Maybe it's something in the water, but Connecticut seems to spawn more than its share of writers. One of them, Mintz & Hoke's CEO Chris Knopf, is a finalist for the ninth annual Connecticut Book Awards for his novel, Hard Stop. He is one of three finalists for this award, and it's the third time he's reached the finals (maybe three's the charm).

Presented by the Connecticut Center for the Book at Hartford Public Library, the awards honor literary work with specific ties to the state: the author, illustrator or designer must be native-born or have been a legal resident for at least three years.

Hard Stop is the fourth in Chris's Hamptons mystery series which follows Sam Aquillo, who manages to be a magnet for trouble, yet moves easily up and down the complex social strata of the Hamptons.

The Connecticut Book Awards will be held Sunday, Sept. 19 from 2:00 to 3:30 and are free and open to the public. The 23 finalists will sign their books at a reception afterward. Tickets are available online at CT Book Awards.