The Los Gatos-Saratoga branch of the American Association of University Women invites the community to attend its annual Authors' Lunch on Feb. 3. Bay Area authors Glenda Burgess, Laurel Doud and Lora Roberts will discuss their recent books, answer questions and visit with readers.
Photograph by Glenda Grunzweig
Armchair tour: Glenda Burgess
Burgess, who holds degrees in political science and political administration, served as a presidential management intern under former President Jimmy Carter and worked for the U.S. State Department. She served both in Washington, D.C., and overseas. She always kept in mind her eventual goal of writing fiction.
In her first novel, Loose Threads, Burgess takes readers on an armchair world tour with protagonist Ellen d'Ullay and the changing map of her inner world. Burgess this spring plans to release her second novel, Principles of Flight.
Universal themes: Laurel Doud
Doud, a research librarian in the San Jose Public Library system, is a native Californian who graduated from Stanford and San Jose State universities. Her recent novel, This Body, encompasses themes with which many readers can identify: love, loss, raising teenagers, growing older, missed opportunities and second chances. The book follows the life of dowdy middle-aged wife and mother Katharine Ashley. A year after dying of a heart attack, Ashley finds herself resurrected in the body of Thisby Bennet, who--although lithe, youthful and attractive--must face other demons. This Body has been sold to Fox 2000 Studio as a prospective film.
Photograph by Jerry Smith
Loves a mystery: Lora Roberts
Roberts, who was born and raised in Missouri, has lived in Palo Alto for more than 20 years. Before realizing her passion for writing mysteries, Roberts worked in journalism, public relations and technical editing. She also penned romance novels.
For her current mystery series, Roberts created what she calls a "fictional Palo Alto" as the home of her protagonist, freelance writer Liz Sullivan, an intrepid sleuth who lives in a VW bus. The series opened with Murder in a Nice Neighborhood. The sixth book, Murder Follows Money, is due for release in May.
Proceeds from the Authors' Lunch benefit the AAUW Education Foundation, one of the nation's largest funding sources for women completing post-graduate degrees. It also supports AAUW community programs for girls, research, self-development for women, and the Eleanor Roosevelt program for teachers.
The Feb. 3 event takes place from 11:30 a.m. to approximately 2:30 p.m. at La Rinconada Country Club, 13595 Clearview Drive, in Los Gatos. Tickets are $45 per person. For reservations or more information, call Nancy Hobbs at 408.395.4045 or Mary Henderson at 408.867.1928.
Los Gatos, California Since 1881
