Andria Speaks in the Bay Area

The past few days, Andria had four speaking engagements in the San Francisco Bay Area to share (promote) her debut novel The Longest Night. I drove up to be apart of these exciting times for the family.

 This is the section of our local Barnes and Noble with Andria's book top and center.

 The first engagement was at the annual "The Authors Forum" in Napa, which hosts noted women authors.  Proceeds and donations go to scholarships for high school and college girls and women.  The seated authors from left to right are Novella Carpenter (who seems to double as a stand up comedian), Jan Ellison, Andria, and Gail Tsukiyama.

 There were 145 people in attendance, and each of the four authors spoke for about  20 minutes or so.  Andria, I must say, was as funny and interesting as any of them!

 Andria here with one of her high school English teachers, Hillary Zunin.  That's long time good friend of the family Judy Boyle behind Andria.  Andria's first and second grade teachers also came, as well as childhood friends.

 Andria shared a table with famous author Gail Tsukiyama.

 On Friday, Andria and I drove to Oakland where she shared her book at a senior living facility overlooking Lake Merritt.  The seniors asked very good questions, and two or three had been published writers themselves.

 The activity director is Ryan Wilcox, brother to Andria's good friend Erin.  Ryan has his seniors teaching English in his ESL program to folks in the community.

 Two women from Sudan were there to hear Andria and to take the ESL class.

 This 90 year old lady was very sharp, and had written children's books.

 A couple more fans, possibly an ESL student and a staff member.  In the evening, 3 book clubs converged at Elaine's home to hear more from Andria.

 Saturday, we drove down to Book Passage in Corte Madera to hear Andria do a book reading.  That's Nick on the right and his friend Eddy.

 After Andria spoke, Sunil Yapa shared his debut novel based on the World Trade Organization protests of 1999 in Seattle.  His parents are Sri Lankan and Japanese, which helped to make him empathetic to the various participants in the protests.

 Andria with proud father - we both bought Sunil's book.

Andria seeing Nick's place, the former Tillin home.  It has been about 8 years since Andria has been back to see Napa, and she definitely got a big dose over four days.