Tag: authors

Book Launch- Lauren Campbell “When They Were in Vogue”

Written by Raquel on November 26, 2025.

Celebrate the launch of Lauren’s Campbell’s historical fiction book, “When They Were in Vogue.” Join us as we explore this powerful work of historical fiction that covers race, art, friendship, and identity during one of America’s most dynamic cultural moments. The book takes place in the summer of 1929, where siblings Scott and Alice travel from the South to a vibrant and bustling Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance.

This event is perfect for readers of historical fiction with heart, depth, and modern resonance.

About the Author:

Lauren Campbell has been writing stories since childhood, drawn to narratives that illuminate overlooked histories and explore the complexities of human nature. A third-year law student at UC Berkeley School of Law, Lauren brings a keen eye for justice and nuance to fiction that interrogates themes of race, belonging, and social change.

The first 5 attendees will receive a copy of the book thanks to our sponsor, Sobrato Foundation.

Poetry Night

Written by Raquel on September 9, 2025.

Join us for a poetry night with local writers Katrina Benedicto & Jade Zora Dean

Katrina Benedicto (they/she) is a Filipino-American writer and educator. Born in the Bay Area, they lived in Romblon and Manila before moving to San Francisco. They later studied at SFSU, where they hold an MFA in Creative Writing. Their writing often taps into topics of folklore, the body, and the fleeting nature of home.

Jade Zora Dean is a queer, trans poet, writer, and poetry editor for Fourteen Hills: The S.F.S.U. Review. She was born in the Rocky Mountains where she received her B.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Colorado Boulder. Now, she has made her home in the beautiful Bay Area. Her poem “Not Hiding Unseen” was nominated for the Pushcart Prize and she is currently pursuing her MFA in creative writing at San Francisco State University.

Meet & Greet: Do you know Dino? Author Andy Cruz

Written by Raquel on August 20, 2025.

Imagine going back in time, 152 million years, to the late Jurassic Period. Meet Andy Cruz, aka dinosaurcomics, a Sacramento-based cartoonist that makes comics about prehistory (Especially DINOSAURS!) and his deep fascination with the natural world for a book signing.

Born and raised in the California Bay Area, Andy enjoys long walks on beaches and drinking milk tea. When he’s not drawing, he’s probably reading comics, watching anime, or throwing Tiger Uppercuts in Muay Thai.

Unearthed: Author Chanchal Garg with Mansi Goel

Written by Raquel on August 2, 2025.

Join author Chanchal Garg in conversation with Mansi Goel to discuss Chanchal’s new book “Unearthed” and her journey of healing. Hope to see you here.

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Chanchal Garg is a speaker, executive coach and facilitator at The Stanford Graduate Business School. She is also the author of Unearthed: The Lies We Carry & The Truths They Bury.

Previously Google’s Global Head of Product Policy, Mansi Goel is now ranked among the Top 5 Executive Coaches in Silicon Valley. Her core passion is to rewild herself and this earth.

I am a Warrior Book Launch & Community Gathering

Written by Raquel on July 25, 2025.

I Have the Heart of a Warrior – Book Launch & Community Gathering

Join us for an inspiring and heart-centered celebration of I Have the Heart of a Warrior, the newest children’s empowerment book by author, humanitarian, and speaker Leslie Lew.

This powerful event is for parents, educators, caregivers, and conscious community members who believe in raising the next generation with courage, confidence, and compassion.

Whether you’re nurturing your own child’s voice or healing your inner child, this gathering is a reminder that we all have the heart of a warrior — and it’s time to live from it.

What to Expect:

A heartfelt reading of I Have the Heart of a Warrior
Interactive Q&A and community discussion with Leslie
Creative activities for kids and families to explore bravery, boundaries, and voice
Book signing + limited edition warrior gifts
A space of love, healing, and bold transformation

Who It’s For:

Parents and caregivers who want to raise brave, emotionally aware kids
Teachers, therapists, and youth advocates focused on empowerment
Anyone looking to reconnect with their own warrior spirit

Come as you are. Leave feeling empowered, connected, and ready to rise — with your little (or inner) warrior by your side.

Meet & Greet with Patricia Bossano

Written by Raquel on July 20, 2025.

Come meet local author Patricia Bossano, purchase a book and get it signed.

Although born in California, Patricia grew up in Ecuador, South America. After a return to the United States in the mid 1980’s and a corporate career in International Sales Operations, she followed her heart and began to write full time.

At present, Patricia is an award-winning full-time artisanal wordsmith and the managing editor of WaterBearer Press, and old-school scribbler of no A.I. philosophical fiction and supernatural escapes, some of them en español.

Love & Homegrown Magic spans seven decades and is a genre-crossing novel with elements of fantasy, spirituality and the paranormal.

Junk Poetry Workshop

Written by Raquel on June 29, 2025.

Words, scraps, a bit of glue, and magic!

Inspired by blackout poetry and mixed media collage, junk poetry is all about finding and creating meaning out of scraps. Join local poet Dina Klarisse for an evening of creating poems from the unexpected!

Materials will be provided, but feel free to bring and share collage material.

About the presenter:

Dina Klarisse is a Bay Area-based writer and editor whose work delves into the intersections of language, history, and identity. Her writings have appeared in publications such as ASU’s Canyon Voices, The Daily Drunk Mag, Chopsticks Alley, and Kalopsia Literary Journal. She is the author of the poetry chapbook Handspun Rosaries (2022). Beyond her writing, Dina serves on the Board of Directors for Philippine American Writers and Artists, Inc. (PAWA) and is a member of the organizing committee for the Filipino American International Book Festival.

Meet Theodore (and author Jamie Shepard)

Written by Raquel on May 29, 2025.

Meet Theodore and Jamie on August 30th at Peninsula Books. “Theodore’s Big Day”, is a heartwarming story about a Mini Australian Shepherd dog with a dream to find his furever family. This story is about hope, love, and the joy of finding where you truly belong.

Writing Workshop with David

Written by Raquel on March 18, 2025.

David is an author, editor and educator. In addition to classes for adults at The Writing Salon, David has taught students from middle school age and up at McKinley Institute of Technology (Redwood City), Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, and in private practice.

He founded Inkflow Communications (www.InkflowCommunications.com), which provides writing/editing services and marketing communications consulting to non-profits and other social impact organizations. David has self-published Az der Papa (a YA coming-of-age novella), At the Cookout: A White Man’s Journey in Black America (memoir), and The Man Behind the Mask (collaboration with American Ninja Warrior athletes Flip Rodriguez and Noah Kaufman). David’s work is rooted in a journalism career that started at age 15 in 1979 and has included thousands of articles, op-eds, and blogs for his employers and clients.

Limited to twenty attendees 12 and older. You must register for the free event.

Register here.

Information on Kerry Donoghue book launch party

“Mouth” by Kerry Donoghue Book Launch Party

Written by Raquel on March 4, 2025.

Celebrate the launch of Kerry Donoghue’s provocative debut, MOUTH, highlighting the ways we consume—from the drinks we can’t put down to the lovers we can’t resist—revealing deeper hungers we often keep hidden. A competitive eater, a rodeo clown, a pearl diver, and a mermaid-in-training are just a few of the outsiders in this collection of short stories. MOUTH asks: when our appetites define us, how do we survive the hunger?

Currently living in the Bay Area, her poetry and stories have appeared in journals such as Ninth Letter, Painted Bride Quarterly, Permafrost, The Louisville Review, and The South Carolina Review. Learn more at www.kerrydonoghue.com.

Give the gift of reading this season.

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