Author Jana G. Oliver will speak and sign copies of her “Time Rovers” novels at the Fayette County Public Library in downtown Fayetteville tomorrow at 1 p.m. An expert on Jack the Ripper and his various literary incarnation, Oliver will deliver a talk titled “Once Upon a Dark Alley: A Tale of Ripper Fiction,” as the concluding segment of the library’s “A Chill in the Air” event series.

Imagine it’s the year 2057, and time travel has become a commonplace form of recreation for those who can afford it. Imagine that your job as a Time Rover is to monitor these “tourists” and keep them from tampering with history. This is where intrepid heroine Jacynda Lassiter comes in. But even Jacynda faces more than she bargained for when she finds herself tracking a rogue tourist in 1888 London, becoming thoroughly entangled with both the secret plotting of the shape-shifting Transitives and the abominable deeds of the mysterious Jack the Ripper.

“Sojourn,” the first book in the “Time Rovers” trilogy, won a Gold Medal in the Independent Publisher Books Awards, ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Award, and four romance awards, including the Booksellers’ Best Award, a Daphne du Maurier for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, a Golden Quill and the Prism Award for Time Travel. The second book, “Virtual Evil,” was published in October 2007 and the third, “Madman’s Dance,” will be available in the fall next year.

In the course of researching the setting for “Sojourn,” Oliver became well-versed in the lore of Jack the Ripper, eventually developing the fun and informative presentation she will give at the library on Saturday. Jack has been portrayed as the symbol of aristocratic evil, the alter-ego of Sherlock Holmes and, believe it or not, as a hero. Whatever the context, the Ripper continues to fascinate us nearly 120 years down the line. Some legends never go out of style.

The event is sponsored by the Fayette County Public Library and the Friends of the Fayette County Public Library. Admission is free and open to the public, and complimentary light refreshments will be available. Everyone who attends will have the chance to win a very interesting Ripper-themed door prize, compliments of the author.

The Fayette County Public Library is located behind the Fayette County administrative complex in downtown Fayetteville, at the southwest corner of Ga. highways 85 and 54. For additional information, please contact the library at 770-461-8841.

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