by Dot Cannon
Ghost stories, werewolves, romance, history, and fantasy. Pop culture, horror, lots of gifted artists, nature, creativity and “first-time-ever” events.
If those are just a few of your favorite things, here’s a special invitation for you.
This Saturday, August 15th, you’re invited to join Over Coffee® in the City of Industry, at Mystic Dragon’s Festival of Books. This is both their inaugural event, and our first all-day onsite podcast!
It promises to be an exciting day, with tables of authors in all different genres. Actors, artists and historians will be a part of the festivities. And Over Coffee® will be podcasting live author interviews, from 10:00 am on!
Our interviews start at 10:00 am on Saturday. with artist and author Barbara Lieberman. Barbara has published three books so far, and is currently at work on the “prequel” to her most recent one, Message on the Wind. Message on the Wind is a love story on many different levels–and a reminder of all the ways one person can make a difference.
Then, at 11:00, we’re looking forward to welcoming Lucien F.A. Van Oosten. Lucien is both a multimedia artist whose work communicates the beauty of nature, and the author of K-Bridge, an imaginative and engaging first illustrated novel that explores the lessons of growth and leadership through a flock of young pigeons.
Another first-time author takes the stage at 1:00 that afternoon, as we visit with Ellie Lieberman. Ellie is the author of Society’s Foundlings, a young adults’ first novel which explores the challenges of coming of age in a less-than-nurturing world. Her spare and beautifully-written story, told from the perspectives of the four main characters, conjures up a world so real that the readers can almost hear the fire crackle, in Carver and Sampson’s fireplace.
Then, at 2:00, history comes to life, courtesy of historian C.R. “Randy” King. Randy is the author of nonfiction books A Fraternity of Gunslingers, Volumes 1 and 2, and The Last Deputy, a fact-based story about the life of Arthur Moore King, Wyatt Earp’s last deputy, and the adventures of the two in early twentieth-century Los Angeles. Some of the facts Randy’s books reveal, about historic figures of the Wild West, may very well surprise you!
At 3:00 on Saturday, we’ll be discussing sparking the imaginations of young readers and artists with Evangeline Duran Fuentes and Jessica Johnson. Evangeline is the author of the children’s book Cry on Hallow’s Eve, as well as the upcoming Friends Across the Border.
Jessica, a graphic artist, began exhibiting her work in art galleries in 2014. Currently, she is a regular exhibitor in local Southern California art shows, as well as the proprietor of Jessie J Inspirations. She is also both the creator of the cover art for Barbara Lieberman’s To Miss the Stars and Ellie Lieberman’s Society’s Foundlings, and the illustrator of Evangeline’s Friends Across the Border!
Meanwhile, Evangeline is also an artist, creating breathtaking crystal jewelry through her small business, Alluring By Design. Cry on Hallow’s Eve, her first children’s book, reworks a Mexican folk tale into a Halloween ghost story which young readers are certain to enjoy.
And finally, rounding out the afternoon, artist and author Luis Escobar stops by at 4:00 for a discussion of his new book, The Art of Draw Fu. But Luis, who has now been a storyboard artist for The Simpsons for twenty years, won’t just be discussing his art.
Both in his new book and on his “where I teach you to draw” website, Luis asserts that anyone can learn to draw. As he illustrates that principle with a serious of lessons, he has some exciting things to say about skills and creativity, and explodes some commonly-held ideas about creating art. (That’s enough; I don’t want to do a “spoiler” here! His book is an exciting one, and the first of a planned series of lessons on drawing.)
Saturday, August 15th, is going to be a full day for Over Coffee®–and for all the artists and authors who’ll be on hand for the first edition of Mystic Dragon’s Festival of Books! Hope you can be there.
Mystic Dragon’s Festival of Books happens Saturday, August 15, 2015, from 9 am to 5 pm at Frank & Son Collectibles Show, 19649 East San Jose Avenue, west of Fairway Drive, in the City of Industry.