Author's Luncheon

Thank You for Supporting Words Alive's 2022 Author's Luncheon & Fundraiser!

On Monday, May 16, Words Alive celebrated our spectacular 2022 Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser. After two years, we are so grateful for the opportunity to connect and to thank our sponsors, volunteers, and donors who help us change lives and communities through the power of reading during this special celebration. Words Alive was able to raise over $80,000 thanks to the generous support of those who joined us in-person and virtually! With this amazing support, we will be able not only to inspire more children, teens, and families across San Diego and Orange Counties to become life-long readers and learners, but to also address the recent critical gaps in literacy and language proficiency exacerbated during the pandemic among the youth in San Diego. 

We were riveted by Chris Bohjalian’s discussion about The Lioness, which was published on May 10 and an instant New York Times Best Seller!

We’d like to give special shout-outs to our program emcee, Katy Temple (pictured left), and our book talk moderator, Dr. Seth Lerer (pictured right), for their invaluable contributions to this year’s Luncheon. We are so appreciative of Katy for energetically hosting and leading our program and for Dr. Lerer’s enthusiastic engagement on The Lioness during conversations in-person with Chris Bohjalian and with our virtual book group participants.

This event would not have been possible without the generous donations of our Luncheon sponsors: Carleton Management, Santa Monica Press, The Patricia & Christopher Weil Family Foundation, Warwick’s, and honorary hosts: Toby Eisenberg, Betina Greenberg, Kay Gurtin, Leslye and Scott Lyons, Andrea MacDonald, Vera Pitrofsky, Karen Silberman, and Mary Weatherup.

Lastly, we would like to specially thank you — whether you are a donor, table sponsor, synchronous and asynchronous attendee, a new or long-time supporter of Words Alive, your donations and dedicated volunteer work make our mission and impact possible for our community. Your support has allowed us to reach more than 4,200 children, teens, and families in the 2021-2022 school year through our family literacy workshops, weekly elementary classroom read-aloud sessions, and teen book groups. Whether you have been serving with us or are just now discovering our work and mission, we sincerely thank and celebrate you for helping us to make a difference.

To keep up with our work, be sure to follow Words Alive on FacebookInstagram, and Twitter. We look forward to seeing you at our Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser Celebration next year!


Do you love writing and have an interest in helping Words Alive create this type of content? We'd love to have you on the team! Email to learn more.

Bestselling Author Chris Bohjalian Returns for 17th Annual Author's Luncheon & Fundraiser

An image of author Chris Bohjalian.

#1 New York Times bestselling author and prolific creative Chris Bohjalian is back as the featured author for Words Alive’s Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser! This highly anticipated event will take place on Monday, May 16 at the Farmer and the Seahorse in San Diego. To purchase tickets, visit: www.wordsalive.org/authors2022.

A novelist, playwright, and screenwriter, Chris boasts several renowned works such as Hour of the Witch released earlier this year and The Flight Attendant, which is now an 8-hour HBO Max television series starring Kaley Cuoco.

As one of the authors featured at our 2009 Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser for his book Skeletons at the Feast, Chris returns with his upcoming historical thriller, The Lioness at the Author’s Luncheon! 

The Lioness, by Chris Bohjalian

An image of Chris Bohjalian’s new historical suspense thriller, The Lioness, coming out May 10, 2022.

Penguin Random House describes The Lioness as a riveting historical thriller, equal parts psychological drama and suspence page turner in which a glamorous African safari for a Hollywood starlet and her entourage turns deadly.

“In THE LIONESS, Bohjalian turns his adrenaline-pumping pen to the Serengeti in 1964, where A-list actress Katie Barstow has taken her new husband and glittering entourage of co-stars, managers, and publicists for a safari adventure. Lulled by visions of candlelit dinners and capturing wildlife on film, Katie’s dream honeymoon suddenly turns into a nightmare when a team of Russian mercenaries descends upon the party. As the botched kidnapping sees the plains run red with blood and violent uncertainty spirals into the night, Katie and her entourage must confront which they fear more: nature or man.  

DEATH ON THE NILE meets OUT OF AFRICA, with the glamour of ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD and the pace and stakes of a John Le Carré novel, THE LIONESS weaves the rich atmosphere of 1960s Los Angeles cinema with the Serengeti in the newly formed Tanzania as violence and rebellion rage next door in the eastern Congo. Readers spend time inside the perspective of each member of the party, including Katie’s best friend and fellow starlet Carmen Tedesco; Terrance Dutton, the celebrated Black actor who stars alongside Katie in the highly controversial film, Tender Madness; Katie’s psychiatrist brother, who still bears the scars of their traumatic childhoods; her publicist, an Okinawa veteran with some demons of his own; her Beverly Hills gallerist husband, who may just have ties to the CIA; their safari guide, a Hemingwayesque game hunter of a bygone age of Colonialism; and more.” – Penguin Random House 

Recommended by in a New York Times article as one of “18 New Works of Fiction to Read this Spring,” The Lioness was praised by Publishers Weekly: “Bohjalian does a superb job of judiciously rolling out information of how past transgressions may have led to the heart-stopping episodes of chaos and carnage as the shocking, twist-filled plot builds up to the revelation of ‘the real reasons for the safari nightmare.’”

Who is Chris Bohjalian?

Image credit: https://chrisbohjalian.com/the-flight-attendant/

Chris Bohjalian graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Amherst College, where he was also awarded an Honorary Degree alongside Champlain College and Castleton University.

He has authored 24 books, which have been translated into 35 languages and adapted into three movies and an Emmy-nominated TV series on HBO Max. Chris has also written for a variety of magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Reader’s Digest and The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine and was a weekly columnist for the Burlington Free Press in Vermont from 1992 to 2005. In addition to earning a plethora of awards for his works, he received the Walter Cerf Medal for Oustanding Achievement in the Arts and the ANCA Freedom Award for his work educating Americans about the Armenian Genocide. As he continues to write, Chris is currently a Fellow of the Vermont Academy of Arts and Sciences.

He lives in Vermont with his wife, photographer Victoria Blewer. Their daughter, Grace Experience, works as a young actor and audiobook narrator in New York City.

Chris Bohjalian on the set of The Flight Attendant with star of the TV series and executive producer, Kaley Cuoco. Image credit: https://chrisbohjalian.com/the-flight-attendant/

What is the Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser?

The Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser is our fundraising event that features renowned authors such as Mary Kubica, Salman Rushdie, and Isabelle Allende. It allows attendees the opportunity to learn more about the author’s life and work and the work of Words Alive. Join us for a celebration of the power of reading, while meeting some of your favorite authors!

How Can I Participate in this Event?

Virtual and in-person tickets available. More information on the 2022 Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser can be found on our website: http://www.wordsalive.org/authors2022

Sources:

https://chrisbohjalian.com/bio/

https://chrisbohjalian.com/the-flight-attendant/

The Words Alive Reader: February 10, 2022

Welcome to the Words Alive Reader, our newsletter keeping you up-to-date with the latest in how we’ve been connecting children, teens, and families to the power of reading. What have we been up to and how can you help? Read on to find out!​​​​​​​

Welcome Families!

This week we welcome 292 families, and their 364 children, to Let's Read with Words Alive, our family literacy program!  

Each week families participate in a 45-minute virtual session, in English or Spanish, reading a story and completing a craft together. Between sessions for the next six weeks, parents will receive SMS-based support from volunteers to encourage at-home reading with their new books.

Teachers at Harriet Tubman Village Charter School sharing Let's Read with Words Alive books.

Through this wave, we are excited to offer parallel tracks for families with preschoolers and those with school-age students (TK-2) through partnerships with:

  • Diamond Educational Excellence Partnership

  • Edison Elementary

  • Freese Elementary

  • Harriet Tubman Village Charter School

  • Neighborhood House Association

  • Rolando Park Elementary

We are deeply grateful to the Dr. Seuss Foundation and Conrad Prebys Foundation for their leadership in helping us transform our family programming this year!

Thank you S. Mark Taper Foundation!

We are so grateful to the S. Mark Taper Foundation for making an incredible $35,000 investment in Words Alive!

The S. Mark Taper Foundation, founded in 1989, is a private family foundation dedicated to enhancing the quality of people’s lives by supporting nonprofit organizations and their work in our communities.

Unrestricted support, like this, enables us to invest in our incredible staff, develop new connections with community agencies, and build our capacity to reach more children, teens, and families. Thank you, S. Mark Taper Foundation!

Welcome Board Members!

Please join us in welcoming Meredith Baratz and Laura Galinson to the Words Alive Board of Directors! 

We look forward to their wealth of expertise and leadership to foster Words Alive's growth. You can learn more about Meredith and Laura, as well as the rest of our Board members, here.

If you're interested in serving on our Board of Directors or supporting one of our many committees providing professional guidance to the organization, please reach out to Rachael Orose to start a conversation.

Read Aloud Volunteers Needed

Help children learn to become a reader by volunteering today!

Each week, teachers and principals ask how Words Alive volunteers might read aloud with their students. If you are excited about reading remarkable stories aloud with classrooms of children (TK-3rd grade) and can commit to read for one hour a week through May, we have a spot for you!

We have virtual and in-person openings for readers at schools in central and southeast San Diego. 

Our best Read Aloud volunteers are excited, engaging, and love sharing stories.  No prior experience is necessary! Volunteers bilingual in Spanish and English are in high demand. 

We host weekly, virtual volunteer orientations where you can learn more. You can also email us for more details.

This newsletter, in addition to our blog and social media content, is written by us, a cohort of staff and volunteers! Do you love writing and have an interest in helping Words Alive create this type of content? We'd love your help! Email to learn more.

The Words Alive Reader: January 12, 2022

Happy New Year and welcome to the Words Alive Reader, our newsletter keeping you up-to-date with the latest in how we've been connecting children, teens, and families to the power of reading. What have we been up to and how can you help? Read on to find out!​​​​​​​

We Need Your Help

We have an incredible opportunity to connect thousands of readers to Words Alive: Christopher Weil & Company, Inc. is matching the next $5,000 donated to support Words Alive in the Champions for Youth competition! 

Your gift will reach twice as many children and bring us closer to our $60,000 goal before the January 30 deadline.

​​​​​​​Every gift counts! Even if you're a regular donor to Words Alive, a simple $10 gift made on this link can help.

Through the Champions for Youth competition, Words Alive earns bonus funds from the Century Club of San Diego and Farmers Insurance based on how we rank, against five other charities, in two categories: number of donors and funds raised. Thanks to Christopher Weil & Company, Inc.'s match, your gift today will propel us forward in both categories. 

 A very special thanks to the William Gumpert Foundation and the S. Bernstein Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation for matching earlier gifts to the campaign, enabling us to reach the first 75% of our $60,000 goal.

Volunteers Compile Hundreds of Learning Kits from Home

Volunteer standing with cart of boxes

Debbie Wappler, volunteer, stands with hundreds of Learning Kits she, her family, and colleagues created.

During the holidays, Debbie Wappler mobilized her family and colleagues at Commonwealth Financial to compile 700+ Learning Kits for children and families participating in this spring's "Let's Read with Words Alive" family literacy program.

Debbie set up assembly lines at her home and office to compile take-home bags for families reading two titles, Penguinaut! and Giraffes Can't Dance.

Learning Kits include tips for families, a copy of a book, and a simple craft activity related to each title. Since the new COVID variant is limiting our ability to compile kits at our office, we're looking for volunteers, like Debbie, interested in organizing family, neighbors, or colleagues to help compile the remaining Learning Kits at your home or office for our spring sessions.

Our Program Coordinator, Murphy Hernandez, can help you get started. He can be reached at [email protected] or 858-274-9673.

Welcome New Team Members

We are thrilled to welcome amazing new team members to Words Alive.

Jenn Belgarde joins Words Alive as our Young Adult Program Manager, leading our signature programs for youth ages 12-24. 

Kristi Stoza joins Words Alive as our Engagement Coordinator, playing a key role in mobilizing volunteers and engaging donors. 

Read about Jenn and Kristi on our blog.

We are also thrilled to welcome Julie Chen, a student at UCSD and our new Page Turners intern. Know someone interested in learning more about working with nonprofits? We are currently recruiting for spring and summer volunteer interns. Details here.

Volunteer Opportunities Available

Help young children learn to become a reader by volunteering today!

New in 2022, we're thrilled to expand our programming at many school sites throughout San Diego - reaching more classrooms and more ages

For example, at Rolando Park Elementary, a new partner in 2022, our volunteers are starting the new year both reading aloud to elementary students and leading family literacy workshops.

This is creating many new, engaging volunteer opportunities both virtually and in-person. To learn about ways you might be able to help, we host weekly volunteer orientations. Click here to find the virtual orientation schedule and more details. 

This newsletter, in addition to our blog and social media content, is written by us, a cohort of staff and volunteers! Do you love writing and have an interest in helping Words Alive create this type of content? We'd love your help! Email to learn more.

The Words Alive Reader: December 14, 2021

Welcome to The Words Alive Reader, a regular newsletter keeping you up-to-date with the latest in how we've been connecting children, teens, and families to the power of reading. What have we been up to and how can you help? Read on to find out!

On Track to Reach 100,000 Touchpoints

Maliyah proudly sharing her rocketship she created after reading "Penguinaut!" by Marcie Colleen in our Family Literacy Program.

"I never knew you could incorporate play into reading, it just never occurred to me.  But, it's a wonderful strategy and I see the difference in my daughter's learning when this technique is used!  [It is] so much more complete and extensive. She will talk about a story for days now!"

 - Danielle, about her daughter Maliyah participating in our Family Literacy Program

By helping Danielle, and hundreds of parents each year, nurture the power of reading through play, we increase their awareness of how they can support their children on the path to become life-long learners.  We are proudly on track to provide 100,00 similar touchpoints this school year with parents and students across San Diego!

Calling All Volunteers

Have you been looking for a chance to volunteer with students and families? Now's your chance!

Beginning in January, we will be starting new sessions (virtually and in-person) with nearly 1,000 students across San Diego!  Opportunities to help include working with:

  • Teens: 4-6 volunteers explore books with a classroom of students through discussion, creative writing, and activities every other week.

  • Children (TK-3rd): Volunteers are matched with a classroom to read aloud weekly.

  • Families: 2-3 volunteers guide a cohort of families through stories and craft activities once a week in this 6-week workshop series.

No previous classroom experience needed - just a love of reading and working with children, teens, and families! We provide robust training, resources, and support to help you succeed. Email [email protected] or call 858-274-9673 to learn more or sign up for a training.

$10 Could Unlock Thousands

Words Alive is one of only 6 San Diego youth charities to participate in Champions for Youth, a fundraising competition administered by The Century Club of San Diego.  The organization with the most donors that make a gift between now and January 30 could earn a prize of more than $35,000!

Your donation of $10 (or more) could be the one that puts Words Alive over the top and earns tens of thousands of bonus for the children, teens, and families we serve. You can help by making a $10 gift today.

Other Ways to Give

There are many ways to give to Words Alive this holiday season!

 1) Find our wishlist here.  You can purchase books and school supplies that we critically need for our programming. 

 2) When you shop these businesses, they donate a portion of their sales to Words Alive. 

 3) We accept all types of gifts including stock/securities, IRA rollovers and conversions, legacy gifts, donor advised fund gifts, and more. Click here for details.

This newsletter, in addition to our blog and social media content, is written by us, a cohort of staff and volunteers! Do you love writing and have an interest in helping Words Alive create this type of content? We'd love your help! Email to learn more.

The Words Alive Reader: November 4, 2021

Welcome to The Words Alive Reader, a regular newsletter keeping you up-to-date with the latest in how we've been connecting children, teens, and families to the power of reading. What have we been up to and how can you help? Read on to find out!

We’re Back in School!

Image of book given out to Read Aloud students and craft puppets created to help students retell the story.

In October, Read Aloud volunteers kicked off the school year in an epic way!  Volunteers read We Don't Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins with 1,530 elementary students across 51 virtual and in-person classrooms. Every student received a book to keep, a clothespin-puppet craft activity, and family discussion guide (available in 8 languages) to bring the joy of reading home. 

One teacher from Burbank Elementary shared:

"My students were so excited to get a new book...I heard from the families that their children use the puppets to retell the story [at home].  We are so fortunate to count on you to provide excellent literacy content. Our reader, Mrs. Hopkins, is amazing.  She connects with the students really well." 

We are building a love of reading and home libraries thanks to the remarkable and collaborative investments from donors and volunteers. If you'd like to help us reach more students, click here to become a monthly donor or email us so we can help you find your on-ramp.

North County Philanthropy Council Volunteer of the Year: Jim McIlhon

Graphic congratulating Mr. Jim McIlhon on being honored as a 2021 Volunteer of the Year

Words Alive is proud to celebrate James "Mr. Jim" McIlhon as a Volunteer of the Year at the North County Philanthropy Council's 2021 Volunteer Awards Celebration, held Friday, November 5. You may recognize Mr. Jim from Facebook Live, where his Story Station videos exploring books and modeling read aloud best practices have been viewed more than 250,000 times!  Learn more about Mr. Jim here.

More than 1,600 passionate volunteers help us bring words alive for children, teens, and families. Click to find opportunities to volunteer.

Thank You to The Conrad Prebys Foundation!

Child doing a craft project while following along with virtual Family Literacy Program

Words Alive is thrilled to announce an extraordinary $80,000 investment from The Conrad Prebys Foundation to grow our programming for families. Through our Family Literacy Program, hundreds of families explore early literacy and language development while connecting reading with play. 

This gift allows us to hire our first dedicated staff to the program at a time when supporting family learning is most critical. You can learn more about this extraordinary investment from The Conrad Prebys Foundation here.

Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser Postponed

Attendees at a past Author’s Luncheon sitting around a table.

We've decided to move our annual Author's Luncheon and Fundraiser to Spring 2022. We're hoping to welcome you to an in-person event celebrating the resilience and passion of our community throughout the pandemic. Date and details are forthcoming.

For a limited time, you can watch last year's virtual event with Ayad Akhtar, discussing his novel Homeland Elegies, for free here

Interested in supporting our Author's Luncheon & Fundraiser? We'd love to connect.

Welcome New Staff

Image of two new staff members - Faryl Kander, Family Program Manager; Murphy Hernandez, Program Coordinator

Please join us in welcoming two new staff members to our organization, Dr. Faryl Kander, Family Program Manager, and Murphy Hernandez, Program Coordinator! We're excited about the unique skills and experiences they bring to Words Alive. 

 The demand for our programming continues to soar amidst this time of post-traumatic growth. Find staff and intern positions and volunteer opportunities on our website.

Stay Connected

Graphic saying “Follow Us” @WordsAliveSd

Follow us on social media for daily updates about how our Words Alive community makes a difference in the lives of children, teens, and families.

Follow @WordsAliveSD on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn

You'll find examples of Words Alive "In The News" on our website as well.

This newsletter, in addition to our blog and social media content, is written by us, a cohort of staff and volunteers! Do you love writing and have an interest in helping Words Alive create this type of content? We'd love your help! Email to learn more.

Introducing Emma Donoghue: Featured Author of the 16th Annual Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser!

An image of Emma Donoghue.

An image of Emma Donoghue.

We recently announced that our 16th Annual Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser will feature novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and literary historian, Emma Donoghue! The event will take place on Tuesday, September 10 at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina. 

Emma Donoghue is renowned and celebrated for several of her amazing novels such as Room (2010), Frog Music (2014), The Wonder (2016), The Sealed Letter (2008, 2009, 2011), Landing (2007), Life Mask (2004), and many others. 

A signed copy of her latest published novel, Akin (2019), will be available at the Author’s Luncheon! 

Akin, by Emma Donoghue

An image of Emma’s new book, Akin. Image credit: @bibliotaph_bean on Instagram

An image of Emma’s new book, Akin. Image credit: @bibliotaph_bean on Instagram

Little, Brown, and Company says that Emma Donoghue’s upcoming novel, Akin, is a “funny, heart-wrenching tale of an old man and a boy, born two generations apart, who unpick their painful story and start to write a new one together.” 

“Noah Selvaggio is a retired chemistry professor and widower living on the Upper West Side, but born in the South of France. He is days away from his first visit back to Nice since he was a child, bringing with him a handful of puzzling photos he’s discovered from his mother’s wartime years. But he receives a call from social services: Noah is the closest available relative of an eleven-year-old great-nephew he’s never met, who urgently needs someone to look after him. Out of a feeling of obligation, Noah agrees to take Michael along on his trip.

Much has changed in this famously charming seaside mecca, still haunted by memories of the Nazi occupation. The unlikely duo, suffering from jet lag and culture shock, bicker about everything from steak frites to screen time. But Noah gradually comes to appreciate the boy’s truculent wit, and Michael’s ease with tech and sharp eye help Noah unearth troubling details about their family’s past. Both come to grasp the risks people in all eras have run for their loved ones, and find they are more akin than they knew.” - Little Brown and Company 

Image of Emma, along with the cast of Room.

Image of Emma, along with the cast of Room.

Who is Emma Donoghue?

Emma Donoghue was born in Dublin, Ireland in October 1969; the youngest of eight children. In Dublin, Donoghue attended Catholic convent schools. She earned a first-class honours BA in English and French from University College Dublin in 1990. After moving to England, In 1997, Emma received her PhD from the University of Cambridge. Through her fiction, she wrote and analyzed the concept of friendship between men and women in 18th century English fiction.       

Emma Donoghue’s fiction has also been translated into over forty languages. She began her career with her first published book, Passions Between Woman: British Lesbian Culture 1668-1801 in 1993. Since then, several of her fiction-genre novels consist of mid-16th to late 17th century European society.

As a mother of two, currently living in London, Ontario, Emma Donoghue continues earning her living as a writer.  

Screenplay, Movie & Theatre Adaptations

Winner of the Hughes & Hughes Irish Novel of the year, the Salon Book Award for Fiction and many other awards, the prestigious and distinct contemporary novel, Room, was also written as a screenplay by Emma Donoghue, and adapted onto the big screen! It won the “Best Actress Academy Award and Golden Globe Best Dramatic Actress (for Brie Larson), the Canadian Screen Award for Best Film, the Irish Film and Television Academy Award for Best Film.” 

According to Emma Donoghue, the novel and film adaptation was inspired by having children. The idea of a “locked room” is a metaphor for the “claustrophobic, tender bond of parenthood.” The story is centered around a five-year-old boy named Jack who lives in a single room with his mother. His mother deprives Jack from the outside world, and keeps him inside a room, isolated from the real world until the age of five, when Jack begins to ask questions. 

The New Yorker says it is “astounding, terrifying, and a testament to Donoghue’s imagination that she is able to fashion radiance from such horror.” In addition, The New York Times claims that Room is “rich in psychological, sociological and political meaning — Donoghue reveals how joy and terror often dwell side by side.”  

What is the Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser?

The Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser is an annual fundraising event that features renowned authors such as Mary Kubica, Salman Rushdie, and Isabelle Alende. It allows attendees the chance to learn more about the author’s work of creative writing, as well as learn about the lives of authors outside of their work. This event is also an opportunity to support the work of Words Alive. Each year, the fundraiser raises over $200,000 in the aim of supporting the thousands of students and families we serve each year.

Integrating both style and intellect, the Author’s Luncheon also offers something for everyone in our marketplace, silent auction, and opportunity drawing for a chance to win prizes! Each fall, over 600 patrons attend with the aim of supporting Words Alive.

How Can I Participate in this Event?

There are multiple ways to participate in this event! This includes sponsoring the event, sponsoring a table, or donating to our silent auction. Enjoy premier seating by becoming a table sponsor, which includes seating for 10 to 12 guests! More information on the Author’s Luncheon, as well as package details on sponsorship opportunities, details about tickets, tables, and contact information can be found on our website: http://www.wordsalive.org/authorsluncheon/ 

Meet the Authors for the 2018 Author Roulette!

By Jennifer Van Pelt

Our Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser on October 19th is quickly approaching, as are the chances to win awesome prizes at the event! One of the most popular activities we host is our Author Roulette, which allows guests who have donated over a certain amount to spin a wheel for the chance to win an author appearance at your book club. This is an amazing opportunity to not only support our work in the community, but also for the chance to have an intimate one-on-one book club event featuring the author of the book you’ve just read!

How many times do you wish you could directly ask an author questions about their book? Now you have that chance! All of the proceeds from this event go directly towards our programs, allowing us to bring trained volunteers into local classrooms to instill literacy skills and a love of reading upon students, as well as helping to build home libraries for families.

Elizabeth Cobbs is a four-time literary award-winning author. Her most recent book, The Hamilton Affair, tells the true story of Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler and has been named the "Hamilton novel that immediately leaps to the top of the list" by author Joseph J. Ellis. Her first movie, American Umpire, takes a critical look at the role the United States plays in global geopolitics as a sort of 'world police.' She also serves on multiple historical committees, including for the U.S. State Department. To learn more, see Cobbs' website here.

Eric Peterson is a California native whose debut book, Life as a Sandwich, was a finalist in the San Diego Book Awards. His most recent book, The Dining Car, won the 2017 Benjamin Franklin Gold Award for Popular Fiction as well as the 2017 San Diego Book Award for Best Published Contemporary Fiction. The story follows a former college football star's journey as he bartends on a private train car for a popular writer and social critic. You can find more about Peterson’s books here.

Karna Bodman is the author of five novels, the most recent being a political thriller Trust But Verify. The book follows a member of the White House staff and an FBI agent who race to get ahead of a plot that threatens international leaders and stock markets worldwide. Bodman pulls inspiration for her political thrillers from her time serving in the White House, where she was the highest-ranking woman on the White House staff. See more on Bodman’s website here.

Kathy Cooperman performed improv comedy for four years before she attended Yale Law School. After graduating and spending years defending white collar crime, she published her first book Crimes Against a Book Club in 2017. The novel follows two best friends who are strapped for cash and decide to sell face cream to wealthy participants in their local book club -- with the addition of an illegal ingredient that can put their entire business into danger. You can learn more about her books on Goodreads.

Marivi Soliven is a creative writing teacher and the author of 17 books. Her most recent novel, the Mango Bride, tells the story of two Filipino women who immigrated to America, and how their very different lives intertwine, changing them forever. The book won the Grand Prize at the 2011 Carlos Palanca Awards for Literature, widely seen as the Pulitzer Prize equivalent of the Philippines. The response to this novel has inspired her to bring more awareness and advocacy towards immigrant survivors of domestic violence. For more info, see Soliven's website here.

Mike Sager is an award-winning reporter and author of ten books. The second edition of his book, Revenge of the Donut Boys, is a collection of seventeen true stories that touch on the varying aspects of American life, focusing on the values, virtues, obsessions, and hypocrisies of society. Sager has served as a staff writer on the Washington Post, a contributing editor to the Rolling Stone, and a writer at large for Esquire. Currently, he is the editor and publisher of The Sager Group LLC. See Sager's website here.

Tammy Greenwood’s novels have sold over 250,000 copies. Her most recent 2018 novel, Rust and Stardust, follows the story of an 11 year-old girl and her captor as they travel from New Jersey to California. The novel is based on the experiences of a real-life kidnapping victim from the 1940’s. Greenwood has won three San Diego Book Awards and is a creative writing teacher. If you’d like to learn more about her novels, you can visit her website here.

Jennifer Coburn is a USA Today bestselling author of six novels and contributor to five literary anthologies. Over the past two decades, Coburn has received numerous awards from the Press Club and Society for Professional Journalists for articles that appeared in the Washington Post, Mothering, Big Apple Baby, The Miami Herald, The San Diego Union-Tribune and dozens of national and regional publications. She has also written for Salon.com, Creators News Syndicate and The Huffington Post.

Lannette Cornell Bloom is a registered nurse, healer, and author. She is passionate about bringing simple joys to others. As an RN and health practitioner of more than thirty years, she has seen firsthand the need to care for others both emotionally and physically. She brings into focus the fragility of life and the importance of enjoying the simple joys that slip through our fingers if we’re not paying attention—because life may be hard, but joy is simple.

Michelle Gable, in her New York Times bestselling debut, A Paris Apartment, fictionalized the true story of a French courtesan and the discovery of her sealed-for-seventy-years Parisian apartment sparking wonder in readers the world over. Gable’s second novel, I’LL SEE YOU IN PARIS, which she wrote by hand in between her daughters’ softball games and a day job as VP of Investor Relations for Ellie Mae, finds her in the City of Light yet again. Michelle graduated from The College of William & Mary. After a twenty-year career in finance, she now writes full time. Michelle lives in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California, with her husband, two daughters, and one lazy cat.

Susan Carol McCarthy is the award-winning author of three novels inspired by true events in Florida history -- LAY THAT TRUMPET IN OUR HANDS, TRUE FIRES, and A PLACE WE KNEW WELL -- as well as the non-fiction BOOMERS 101: THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION. Her work has been widely selected by libraries and universities for their One Book, One Community and Freshman Year Read programs, and adopted by schools in 29 states and 6 countries. “McCarthy blends fact, memory, imagination, and truth with admirable grace.” ~ The Washington Post. A native Floridian, she lives and writes in Carlsbad, California.


If you’re interested in learning more about our Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser and getting the chance to participate in the Author Roulette game in addition to other activities, visit our site here.

Sponsor Highlight: Moss Adams

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Words Alive's signature fundraising event is the Annual Author's Luncheon & Fundraiser. Celebrating its 15th year, the Author's Luncheon has featured world renowned authors such as Salman Rushdie, Jodi Picoult, and Isabel Allende.

Taking place each fall, the Author's Luncheon is attended by over 600 patrons that include book lovers, philanthropists, educators, civic organizations, and people invested in creating a more literate and thriving San Diego. This intellectual, elegant, and fast-paced fundraising event helps Words Alive raise over $200,000 annually, funds that make up a considerable portion of what Words Alive needs to continue serving thousands of children and families each year.

This event would not be possible without the support of our sponsors, the generous people, companies, and organizations who know how important literacy is for a successful and thriving community, and support our mission of opening opportunities of life success by inspiring a commitment to reading.

Moss Adams is one of the largest public accounting firms in the U.S., a spot they have earned through 105 years of offering accounting, consulting, and wealth management services. The company has earned several firmwide awards including three for being an exceptional workplace for women. Forbes also named them as one of the best midsize employers in 2017, as a company that makes their employees feel happy, inspired and well-compensated. Lastly, they have won six diversity awards in the last seven years.

Moss Adams also ensures they are making a difference in the world today. They do this by having commitment to their people, investing in their communities, and minimizing their environmental impact. The company and its employees volunteer in the community, serve on boards and make charitable donations to help build up the communities around them. Moss Adams has an extensive understanding of the issues foundations, their donors, and their for-profit entities often grapple with as well as the opportunities available to solve those issues. San Diego is just one of the several communities they have supported. Moss Adams will receive recognition on all wine bottles and champagne available in the Marketplace at the Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser.

As the Beverage Sponsor, Moss Adams is helping Words Alive provide high-quality literacy programs to thousands of students and families in San Diego during the next school year.

We have many sponsorship opportunities still available! If you, or the company you work for, believes in the importance of literacy and is interested in helping Words Alive foster a more literate community, check out sponsorship details here. We have benefits available from social media promotion, to recognition on centerpieces, to the opportunity to announce our featured author, Mary Kubica, at the event!

Meet Our Author's Luncheon Moderator: Dr. Seth Lerer!

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Our 15th Annual Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser is being held on October 19th and will feature best-selling author Mary Kubica. Once again, Dr. Seth Lerer will be joining to moderate the conversation with our featured author, and this year marks his fourth time joining us at our signature fundraising event! Since 2014, Dr. Lerer has moderated conversations with Anna Quindlen, Isabel Allende, and Salman Rushdie for the Author's Luncheon & Fundraiser.

Seth Lerer is a distinguished professor at UC San Diego, where he served as the Dean of Arts and Humanities. His studies and teachings focus on Medieval and Renaissance Literature, History of the English Language, Children’s Literature, as well as Shakespeare. He has several published works that focus on these areas, as well as multiple literature and teaching awards. He is a Guggenheim fellow, a prestigious award for those who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship and ability in the arts.

One of Dr. Lerer’s many pronounced works is titled Children's Literature: A Reader's History from Aesop to Harry Potter. His book outlines the history of Western Children’s Literature, looking at stories from Mother Goose fables to J.R.R. Tolkien. As a professor who has extensively studied, published, and edited literature-based works, we are excited to welcome him back to our Author’s Luncheon & Fundraiser!

Now, let's hear directly from him:

What first compelled you to work with Words Alive? Why do you continue to work with Words Alive on the Author’s Luncheon?

Words Alive shares many of my own professional and community goals: a commitment to developing literacy and a love for reading; a recognition that the human imagination matters; and a philanthropic mission to bring the magic of books to young people who may not have those books. Words Alive is one of those organizations that, I believe, is preparing young people to become my future college students. The Author’s Luncheon provides a wonderful opportunity for me, personally, to meet and talk with leading writers and to find ways of getting them to share their craft and their own devotion to the written word. The audience for the Luncheon is always receptive, and I hope that when the authors leave, they can recognize what a great reading community we have in San Diego and, thus, spread the word.

What is your favorite Author’s Luncheon memory?

There are so many: joking with Salman Rushdie about the satiric quality of our current lives; sharing the sensitivity of Anna Quindlen on life choices; and flirting with Isabelle Allende while discussing her stories of love and friendship.

What do you most look forward to at the Author’s Luncheon?

I most look forward to finding a point of contact with an author: finding out not simply what we have in common, but how a creative writer and a scholarly writer (me) can learn from each other about the meaning of books and the imagination. And, of course, doing all of this with some five hundred of San Diego’s most committed readers makes it fun.

What are you most excited to talk to Mary Kubica about after reading her latest book, When the Lights Go Out?

I have just started the book. But clearly, it is a work of suspense and narrative propulsion. I think it will live up to its arresting opening. I’ll look forward to talking with Mary Kubica about holding an audience, building reader interest, and shaping plot.

Why is reading and literacy important to you?

Through reading, I discovered myself. We all read not only books but the world: experience is made up of signs and symbols, stories and tales. We can aspire to be the heroes of our own novels. When I teach literature, I try to show how fiction is not a lie: it is the artful re-imagination of experience. It is a lesson in living and a goad to our creative understanding of the world.    

Secure your seat at the 15th Annual Author's Luncheon & Fundraiser today! www.wordsalive.org/authorsluncheon