Contributors to 5:41: Stories from the Joplin Tornado to be featured at next Saturday's signing

Contributors to our new book, 5:41: Storiss from the Joplin Tornado, will be there a week from today at 1 p.m. when the book's first official signing takes place at Hastings Books at 7th and Rangeline, Joplin.

In addition to the book's co-author, John Hacker, and me, those who have indicated they will be there are Rhonda Hatfield, Tanya Snedden, Shaney Delzell, Gary Harrall, Denton Williams, Shanti Navarre, and Michael R. Sharp. We are awaiting word from other contributors.

Also scheduled to be there is one of my favorite former students, Joplin High School sophomore Laela Zaidi, whose story was told in the book by former Joplin Daily staff writer Kaylea Huston, and who is shown in the accompanying MSNBC video.

The signing will last from 1 to 5 p.m. Those who would like to add the signatures of some of those who contributed to the book will have their best chance at the beginning of the event.

For those unable to make the event, 5:41 is available at Hastings and CHanging Hands Book Shop in Joplin, and through Amazon.com on the link on the right hand side of this page. It is also available through its own e-store.

Defying a Tornado: Joplin Heads Back to School from NBC News on Vimeo.