The choice was obvious: They needed at least one sub sandwich.

The St. Louis Public Library Foundation asked Ces and Judy's Catering to prepare a menu of appetizers based on Jules Verne's classic "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." The caterers dove right in, emerging with the appropriately named Nautilus Sub Sandwich, along with salmon burgers, real and faux caviar, tuna tartare, crab cakes and squid-ink pasta with mozzarella pearls.

Those dishes will be served at "Stranger Than Fiction," a party Nov. 14 at the Central Library downtown to benefit the capital drive for the $70 million restoration and renewal of the landmark building. (In an effort to come up with as many plays-on-words as possible, the planners also dubbed the fundraiser a "novel" event.)

Four other caterers are joining in the fun: Something Elegant, with dishes themed after mysteries by Tony Hillerman, which are set in the Southwest; Bryan Young's Catering Plus, with food inspired by Harlequin Romances; Patty Long Catering, playfully interpreting children's literature; and Cravings Restaurant, Bakery and Catering, sweetly defying censorship with desserts based on titles and characters from banned books.

The whimsical menus will be complemented by Scarlet Letter Lemonade and A Twist on Oliver's Martini, both developed for the occasion by the Hyatt Regency St. Louis Riverfront. One of Cravings' desserts is a Clockwork Orange Tartlet, but there was no initial word on whether the adult beverages would be supplemented by a milk bar.

The evening will also include unusual activities and entertainment.

"Guests will be able to go on a scavenger hunt, and we're having an auction where the winner gets to have his or her name used as a character in a best-selling author's book," said Liz Reeves, director of development and communications for the St. Louis Library Foundation, "Our performers are kind of odd, too: an escape artist, a belly dancer and the Bob Kramer Marionnettes performing somewhat grown-up character vignettes from romance novels."

"We wanted this a more inclusive event than past years," Reeves said, adding that the library is calling the event both a fundraiser and a "friend-raiser."

"We also wanted to highlight the literary aspect of what the library does," Reeves said. As such, attendees are encouraged — but not required — to dress up as their favorite literary characters.