They Call it a Spa Day for the Brain

This weekend will feature a lot of words and silence. Next weekend will feature a lot of... talk! Talk, talk, talk. I will be participating (as a "salon moderator") at the Bay Area's first Book Group Expo, which promises to be fun, stimulating, and interesting. There will be over seventy local authors, some with Very Big Names, and others with Less Big Names but whom readers should really get to know, and thousands of books, and... chocolate! (a great addition, I think) There will be a hilarious skit called "The Book Group From Hell Discusses Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club" (including a Secret Guest Appearance!)

Moderators and authors will be grouped into living-room like salons, to discuss topics like "Hard Times: Testing the Human Heart and Soul," "The Lure of the Young Adult Novel: Mothers and Daughters Reading Together," and "Climb Every Mountain: Travel and Adventure." The panel that I'm moderating is called "Family Challengs: Tales of Affliction and Healing." (10am Sunday, come check it out) Should be very interesting. I am really looking forward to it and to getting a huge brain-blitz of literature, writing and authors. Come down to San Jose with your booky friends, either next Saturday (June 17th) or Sunday (18th) - it looks like it will be a fabulous time.