Join me and 3 other Authors on Feb. 6th at The 16th Annual Festival of Female Authors

What is it like to be an author? What are the steps, challenges and highlights along the way? Please join me and three other authors as we discuss our journeys and our books at the:

16th Annual

FESTIVAL OF WOMEN AUTHORS

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2010, 8:45- 3:30

H’s LORDSHIPS

on the Berkeley Marina

Four women authors from California highlight the 16th annual Festival of Women Authors sponsored by the YWCA Berkeley/Oakland. The Festival, at H’s Lordships on the Berkeley Marina, is a full day of presentations, questions and answers and book signings on Saturday, February 6, 2010. Doors open at 8:45 a.m. Book lovers, writers and members of book clubs are invited to enjoy a continental breakfast and luncheon along with a full day of literary entertainment. Books by the featured authors will be sold by Books, Inc., Alameda throughout the day with 20% of the proceeds going toward support of YWCA programs.

The featured authors for 2010 are Dana Whitaker, Bonnie Tsui, Michelle Richmond, and Vivienne Sosnowski

Dana Whitaker’s stories and photographs in Transforming Lives $40 at a Time, Women + Microfinance: Upending the Status Quo, bring readers face-to-face with the dreams, fears, and successes of some of the world’s poorest women from five continents. Dana holds Master of Arts degrees in education from Stanford University and The George Washington University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from U.C. at Berkeley, and is a graduate of the Newfield Network, an International Coach Federation (ICF) certified coaching program. She lives in Berkeley with her husband and son.

Bonnie Tsui is the author of American Chinatown: A People’s History of Five Neighborhoods. A frequent contributor to The New York Times, she has also written for The Atlantic Monthly, National Geographic Adventure, and Mother Jones. She is a recipient of the Radcliffe Traveling Fellowship, the Lowell Thomas Award for travel journalism, and the Jane Rainie Opel Award from the Radcliffe Institute.

Michelle Richmond is the author of four books of fiction, including the critically acclaimed novel No One You Know and the New York Times bestseller, The Year of Fog. She is the recipient of the Hillsdale Award for Fiction, the Associated Writing Programs Award, and the James Michener Fellowship. She lives in San Francisco.

Vivienne Sosnowski is the author of When the Rivers Ran Red which has appeared on the San Francisco Chronicle's best-selling book list. This is the first book for this long-time journalist who cites two years of persistent searching through both national and local libraries and archives; through old files in court houses and newspapers and even in family photo albums as the basis for her history. She lives both in Healdsburg, CA, and Vancouver, Canada, and is at work on her second book.

The YWCA Berkeley/Oakland has been providing programs and services for women and girls, University of California students and the greater community in Berkeley and Oakland for over 120 years. Current community services include: Youth Development Program, Youth Mentor Program, TechGYRLS, Leadership Development Programs, English-In-Action and a diverse group of health, fitness and dance classes. Tax-deductible donations are always accepted to support programs at the YWCA. Tickets for the Festival of Women Authors are $70 per person in advance and include a continental breakfast and lunch. Tickets at the door are $80 and do not include lunch. Call the YWCA at 510-848-6370 to make your reservation. Ample free parking is available.

To register for the Festival of Women Authors

visit us on the web at http://www.ywca-berkeley.org or call us at (510) 848-6370.