California Book Club Summit Features Best-Selling African American Authors
September 10-13, 2009 - San Ramon Marriott Hotel San Ramon, CA (BlackNews.com) - Participants in the first annual California Book Club Summit--produced by its founder Sigrid Williams--will enjoy many opportunities to spend fun and educational time with some of the nation's best-selling African American authors. A wine-tasting reception, breakfast, lunch, awards dinner, seminars, workshops, book signings, a slumber party, and a gospel showcase are among the numerous activities that attendees will share with literary giants. Thursday through Sunday, September 10-13, 2009, San Ramon Marriott Hotel (2600 Bishop Dr., San Ramon, CA 94583) will host the unique educational, inspirational and entertaining week-end getaway. Participant pre-registration is required -- $325 per person. Interested parties may register online at thecaliforniabookclubsummit.com/form.htm. Registration fee does not include nightly accommodations. The hotel is offering reasonably priced rooms at $89/night; to book reservations, call (925) 867-9200. Among the many noted fiction and non-fiction writers to be on-hand at The California Book Club Summit are Tina McElroy Ansa, Steven Barnes, Cheryl Broussard, J. California Cooper, Tananarive Due, Mary B. Morrison, Victoria Christopher Murray, Omar Tyree, and numerous others. Merritt College Pre-Summit Activity: Campus Day at Merritt College (12500 Campus Drive, Oakland, CA), presented by the Peralta Community College District to support young writers. Taking place Thursday, Sept. 10th from noon until 3:00 p.m. at the Newton-Seal Student Lounge, Bldg R-110, this event is free and open to students from all Peralta Community College District campuses. The Summit will officially open with a wine tasting reception Thursday evening at the San Ramon Marriott Hotel, featuring premier wines provided by Bay Area African American vintners; followed by three days of workshops, panel discussions, book signings, and numerous other interactive activities. Author Workshops and Panel Discussion Topics: 1. Erotica: Its Importance from a Male and Female Perspective 2. So You Want To Be A Writer 3. Getting Published: The Different Alternatives 4. Reading Starts Early: The Business of Writing for Our Youth 5. In Pursuit of Direction: The Genre Evolution 6. For the Love of Writing - African American Contemporary Fiction/Romance 7. Riding Out the Recession Workshop SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO NOVELIST E. LYNN HARRIS: The event will close on Sunday with a Gospel Music celebration, motivational speakers and authors. The first annual California Book Club Summit promises to be a fascinating event and one to calendar in year after year. For more information about the Summit, or single-day participation, please visit thecaliforniabookclubsummit.com The California Book Club Summit
Mary Morrison, Kimberly Terry, and Bernice McFadden
Anjuelle Floyd, Trice Hickman and Alretha Thomas
Tina McElroy Ansa, Electa Rome Parks and Pamela Samuels
Victoria Christopher Murray, Earl Sewell and Vincent Alexandria
J.D. Mason, Omar Tyree, Nina Foxx and China Ball
Francis Ray, J. California Cooper, Donna Hill and ReShonda Tate Billingsly
Cheryl Broussard
During Saturday's awards dinner, special tribute will be paid to best-selling author E. Lynn Harris, who passed on Thursday, July 23rd at age 54. Tina McElroy Ansa, author of Baby of the Family, Ugly Ways, and its sequel Taking After Mudear, will share intimate reflections of her professional relationship with Harris. Sigrid Williams will bestow upon Harris a posthumous award in honor of his groundbreaking contributions to black literature. Additionally, science fiction novelist (and husband of Tananarive Due) Steven Barnes will accept an award on behalf of revered science fiction writer Octavia Butler, who joined her maker February 24, 2006.
Sigrid Williams, founder
P.O. Box 5422, Vallejo, CA 94591
(866) 794-6264
thecaliforniabookclubsummit@yahoo.com
www.thecaliforniabookclubsummit.com
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