2026 Book & Author Luncheon
The Friends' annual Book and Author Luncheon and Silent Auction began in 2005 and is a major literary event for the community. The proceeds from the Luncheon ticket sales and the Silent Auction constitute the major source of funding for the Friends' activities in support of the library. Also, this year we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Friends of the Belton Library.
The luncheon and silent auction were a success, in spite of our caterer's business catching fire the night before our event. A huge Thank You! to all 250 attending for your understanding and patience when we had to do a last minute substitution of food. Mr. Erickson was available to sign books and meet with the attendees. His entire book supply that he brought with him quickly sold out with the proceeds going to the Friends. His luncheon presentation was fantastic and everyone wished he could have stayed longer.
Steve Troy, our former Vice President who passed away in 2025, was posthumously awarded our Friend of the Friends award for his tireless work on our behalf. His wife, Diana, and daughter. Brianna, were present to accept the award.
Click here to download a slide show of the Friends and the Luncheon.
In case you didn't attend, here is what you missed.
John Erickson, author of Hank the Cowdog series
- BLOCKBUSTER — Over nine million copies sold.
- USA Today calls the series "the best family entertainment in years.”
- A "grassroots publishing phenomena,” - Publishers Weekly
John R. Erickson has written and published 75 books and more than 600 articles, and is best known as the author of the Hank the Cowdog series of books, audio-books, and stage plays. His stories have won a number of awards, including the Audie, Oppenheimer, Wrangler, and Lamplighter Awards, and have been translated into Spanish, Danish, Farsi, and Chinese.
The Hank the Cowdog series began as a self-publishing venture in his garage in 1982 and has endured to become one of the nation’s most popular series for children and families. Through the eyes of Hank the Cowdog, a smelly, smart-aleck Head of Ranch Security, Erickson gives readers a glimpse of daily life on a ranch in the West Texas Panhandle. USA Today calls the series "the best family entertainment in years.”
From the start, John intended for the Hank stories to be read aloud, and one of the unique features of the series is that he has recorded all stories in the audio-book format, performing all the character voices himself and composing two original songs for each episode.
For more than thirty years, Erickson has worked hard to maintain the highest standards of good, wholesome family entertainment. In doing that, he has built a bond of trust with parents, librarians, and teachers, and all his stories have been approved for the Accelerated Reader Program. He has appeared in thousands of schools, from Fairbanks, Alaska, to Key West, Florida, and has been a popular speaker at conventions of teachers, librarians, and homeschoolers. And, in 2019, John was inducted into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame.
John and his wife, Kris, live on their cattle ranch near Perryton, Texas, and stay in touch with the world through the Official Hank Website hankthecowdog.com. They have three grown children (Scot, Ashley, and Mark) and four grandchildren.
A more detailed biography of the author can be found on Wikipedia, and be sure to visit Hank's Blog!
Seating is limited so make your reservations for this special event now.
Sponsored in part by
