Author of the multi-award winning book, earthshine, local author Chuck Brickley will read excerpts from his latest collection, downhill home. Chuck will also be discussing what ‘free-verse haiku’ is, and why it’s a perfect medium of expression for our times.
Chuck will be joined by other local poets, who will read their work.
About Chuck:
Chuck Brickley is a Westmoor High School alum and Westlake resident who has been writing free-verse haiku for over 60 years. His haiku, senryu, haibun and hay(na)ku have been published, awarded and translated in journals and anthologies worldwide.
Visit his author website at: www.chuckbrickley.com
Come meet the author of West Facade, Lauren C. Johnson
First 5 attendees will receive a free copy of The West Facade
About the Book
A cathedral statue discovers what it means to be human, then faces an impossible choice…
In Paris, at the dawn of the Bubonic Plague, the statues that guard the Notre Dame Cathedral are forbidden from experiencing human pleasures. But the statue of Sainte Geneviève’s quiet existence changes irrevocably when a grieving woman places a citrus fruit in her hands as an offering—an offering Geneviève can’t resist eating.
Eating awakens Geneviève to her desires, making Geneviève want to be more than an object on a cathedral wall. But when Geneviève gets what she wants, she must choose between remaining human and accepting mortality or returning to an eternity of being a statue at the cathedral once more.
About the Author
Lauren C. Johnson holds a B.S. in Journalism from Emerson College and an MFA in Creative Writing from American University. Her work has appeared in such publications as Orion and The Rumpus. She is the co-host of Babylon Salon, one of the Bay Area’s longest running literary and performance series, and the co-founder of Club Chicxulub, a journal and reading series featuring speculative fiction authors. Raised in Tampa, Florida, she now lives in San Francisco with her husband and her two rescue doves, Schooner and Eagle. This is her first book.
In Pure Evil, Page Publishing author Charles Porta tells a spine-chilling thriller story about a serial killer loose in San Francisco. The police department are doing their best, but are being taunted by the killer and the death count of the city is only rising. Then, Detective Draven Overstreet is assigned to the case. He is a brilliant detective who follows his own beat with a strict moral code steeped in the protection of the innocent.
With the aid of the Gothically alluring and seductive Asia Francisco, forensics expert for the San Francisco Police Department, along with assistance from other individuals, they comb the city in desperate search for this disturbed, twisted serial killer lurking among the streets.
First five attendees receive a FREE copy of the book!
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
