One of Santa Barbara’s most anticipated literary events is just around the corner. Child Abuse Listening and Mediation’s 24th Annual Celebrity Authors’ Luncheon, presented by the CALM Auxiliary, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort.
The CALM Celebrity Authors’ Luncheon will feature appearances and book signings by a variety of critically acclaimed writers. Interviewed authors this year include Kate Jacobs, Carol Leifer, Sandra Brown and Elizabeth Berg. Jack Canfield will serve as the master of ceremonies.
Book signings and purchasing will begin at 10 a.m., and lunch will be served at 11:45 a.m.. Former TV anchorwoman Debby Davison and William Hermann, senior writer for the Arizona Republic, will interview the authors starting at 12:45 p.m.
Tickets are $125. For reservations and for more information, call 805.682.3925. All ticket proceeds and a percentage of book sales will benefit CALM, the only nonprofit in Santa Barbara County focused solely on preventing, assessing and treating child abuse and family violence.
This year’s interviewed authors include:
Berg is the author of many bestselling novels as well as works of nonfiction. Her newest novel, Home Safe, weaves an emotionally resonant story of a mother and daughter in emotional transit — what it’s like to lose everything and emerge on the other side.
She is also the author of the highly acclaimed short story collection The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted. Berg has been honored by both the Boston and Chicago Public Libraries and received the New England Booksellers Award in 1997.
Brown is the author of 58 New York Times bestsellers. Brown is known for her taut thrillers such as Smash Cut. Her latest novel Rainwater was inspired by her grandfather’s experience during the 1930s, a moving story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.
She is the recipient of many awards and most recently received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University.
Jacobs’ debut novel, The Friday Night Knitting Club, became a runaway bestseller in just 14 days, and plans for the movie starring Julia Roberts are under way. Her new novel, Knit the Season, stitches together friendship connections and family bonds that endure.
Leifer is an accomplished stand-up comedian and an Emmy-nominated writer and producer for her work on television shows such as Seinfeld, The Larry Sanders Show, Saturday Night Live and the Academy Awards.
After years of stand-up and successful television shows, Leifer finally put it all down on paper in her new book, When You Lie About Your Age, the Terrorists Win — a laugh-out-loud look at life, love and family.
In addition to the interviewed authors, the following authors also will attend the event and be available for book signing: Michael Byrne, The New Adobe Home; Canfield, Chicken Soup for the Soul; Michele Carbone, Friday Evening — Creating La Dolce Vita, One Bite at a Time; Monique Fay, The Book of Fay; Deborah Hutchison, Put It in Writing; Elizabeth Layman, A Sweet Beginning; Roy Mankovitz, The Wellness Project: A Rocket Scientist’s Blueprint for Health; Arlene Radasky, The Fox; Nancy Spiller, Entertaining Disasters: A Novel (With Recipes); Flavia Weedn, Gift Books; Ed Wimberly, Parenting with an Attitude; Ernie Witham, A Year in the Life of a Working Writer; and Judi and Shari Zucker, The Double Energy Diet.
— Jennifer Guess is a publicist.