September 8, 2005
Third Annual Festival of Authors October 1
The legendary Ray Bradbury, one of America’s most honored and beloved writers, will be the keynote speaker, among more than 70 authors who will participate in the 3rd annual Duarte Festival of Authors, Saturday, Oct. 1.

The Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the park-like grounds of Westminster Gardens, an SCPH Retirement Community, at 1420 Santo Domingo Ave. Admission is free and there is plenty of free on site and street parking available.

Presented by the Friends of the Duarte Library, the Duarte Festival of Authors is the culminating event of Duarte’s One Town, One Book celebration that selected two Bradbury classics for the 2005 community read, The Martian Chronicles and children’s selection, Turn on the Night. Bradbury will speak at 12:30 p.m. This is his third visit to Duarte in three years.

Throughout the day authors will participate in panel discussions, book talks, and sign their books.

Mystic Sisters Book Store, of Monrovia, is once again partnering with the Festival committee to coordinate author appearances and handle book sales. A percentage of profits from book sales will be donated to the Friends of the Duarte Library.
 
“The festival will showcase a rich sampling of the diversity of literary talent that live and work in Southern California,” said Festival organizer Nita Norgard, of the Friends of the Duarte Library. “We appreciate the sponsorship of the City of Duarte, City of Bradbury, Westminster Gardens, Mystic Sisters Book Store, Barrow/Hoffman Public Relations and the many other businesses and organizations who have supported our efforts to present this exciting event in Duarte,” she said.

Among the authors who will participate are biographer Sam Weller, author of The Bradbury Chronicles: The Life of Ray Bradbury; California Route 66 chronicler Scott Piotrowski, Finding the End of the Mother Road; mystery writers Harley Kozak, Dating is Murder; Sue Ann Jaffarian, The Curse of the Holy Pail; Joan Del Monte, Death Has a Yellow Thumb; Naomi Hirahara, Gasa Gasa Girl; and Alicia Copeland, Discord in Harmony.

Pasadena police officer and fiction writer, Victor Cass, author of Love, Death and Other War Stories, set in Pasadena, will appear at the Festival, as will Carolyn Howard, author of the self-help book for fellow authors, The Frugal Book Promoter, and young, new writer Brandon Wong, whose Urban Bloodshed: Rise of the Empires is a story of gang warfare in the fictional city of Avarice.

Rene Colato Lainez, Playing Loteria and Waiting for Papa, is one of a host of children’s authors who will participate in the Festival. His books are published in English and Spanish. Other children’s authors are: Robin Rector Krupp, The Rainbow in You; Ruth and David Elliott, The Richest Kid In The Poor House; and Cheryl Russell, Star Hearts.

The late author, Lorenz Graham, will be represented at the Festival by his daughter writer/storyteller Ruth Graham Siegrist. Lorenz Graham’s award-winning Town Series, of books chronicles the life an African American youth from adolescence to adulthood and his experiences of racism in the South and North while realizing his dream of becoming a doctor.

Rosa Martha Villarreal has won high praise for her historical novels, including her most recent, Chronicles of Air And Dreams, A Novel of Mexico. Her books are available in English and Spanish. Other authors to appear are: Jonathan Scott, Fathering From Love, Jodi Jill, Tours For Free – California; and Blythe Lipman, Help! My Baby Came Without Instructions, a timely guide for new moms, dads and grandparents.

For more information, call (626) 256-1212 and visit http://www.duarteonetownonebook.org/.