Click here to view slideshow. Hundreds of book lovers turned out to enjoy a day of talks, panels and book signings at the 8th annual Duarte Festival of Authors at Westminster Gardens. More than 50 authors will participate in talks, panel discussions and book signings at the 8th annual Duarte Festival of Authors, Saturday, Oct. 2. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the park at Westminster Gardens, 1420 Santo Domingo Ave. Admission is free.
Fr. Gregory Boyle, author of “Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion,” and founder of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang intervention agency in the country, will be among the day’s featured speakers at 3 p.m.
Also headlining the event will be best-selling author, leading neuroscientist and frequent TV guest authority on the mind, aging, and memory, Dr. Gary Small. Dr. Small will discuss his latest book, “The Naked Lady Who Stood on Her Head,” recounting some of his most unusual cases at 1 p.m.
Presented by The Friends of the Duarte Library, the Duarte Festival of Authors offers a feast for book lovers of all ages and tastes. Once again the festival will showcase a rich sampling of the diversity of literary talent who live and work in Southern California.
With the growing popularity of performance poetry, this year’s festival will feature Indelible Ink, a showcase of performance artists whose original work is avant garde, courageous, entertaining and thought provoking. Showcase host, Monica Lee Copeland, one of the early instigators in the Slam Poetry movement, Jerry Quickley, award-winning poet, storyteller, hip-hop artist, and political activist, and Deborah Edler Brown, award-winning poet, performer, journalist and author, will perform at 11:30 a.m.
Among the numerous authors scheduled to appear and sign their books are mystery writers, Dennis Palumbo, “Mirror Image;” Jeff Sherratt, “Detour to Murder;” Joel Fox, “Lincoln’s Hand;” Gayle Carline, “Freezer Burn;” Alice Zogg, “Revamp Camp,” and Ann Carter, “Cape Seduction.”
Pulitzer prize winning journalist turned award-winning author, Jesse Katz will present his father/son baseball memoir, “The Opposite Field,” which was a 2010 summer reading pick by Westways. In tune with the headlines of troubled young stars, author C. B. Shiepe’s offers his fiction novel, “Cliff Falls.” Gerald Schiller, the author of nine books and a performing magician will talk about his latest, “It Happened in Hollywood.” Patricia Kokinos will discuss her book, “Angel Park: A Novel,” and Thelma T. Reyna, offers up a collection of short stories in “The Heavens Weep for Us and Other Stories.”
Readers can draw inspiration from authors Philip Ostergard, “The Inspired Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln,” Scott Glabb, “A Saint in the City,” Judie O’Neill, “The Lazy Woman’s Guide to Just About Everything,” Marja Meijers, “Breath of Life,” Brenda Winner, “Ten Perfect Fingers,” and Chuck Robertson, “A Simple Man’s Study of Esther,” and Stella Religa, “The Secret Revelation.”
A window on the beauty and adventure to be found in and around the outdoors of Southern California is chronicled in the works of Elizabeth Pomeroy, “Lost and Found,” “John Muir in Southern California,” and Lahla Keiser, “Glendora’s Backyard: Big Dalton Canyon,” while author/photographer Mike Torrey offers a glimpse into “Machu Picchu’s Terraces of Enlightenment,” while author Steve McCarthy offers a guide to the best west coast road trips ever in his book, “Road Trippin’.”
James Aguirre shares the story of “William Henninger, His Native American Wife, Teresa and Their Legacy,” and Bert W. Colima, “Gentleman of the Ring: The Bert Colima Story,” relates the story about the life of his middleweight champion father. Author/decorated Pasadena police officer, Victor Cass will appear with his new novel, “Telenovela,” set in Pasadena that alternates the plot of a Mexican soap opera, the fictitious “Sofia de Amor,” with the love lives of two beautiful, sophisticated Latinas who happen to be the daughters of immigrants.
Authors of children’s and young adult books include Ann Stalcup, “Leo Politi: Artist of the Angels,” Jean Blasiar, “Emmy Budd and the Hijacked Train,” Lois Carlson, “Shadows of the Past,” Jenny Hughes, “The Journeys of Jeff and Jessie,” Evelyn DeWolfe, “Across the Herring Pond,” Ann Garrett and Nancy Goodell, “TLC for Frazzled Kids,” and Janie Speare, “ABC’s for Christ,”
Fitness trainer to the stars, Loa Blasucci will discuss her book, “All Health’s Breaking Loose.” Also on hand will be Debbie Madison, “Rider Down,” Ron Oberon, “Our Earth and Beyond,” Vanessa Libertad Garcia, “The Voting Booth After Dark,” Avis Schmul, “Around the World with Crafts,” and Rupert Nelson, “Like the Rings of a Tree.” Irwin Margiloff and Neil Earle will sign their book, “Images of America – Duarte,” while Chris Epting will sign his book, “Images of America – Los Angeles’ Historic Ballparks,” and Alex Moreno Areyan will provide insight into his book, “Images of America – Mexican-Americans in Los Angeles.”
There will also be a host of other treats awaiting festival-goers, including a fine art exhibit by local artists.
For more information, call (626) 357-4151 or visit www.friendsoftheduartelibrary.com.