{"id":7480,"date":"2016-03-23T18:49:39","date_gmt":"2016-03-24T01:49:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=7480"},"modified":"2016-03-23T11:52:55","modified_gmt":"2016-03-23T18:52:55","slug":"calm-celebrates-30-years-of-celebrity-authors-and-unforgettable-stories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=7480","title":{"rendered":"CALM Celebrates 30 Years of Celebrity Authors and Unforgettable Stories"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Frances

Frances Schultz will be interviewed at CALM’s annual Celebrity Author’s Luncheon, photo by Tiffany Evitts.<\/p><\/div>\n

Always one of our favorite literary and philanthropic events, the\u00a0CALM Auxiliary<\/a>‘s<\/span>\u00a0 30th<\/sup><\/span>\u00a0Annual Celebrity Authors Luncheon\u00a0on April 2 is\u00a0a\u00a0benefit for\u00a0CALM\u2019s<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(Child Abuse Listening Mediation) vital programs across the county that help prevent child abuse and treat children and families who have suffered from violence and abuse.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s event features interviews and book signings by a variety of critically acclaimed writers, including\u00a0Meg Waite Clayton,\u00a0Gregg Hurwitz, and\u00a0Frances Schultz (featured on the cover of Santa Barbara Seasons<\/em>‘ current spring 2016 issue<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The event, which starts with book sales and signings\u00a0at 10 a.m. at\u00a0The Fess Parker \u2013 A Doubletree by Hilton Resort<\/a>\u00a0(633 E. Cabrillo Blvd.), also includes a lunch (11:45 a.m.) and author interviews (12:45 p.m.) with Clayton, Hurwitz and Schultz.<\/p>\n

New York Times<\/em> and USA Today<\/em> bestseller Meg Waite Clayton <\/a>is the author of five novels, including\u00a0The Race for Paris<\/a><\/i>\u00a0and\u00a0The Wednesday Sisters<\/a><\/i>, one of Entertainment Weekly<\/em>‘s 25 Essential Best Friend Novels of all time. Her first novel,\u00a0The Language of Light<\/a><\/i>, was a finalist for the Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction (now the PEN\/Bellwether). She\u2019s written for the Los Angeles Times<\/em>, The New York Times<\/em>, The Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Runner’s World<\/em> and public radio, often on the subject of the particular challenges women face. Clayton’s new novel was 15 years in the making and inspired by real women journalists who defied military regulations and gender barriers to report on WWII.<\/p>\n

\"Meg

Meg Waite Clayton will be interviewed at CALM’s annual Celebrity Author’s Luncheon, courtesy photo.<\/p><\/div>\n

Gregg Hurwitz\u00a0<\/a>is the\u00a0New York Times<\/i>\u00a0bestselling author of 15 thrillers, most recently,\u00a0<\/span>Orphan X<\/a>.<\/i>\u00a0<\/span>His novels have been shortlisted for numerous literary awards, graced top ten lists, and been translated into 26 languages. He is also a\u00a0New York Times<\/i>\u00a0bestselling comic book writer, having penned stories for Marvel (Wolverine, Punisher) and DC (Batman, Penguin).\u00a0Additionally, he\u2019s written screenplays for\u00a0or sold spec scripts to many of the major studios, and written, developed, and produced television\u00a0for various networks.<\/p>\n

Frances Schultz<\/a>,\u00a0journalist, tastemaker, world traveler, hostess, Southerner, Sunday painter, and outdoors lover, is an enthusiast on decoration and design, food and entertaining, travel and style. She is author and co-author of several books, including\u00a0The Bee Cottage Story\u2014How I Made a Muddle of Things and Decorated My Way Back to Happiness<\/a>.<\/i>\u00a0A contributing editor to House Beautiful<\/em> magazine and former editor-at-large for Veranda<\/em>, she has also written for The Wall Street Journal, Town & Country, Indagare<\/em>\u00a0and The New York Social Diary<\/em>. She was the on-air host for six years of the award-winning cable television show Southern Living Presents<\/em> and has appeared on The Today Show, The Nate Berkus Show, CNN\u2019s Open House<\/em>\u00a0and many others. With husband Tom Dittmer, dog Stella, assorted horses and critters, she lives in the Santa Ynez Valley with visits to Manhattan and summers at Bee Cottage in East Hampton.<\/p>\n

Andrew Firestone<\/a>\u00a0is serving once again as Master of Ceremonies.\u00a0Hank Phillippi Ryan<\/a>, an interviewed author at last year\u2019s luncheon, returns to the stage this year alongside\u00a0Tom Weitzel<\/a>,\u00a0to interview the 2016 celebrity authors.<\/p>\n

\"Greg

Greg Hurwitz will be interviewed at CALM’s annual Celebrity Author’s Luncheon, courtesy photo.<\/p><\/div>\n

In addition to the interviewed authors, these authors will also attend the event and be available for book signing:<\/p>\n

Melissa Broughton,\u00a0Cowboy Dad: Love, Alcoholism, and a Dying Way of Life<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

Jane Coleman,\u00a0Life Is All About Range<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

Lydia Edwards,\u00a0Odyssey of Innocents<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

Margarita Fairbanks,\u00a0Valentino, The Love Bunny<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

Jeff Farrell,\u00a0My Olympic Story, Rome 1960<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

Lisa Guadagno,\u00a0The Lucky Ones<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

Dana Kent,\u00a0Brussels to Beirut to Bali: The 1958 World Travels of Four Girls in a Second-Hand Chevy<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

Peggy O\u2019Toole,\u00a0Then I Won\u2019t Seem So Far Away<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

Chris Messner,\u00a0Cuba Open From the Inside<\/a>, Travels in the Forbidden Land<\/i><\/p>\n

Tracy Shawn,\u00a0The Grace of Crows<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

M.L. VanBlaricum,\u00a0Reflections in a Boomer\u2019s Eye<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

Ernie Witham<\/a>,\u00a0Where Are Pat and Ernie Now? A Santa Barbara Couple\u2019s Humorous Travel Adventures<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cThe CALM Auxiliary is very proud to have hosted such a wonderful community event for 30 years. We have been so lucky to have had some of the greatest authors donate their time and talent, all the while supporting CALM\u2019s important cause. The entire Auxiliary has been behind this project from the start and we couldn\u2019t do our job without every one of them. We feel fortunate to be involved and are proud to help CALM in its mission to protect children and families from abuse,\u201d say event co-chairs\u00a0Becky Cohn<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Carolyn Gillio<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For tickets and event information, please call 805\/969-5590 or click here<\/a>. \u00a0All ticket proceeds and a percentage of book sales will benefit CALM, the only nonprofit in Santa Barbara County focused solely on preventing and treating child abuse.\u00a0CALM was founded in 1970 to reach stressed parents before they hurt their children.\u00a0 CALM continues to be the only nonprofit agency in Santa Barbara County focusing solely on preventing, assessing, and treating child abuse and family violence through comprehensive, cutting-edge programs.\u00a0 CALM offers children, families, and adults a safe, non-judgmental, caring, and strength-based environment to heal and increase family well-being.\u00a0 For more information about all of CALM\u2019s services, please call 805\/965-2376 or visit\u00a0www.calm4kids.org<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2014Leslie Dinaberg<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine<\/em><\/a> on March 22, 2016.<\/p>\n

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