Southern California Authors Present, Discuss Books

The San Bernardino Public Library on Saturday, Sept. 14 presented a celebration of authors and books when over 30 local authors showcased, discussed and presented their books to an audience that filtered in through the doors throughout the afternoon and into the early evening. Authors from throughout Southern California also signed and sold books, with booths set up throughout the library for visitors to speak directly with the authors. Many genres were featured, including mystery, action/adventure, children’s books, romance, science fiction, fantasy, motivational and adult self-help, and more. Presentations ran throughout the day in the library’s Bing Wong Auditorium—including those by Los Angeles-based author Norman E. Edelen, who was there discussing his novels “After a While You Wonder” and “Tuesday After Next,” the first two books in his trilogy about law enforcement. Author/speaker Janet Williams also discussed her motivational book “You Don’t Ask, You Get: Proven Techniques to Get More out of Life.” Author Phil Yeh spoke on creativity. “For the authors, this is a good chance to meet the public. It’s a forum for them to get out there. For the public of all ages, especially kids and teenagers who are interested in reading and in writing, this is the chance to meet the people behind the books, and to talk about what it takes to write a book, or to be a writer,” said Linda Adams Yeh, the library program director. Presentations allowed certain authors to go more in-depth about their books, she added. Mary Ruth Hughes is a High Desert-based author who was there showcasing six children’s books and three adult novels. She draws heavily on her Native American heritage—she is of Chickasaw descent—in her work: Chickasaw cultures are exemplified in both her written for children’s literature and her adult novels. Her novel Tishomingo draws on the history of Chickasaw life prior to the ratification of Oklahoma as a state, something difficult to find in pop culture, she said. “The book was approved by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian for its history,” Hughes said. Madeline Gornell also welcomed interested visitors as she displayed her set of mystery books. She’s been writing mystery since 2009 and three of her five published works focus on the historic Route 66. She moved to Newberry Springs just east of Barstow, right on the old Route 66, from Washington State. “Something about the desert captivated me,” she said. Other attending authors included Aimmee Rodriguez, Al Ward, Alice Hall, Beth Winokur, Beverly Thomas, Darlene Douthit, David Arshawsky, David Brown, Deshea Markham, Diana Sholley, Diane Mierzwik, Fred Smith, Gail Picado, Gary and Isabel Walbourne, Genaro Lara, Heather Nobles, Herb Williams, James Baldwin, James Morris, John Weeks, Juanita Jackson, Kirsten Kittscher, Liz Acosta, Margaret Hill, Martin Lastrapes, Nick Cataldo, Nicole Dunlap, Patricia Buford, Paula Priamos, Paulina Jaramillo, Ratibu Jacocks, Richard and Robin Hanks, Robert J. Harper, Roger Burgraff, Samuel Williams Jr., Therese Moore, Travis Dickson and Victoria Taylor. The event typically has much demand from both authors and the public, Adams Yeh noted. She would like to try to put on three to four Meet the Authors events each year due to their popularity, she said.