With his first book having made it to Hollywood and being opted for film, author John (Jack) Dobbyn’s time is in high demand.

Good thing he just retired from teaching law for 47 years.

Now free to pursue his writing career on a full-time basis, the former professor at the Charles Widger School of Law at Villanova University is kicking off his retirement with a rare speaking engagement.

Dobbyn’s fans will have the exclusive opportunity to hear him speak on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 6 PM at Surrey, a nonprofit organization that provides a wide range of services and activities to ensure older adults live with independence and dignity and continue as active members of the community.

Surrey has locations in Devon, Media, Havertown, and Broomall.

Dobbyn, a Boston native who received his J.D. from Boston College and LL.M. from Harvard, is the first in a speaker series aimed at entertaining, informing, and educating guests at Surrey’s Devon location at 60 Surrey Way (formerly 60 Chestnut Avenue).

Tickets are $35 per person, and all proceeds go toward Surrey and the myriad services it provides the community.

The evening will begin with light fare and wine, and Dobbyn’s presentation will start at 7 PM. The snow date is Feb. 23.

Fatal Odds, his newest book, will be available for purchase and signing.

“John Dobbyn’s thriller, Fatal Odds, does everything right: a nail-biting plot to keep you turning pages, characters that shine brighter with every twist and turn,” said James Rollins, a New York Times bestselling author.

Dobbyn’s first novel, Neon Dragon, was published in 2007, and deals with the underworld activities of the Chinese Tong in Boston’s Chinatown. It is being made into a major motion picture by Amber Entertainment.

To RSVP, click here or call 610-647-6404 x 111.