Look Who’s Coming to Town! The Junior League of Richmond’s 70th Book & Author Event, presented by Dominion Resources, Inc., features a Luncheon at the Country Club of Virginia and a Dinner at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on Wednesday, April 29, 2015. The honored authors for the 2015 Event are Elizabeth Berg, Susie Schnall, Marisa de los Santos, Marc Peyser, Timothy Dwyer, and Kristen Miglore. Bob Deans, noted author featured at the 62nd Book & Author Dinner, will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the longest-running dinner of its kind in the country. Visit www.BookAndAuthorEvent.org to learn more about the authors, their books, and to make your reservation. And now, turn the page for previews of our authors!
Elizabeth Berg, “The Dream Lover: A Novel” Author of multiple best sellers, Elizabeth Berg shares a story of a woman’s journey through selfdiscovery, adventure, romance and her sought after dreams and identity. Aurore Dupin leaves her husband and family’s estate in the French countryside to seek a new life. Traveling to Paris to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, she gives herself the new name of George Sand. Nineteenth century Paris presents itself with every temptation and struggle for Sand who attempts to break the confines of society. Although Sand welcomes fame, throughout her life she struggles with intimate relationships. Will she ever become settled with herself and find the dream she’s been hoping for? Elizabeth Berg is a New York Times best selling author and a recipient of numerous awards and honors. Open House was an Oprah’s Book Club choice. Durable Goods and Joy School were both selected for ALA Best Book of the Year. Talk Before Sleep was chosen for the Abby (American Bookseller’s Book of the Year). Both the Chicago Public Library and the Boston Public Library have honored her work. Elizabeth Berg found a passion for writing at a very young age. It wasn’t until her experiences working as a nurse for ten years that she chose to develop her writing skills through those that inspired her the most – the people she cared for. Writing on love, loss, friendship, and the trials and triumphs of relationships, she focuses her work on stories of strong women tackling life’s greatest obstacles. Elizabeth Berg lives in Chicago with her two dogs and cat. She has two daughters and three grandchildren.
Release Date: April 14, 2015
Susie Schnall, “The Balance Project: A Novel” Inspired by her popular interview series, The Balance Project, Susie Schnall brings us a story about a 25-year-old woman’s struggle to balance both her personal life and her work for a highpowered boss. Lucy Cooper is an assistant to Katherine Whitney who seems to have it all – the high-powered job, a successful husband and two loving daughters. Working at a multibillion-dollar health and wellness lifestyle company, Katherine releases a book on work-life balance, catching the interest of many women who feel they can relate to this issue. Though Katherine holds the spotlight at work, her personal life has started to fall apart and Lucy is left picking up the pieces of both Katherine’s life, as well as her own. When Katherine suddenly does something unthinkable, Lucy must make a choice. Will Lucy continue to support Katherine or find revenge? Susie Schnall is a writer for both online and print publications, and the author of her awardwinning debut novel, On Grace. Her work has been published by the New York Times, The Huffington Post, and Glamour, just to name a few. Susie Schnall lives outside of New York with her husband and three young boys.
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Marisa de los Santos, “The Precious One: A Novel” Longtime poet turned novelist, Marisa de los Santos captivates us with a heartfelt novel of two sisters developing their friendship all the while confronting family conflicts, past romance, and learning the importance of second chances. Taisy has only seen her father, Wilson, once in the past 17 years since he left the family for a beautiful younger woman. After suffering a heart attack, he has invited Taisy for an extended visit to get to know her younger sister, Willow, and to help him write his memoir. While Taisy considers Willow the ‘chosen one’, sixteen-year-old Willow views her older sister with mistrust and jealousy. As both Taisy and Willow tell this story, Marisa de los Santos brilliantly explores the struggle of two sisters in search of reconciliation, forgiveness, and parental acceptance. In the process, each begins to change her perspective of the other. After graduating from Sarah Lawrence with an MFA and earning her Ph.D from the University of Houston, Marisa de los Santos published her first book, From The Bones Out, a collection of poems that would soon lead to her publishing novels. Three of Marisa’s works, Belong To Me, Love Walked In, and Falling Together all landed on the New York Times best sellers list. Marisa lives in Wilmington, Delaware with her husband, David Teague, who is also a writer of several picture books. Marisa and David recently joined together to write Saving Lucas Biggs, and are collaborating once more on a forthcoming book, Connect The Stars. The couple lives with their two children and two Yorkies.
Release date: March 24, 2015
Marc Peyser and Timothy Dwyer, “Hissing Cousins: The Untold Story of Eleanor Roosevelt and Alice Roosevelt Longworth” In this biography of Eleanor Roosevelt and Alice Roosevelt Longworth, authors Marc Peyser and Timothy Dwyer detail how these two powerful women broke prevailing gender rules and were able to influence the politics of their time. After Theodore Roosevelt’s presidential election at the start of the twentieth century, his daughter Alice accompanied her father into the White House. A beautiful, acerbic celebrity she worked behind the scenes to influence policy by taking advantage of important connections. She abhorred big government and delighted in being quoted in newspapers for her cutting descriptions of politicians who didn’t share her views. Three decades later, her cousin Eleanor became her first lady and was committed to use her position to further social justice. Naturally shy, she strove to avoid publicity. While the two women were only months apart in age, they couldn’t have been more different in their politics and temperament. They each wrote a syndicated newspaper column and pursued nationwide speaking tours in the 1930s. This biography describes in vivid and insightful detail how the cousins used their relationship and positions to influence the politics of their day. Marc Peyser is a writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Life, Vogue, Time Out New York, and many others. Formerly a deputy editor at both Newsweek and Budget Travel, Marc now works as the deputy editor for All You magazine. Timothy Dwyer attended Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service studying history and politics, continuing onto the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium. His work has appeared in both Time and TheAtlantic.com. Timothy is currently the chief editor at an education advisory company, The School of Choice Group.
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Kristen Miglore, “Genius Recipes: 100 Recipes That Will Change The Way You Cook” Kristen Miglore, Executive Editor for Food52 has tracked down some of the world’s greatest, most talked-about recipes in the world. She might even tell you that they’re genius. After featuring a new recipe each week that originated from cookbook authors, chefs, and bloggers, this James Beard Award-nominated column, Genius Recipes, is now being compiled into a book of 100 of the most remarkable recipes for all to enjoy. When flipping through the pages of Genius Recipes you will find recipes perfected by food luminaries such as Julia Child, Alice Waters, Suzanne Goin, James Beard, and David Chang, along with new recipes and some of Kristen Miglore’s own kitchen wisdom. These approachable, inspiring recipes will not only change the way you look at cooking, but also make it more enjoyable. With how-tos, tricks, and delectable looking photographs captured by Food52’s own James Ransom, you will never want to look at another cookbook again. Food52.com has become the premiere online community for foodies everywhere. Founded by Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs in 2009, cooks of all levels can come to read more than 300,000 recipes, enter in cooking contests, and even shop from the integrated kitchen and home section. Named Best Food Publication at the 2012 James Beard Awards and Best Culinary Website at the 2013 IACP Awards, Food52 has become both a reliable and delicious resource. Since joining Food52 in 2010, Kristen Miglore became Executive Editor while also on occasion writing for The Wall Street Journal and TheAtlantic. A graduate from New York University with a Master’s in Food Studies, Kristen also earned her culinary degree from ICE. In years past, she has worked for Martha Stewart and Saveur. Kristen Miglore lives in New York City.
Release Date: April 7, 2015