AUGUST 2001

Wednesday, August 1 at 7:30 pm
Laura Crum
Breakaway (St. Martins)

Come quick to catch the only public appearance of our celebrated local mystery genius, Laura Crum. A horse lover and trainer for over 20 years, this irresistible author has created another memorable entry in her charming series set in the Sierra Nevada foothills. A peculiar crime against a horse turns into a dangerous search for a murderer. To top off this fantastic event, we'll have the acclaimed Laurie R. King, contributor to the new serial novel Naked Came the Phoenix, introducing.

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Saturday, August 4 at 10:45 am
Bilingual Story Time with Billie Harris and Brett Taylor

We invite children and adults alike to join us for a grand time. Billie Harris and Brett Taylor--both of KUSP fame--join us to read some delightful new tales in English and Spanish.

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Tuesday, August 7 at 7:30 pm
Patrice Vecchione
Writing and the Spiritual Life: Finding Your Voice by Looking Within (NTC/Contemporary Publishing)

Join us for a writing workshop with poet, author, editor, teacher, and phenomenal literary talent, Patrice Vecchione. Each person's life is a web of stories calling out to be told, but it is only when we tap into our inner spirituality that we are able to find our true voice. Patrice Vecchione helps us trust our writing by guiding us towards sources of creativity and confidence and away from doubt and criticism. This event is open to all levels of writers and to anyone who finds joy in the written word.

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Sunday, August 12 at 2:30 pm*
Seena Frost
Soul Collage: An Intuitive Collage Process for Individuals and Groups (Hanford Mead)

As in the traditions of the Tarot and the I Ching, using art and personal connection in creating and reading cards is a powerful tool in self-discovery. Soul Collage gives you everything you need to contact your intuition and create a meaningful, intimate deck of cards -- one that reflects and leads your soul. Following the simple, encouraging direction of Seena Frost, learn to let your hands and soul work together with images and patterns to reveal insights and internal richness. Join us for a lively discussion and an afternoon tea.
* Please Note Time

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Wednesday, August 15 at 7:30 pm
Rocky Snyder
Fit To Surf: The Surfer's Guide to Strength Training and Conditioning (Emerson Publishing Company)

No waves? Don't be bummed. Hit the gym to gear up for tomorrow's killer surf. Rocky Snyder, certified strength and conditioning specialist, NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer, and founder of Pleasure Point Athletic & Wellness Center, has all the ways to get you ready for the good days. Balancing strength, endurance, coordination, and injury prevention is imperative for top surfers. Rocky Synder's experience in the gym and in the ocean will lead us to our best shape yet.

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Thursday, August 16 from 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Writing Group

Every third Thursday of the month, join Book Cafe's Wendy Mayer as she leads our writer's group. Due to the limited amount of time, the group will focus on short exercises rather than group critique.

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Thursday, August 16 at 7:30 pm
Robert K. Tanenbaum
Enemy Within (Pocket)

Robert K. Tanenbaum, one of our most respected and successful trial lawyers, has never lost a criminal case. He has served as homicide bureau chief for the New York District Attorney's Office and as deputy chief counsel to the congressional investigations into the Kennedy and King assassinations. On the heels of 14 best-selling crime thrillers (including True Justice), this credentialed author delivers his most colorful, morally complex, and true-to-life book yet -- another winning read in the Butch Karp series. When a golden boy NYPD shoots a black man in the back, chaos erupts, and Enemy Within explodes into a pulsating, thinking man's thriller.

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Monday, August 20 at 7:30 pm
Wild Women Writing: Stories of World Travel

Edgy, spiritual, and courageous, Wild Women Writing is a tantalizing collection of free-spirited stories written by twelve dynamic women in motion. From the Left Bank of Paris to the lemur forests of Madagascar, these women--- united by their San Francisco writer's group and addiction to living fully--- have trekked, danced, and loved their way around the globe. Authors Danielle Machotka, Carla King, Jacqueline Harmon Butler, and Lisa Alpine will share their adventure stories of connections and spontaneity. Fellow adventures and contributors Linda Watanabe and Pamela Michael will also be on hand to encourage and fascinate the audience. As Tim Cahill says, this unruly collection is "...the most distinctive and appealing travel anthology of the year."

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Thursday, August 23 at 7:30 pm
David Elliot Cohen
One Year Off: Leaving It All Behind for a Round-the-World Journey with Our Children (Traveler's Tales)

With three young children under the age of nine, the Cohens decided to do something many dream of, but few dare to do: sell the cars, the house, and the belongings, and take off for a year of living and learning around the world. Demonstrating great creativity and tremendous tenacity, this family creates an adventure of a lifetime. Publisher's Weekly found this memoir from the creator of the Day In A Life photography books, "Humorous and gripping...The rewards of this unconventional trip were well worth any risks."

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Monday, August 27 at 7:30 pm
Lisa Michaels
Grand Ambition (Norton)

In 1928, a pair of young newlyweds set out to run the rapids of the Grand Canyon in a homemade boat. Swept up in America's obsession with feats of daring, Bessie Hyde, accompanied by her husband Glen, hoped to set the record of the first woman to run this treacherous stretch of the Colorado River. A month later, they vanished. Weaving facts and fiction, this acclaimed writer presents a gripping adventure rendered in elegant prose. Booklist writes, "the deftness with which Michaels crafts her narrative is rare...She creates a story that is at once a literary travelogue, an Indiana Jones adventure, a portrait of marriage, and a sketch of a man. The result is a treasure."

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Tuesday, August 28 at 7:30 pm
John Martel
Billy Strobe (Dutton)

In the latest suspense mystery from the best-selling author of The Alternate, we meet Billy Strobe -- a lawyer and an ex-con, a man who believes in the law but always seems to be on the wrong side of it. Hailed by the National Law Journal as one of the top trial lawyers on America, Martel delivers as much depth, intelligence, and power in his character-driven thrillers as he does in his trial victories. Authentic yet unexpected, the plot of Billy Strobe is masterful, and the delivery is what you'd expect from a man who has seen it all. Join us for an engrossing event as Martel kicks off his tour at the Book Café!

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Wednesday, August 29 at 7:30 pm
Jan Siegel
Dragon Charmer (Del Rey)

In the heralded Prospero's Children, a San Francisco Best Book of 2000, Jan Siegel seduced us with an enchanting heroine and lushly evocative world of wonders and terrors. Now she summons us back to the magic with the continuing story of Fern Capel -- and the remarkable power of an extraordinary gift. Be you previously enchanted or newly entranced, Jan Siegel will not disappoint. Celebrated fantasy writer Terry Brooks boasts that Siegel's stories, "will not soon be forgotten...A lyrical, captivating novel...that deserves the large and enthusiastic crowd it is sure to find." We are proud to host her only Bay Area appearance; don't miss it!