Cross-posted from valleylitlist@yahoogroups.com
PEN USA 2008 Literary Awards Deadline

From: Literary Awards

Dear Publishers, Editors, Writers, and Producers of Literary Works,

The deadline for PEN USA’s annual Literary Awards has been extended!

As many of you know, "Highway 99" is the seminal anthology of Valley poets, essayists, fiction and nonfiction writers. Published by Heyday Books's Great Valley Books imprint (with help from the James Irvine Foundation), it's the first book to anthologize the Valley's many accomplished writers. It was a work that was long overdue, as Central California authors are so often overlooked.

Ten years have passed since Highway 99's first publication, and now Heyday has released a 2nd edition containing some 80 new pages of Valley authors.

Cross-posted from MindHub...

Friends of the Fresno County Public Library Informational Meeting
October 17 at 6 pm, Cedar-Clinton Branch Library
October 23 at 7 pm, Sunnyside Regional Library
The Friends will host informational meetings to encourage participation
in forming new groups for the Cedar-Clinton and Sunnyside libraries.
The Friends coordinate a variety of fundraising events throughout the
year to raise money for more library programs and services. Call Linda
Calandra at 488-3492 or go online to
www.fresnolibrary.org/help/develop/friends.html.

For those who may want to drive to see their favorite author...

CALIFORNIA LECTURE SERIES
Subscriptions are on sale now for their next six-lecture series
($150). Subscribe and get more info at: (916) 737-1300 or visit

www.californialectures.org

SIX-LECTURE SERIES: Crest Theatre, Sacramento | 7:30pm

YANN MARTEL | Wednesday, October 24, 2007
HA JIN | Thursday, November 15, 2007
SUE MILLER| Thursday, January 10, 2008
GERALDINE BROOKS | Wednesday, February 6, 2008
RICHARD POWERS | Monday, March 3, 2008
TOBIAS WOLFF | Thursday, May 8, 2008

Author Manuel Munoz, one of the Valley's rising literary stars, will be speaking this Thursday at Reedley College.

Originally from Dinuba, Munoz is the author of two highly acclaimed short story collections:

"The Faith Healer of Olive Avenue" (Algonquin Books, 2007), and
"Zigzagger" (Northwestern University Press, 2003).

Big thanks to CSUF Assistant English Professor Steve Church for bringing New York Times bestselling author, Steve Almond, to Fresno State tonight!

Here's the announcement cross-posted from valleylitlist@yahoogroups.com:

Hi Friends,

Please mark your calendars for this upcoming reading featuring acclaimed
writer, Steve Almond, author of the new collection of essays, Not That You
Asked . Almond will read and sign books at Fresno State on Friday, Sept. 21
at 7:30 p.m. in the Alice Peters auditorium. Relaxed parking will be
provided.

Thursday, August 16th, 6 p.m.
Valley author Aris Janigian will be speaking at Fresno's monthly Respite by the River reading hosted at The River Center.

Aris Janigian is one of the Valley's newest Armenian writers to emerge on the literary scene. He was the Finalist for the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. His first novel, "Bloodvine," was published by Heyday Books.

http://www.heydaybooks.com/public/books/bv.html

The Respite by the River readings are co-sponsored by CSUF college radio station KFSR 90.7 FM. For more information contact:

Respite by the River

This month is the 50th anniversary of the publication of Jack Kerouac's "On the Road." Not only is this one of the greatest novels ever published, it has an impressive Central California Valley connection. Here's an excerpt from chapter 12: