrix, was a finalist for the National Book Award.

Miami Herald food editor and James Beard Award winner Carlos Frias can chat about Florida food, environmental journalist Amy Green can talk about the dark dance between the Everglades and Big Sugar, writing coach Roy Peter Clark can talk strategies, and crime fiction writer Ace Atkins can dish gossip about cold-case murders in Tampa.

If signed copies of Florida books are on your list, you can bid on inscribed books by Kristen Arnett, Meg Cabot (three Princess Diaries books and a DVD!), Jeff Klinkenberg, Tamara Lush, Ann McCutchan, William McKeen, Craig Pittman, Diane Roberts, Jeff VanderMeer and more.

And if you’re just not feeling bookish, you can bid on four tickets to a Lightning game.

The online auction, which continues through Dec. 6, is at 32auctions.com/floridaauthor4FAF.