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This is a call for all lovers of historical fiction, and of Sandra Gulland, to join us when Sandra presents her latest book, Mistress of the Sun. This novel based on the life of Louise de la Valliere, who, against all odds, became one of the most mysterious consorts of France's Louis XIV, The charismatic ... (mere)Sun King. Sandra will be attending the event in full costume and would love for everyone to join her.

What if you could bioengineer the next great world prophet: scientifically produce the next Buddha, the next Muhammad, or the next Jesus? Would it mark the Second Coming or initiate a chain reaction with disastrous consequences? A master at combining historical and religious intrigue with ... (mere)edge-of-your-seat adventure, Rollins brings back SIGMA Force to battle a group of rogue scientists who have unleashed a bioengineering project that could bring about the extinction of humankind.

Elvis Cole is back! Bestselling author Crais returns to Vroman's to present the latest in his popular series of mysteries. Elvis was a hero when he cleared an innocent man of a murder charge. But when that innocent man is found dead three years later holding photos of the victim, Elvis is the one on ... (mere)trial.

Author Paula Yoo (Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story) presents her new novel, Good Enough, a funny-yet-poignant novel about Patti Yoon, a high achieving high school senior struggling between her Korean immigrant parents’ demanding expectations and her growing desire to shape her ... (mere)own future… not to mention pursuing her first crush on a cute guy in her homeroom. Paula will be joined local band The Listing Ship. The Listing Ship's MySpace page!

Popular author Francis Hamit will be here signing his latest novel, Shenendoah Spy.

Kick the fossil-fuel habit with this handy renovation guide! Inspired by their own determination to free themselves completely from fossil fuels, Stephen and Rebekah Hren provide a map for others interested in the path to producing all their own energy and living a fossil fuel-free life. The Hrens ... (mere)offer practical approaches that fit into anyone's budget to wean oneself from a “carbon-heavy” diet.

Award-winning author Bowen returns with the second in her funny series of books about a minor royal in 1930s England. Part zany comedy, part social commentary on the British class system, and part bloody good mystery, the Royal Spyness Mystery series has been described as Bridget Jones meets Maisie ... (mere)Dobbs with a touch of royal flair! Show your royal flair by coming dressed in your best hat and enjoy a glass of champagne with Rhys Bowen.

There's a disturbing secret in the basement of a strip mall yogurt parlor. Jonathan, the mostly clueless clerk who works there, just wants to fix things once and for all, but things don't work out quite the way Jonathan intends. This latest from Krusoe, author of Iceland, raises unsettling questions ... (mere)about storytelling, the nature of freedom, and the ubiquitous objectification of women.

With this ninth book in the wildly popular Pendragon series, the battle has come to Second Earth. Since Bobby Pendragon remains trapped in Ibara, every fight has been building toward the epic battle against Sainte Dane for control of Halla. But Mark Dimond and Courtney Chetwynde are left on their own ... (mere)to defend Second Earth against the forces of Saint Dane because one important element is missing: Bobby himself. The two teens must find a way to hold off their massively powerful enemy long enough to reach Bobby and bring him back for the final battle readers have been anticipating.

Carter (The Emperor of Ocean Park), returns with another tale of intrigue and murder. In the summer of 1952, twenty prominent men gather at a secret meeting on Martha's Vineyard and devise a plot to manipulate the President of the United States. Soon after, the body of one of these men is found by Eddie ... (mere)Wesley, Harlem's rising literary star. When Eddie's younger sister mysteriously disappears, Eddie is pulled into what becomes a twenty-year search for the truth.

Gavigan, Executive Director/CEO of Healthy Child Healthy World (a Los Angeles based not-for-profit), focuses on educating parents on ways to make small lifestyle changes in order to raise children and families in a healthier environment. According to his book, “...every parent knows how to keep the ... (mere)household cleaning products locked away under the sink, out of the children's reach. But when we spray and wipe and spill these products all over the house, we don't always realize the extent to which we are contaminating the sacred areas where our children eat, sleep, and play." Certain to be an eye-opening event.

In this rollicking debut novel, Winfield, an Emmy-award winning cartoon writer, tells the tales of two Wills: Willie Shakespeare Greenberg, a UC Santa Cruz student struggling to write his thesis on the bard (sort of), and William Shakespeare, a would-be playwright stuck teaching Latin in the boondocks ... (mere)of Stratford-upon-Avon. Separated by centuries, the two Wills’ lives begin to intersect in curious ways.

The Eagles are one of the most successful, and publicity-shy, bands in America. Former lead guitarist Felder offers the first insider's look at the band. Heaven and Hell reveals behind-the-scenes stories of the group, its characters, their creative processes, and their legendary partying. This is a ... (mere)signing only. Don will not be signing memorabilia at this event; he'll only be signing his book!

Actor and author McLarty (The Memory of Running, Traveler) has written a funny, heartwarming book about a down-and-out writer who falls in love and finally meets success. Steven Kearney, a middle-aged, fumbling writer, ends up in exile as a playwright in residence in what seems like a quiet Colorado ... (mere)town. Upon arrival, he finds the town in upheaval and realizes he must do his part to make things right.

John and Jean Silverwood left their jobs, packed up their kids, and embarked on an epic adventure. In Black Wave, the Silverwoods share the story of their family's voyage of self-discovery and survival. With their four children aboard the fifty-five foot catamaran Emerald Jane, the family begins their ... (mere)journey, sailing down the Atlantic coast, into the Caribbean and through the Panama Canal to the Pacific Ocean. “Absorbing, tender, harrowing. They all run throughout Black Wave. A family adventure that leaves you spellbound. Truly unforgettable reading.” - Clive Cussler

Rigler, a member of the Jane Austen Society of America and longtime Vroman's Ed teacher, crafts this tale of Courtney Stone, a Los Angeles woman trying to heal a broken heart with Jane Austen novels and Absolut vodka. One morning, she wakes to find herself in early nineteenth-century England, in another ... (mere)woman's body. Who but an Austen addict could concoct such a fantasy?

In her follow-up to Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay, Wilder-Taylor shares her take on surviving the toddler years. The first haircut, playdates, toy addictions - it's all covered in this hilarious and candid book. "Being a mom is the hardest job you'll ever love," writes the author. With Naptime, you'll ... (mere)also love knowing that you aren't alone.

Los Angeles-based writer/spoken word poet, Mike the Poet presents his collection I Am Alive in Los Angeles, a free fall through the labyrinth that is Los Angeles. Danny P. will kick this evening off with some samplings from his new honest & raw (not yet published) collection of poetry. Musical guest ... (mere)is TBA

Brundage (The Doctor's Wife) tells the thrilling story of two young people, Nate and his girlfriend Cat, bottoming out on drugs on the margins of San Francisco, forced by circumstance to give up their infant daughter, Willa, to a wealthy couple in the Berkshires. Seventeen years later, a cleaned-up Nate ... (mere)finds a job as a teacher at Pioneer, the private day-school Willa attends. The idea of seeing his daughter again is irresistible. This novel shows the seams between the haves and the have-nots and how little often separates them.

From the bestselling author of Jewel (an Oprah Book Club pick) and A Song I Knew By Heart comes a haunting novel about a family whose lives are shaded by a lost dream of Hollywood stardom. This multi-generational tale revolves around the mesmerizing business of dreams and the enormous impact those dreams ... (mere)can have on the lives of ordinary people.

Local cook and food writer Kelly has written the urbanite’s guide to sustainable, organic cooking. Despite her Los Angeles zip code, Kelley's backyard kitchen garden allows her to indulge her desire for fresh, organic, and flavor-rich produce year round. In her exciting new cookbook, Kelly provides ... (mere)home cooks with a path to a healthy, flavorful, and happy life.

Los Angeles,1949, is the setting for the latest from Hamilton, author of the Eve Diamond novels. Lily Kessler, a former spy for the OSS, comes to LA to find her late fiancé's sister Kitty, an actress who has gone missing. The next day, Kitty's body is found in a ravine below the Hollywood sign. Unimpressed ... (mere)by the local police, Lily launches her own investigates. As she delves into Kitty's life, she begins to see how easily a young woman can lose her balance and fall prey to the alluring city's dangers.

From Ethan Canin, bestselling author of The Palace Thief, comes a stunning novel, set in a small town during the Nixon era, about America and family, politics and tragedy, and the impact of fate on a young man's life. Corey Sifter, the son of working-class parents, becomes a yard boy on the grand estate ... (mere)of the powerful Metarey family. Taken in by the family's patriarch, Corey soon finds himself in the midst of a complex tangle in which loyalty, politics, and gratitude conflict with morality and love.

A mother and Zen priest reveals how the daily challenges of parenthood can become the most profound spiritual journey of our lives. Combining humor, honesty and plainspoken advice, Momma Zen distills the doubts and frustrations of early motherhood into vignettes of Zen wisdom. Visit Karen’s blog at: ... (mere)mommazen.blogspot.com.

Robin Benway is back at Vroman’s with her debut novel, Audrey, Wait!. Audrey Cutler, after dumping her self-involved musician boyfriend, is suddenly shotgunned into fame when her ex’s song “Audrey, Wait” becomes an international sensation! Enjoy live music after the reading from musical guest, ... (mere)local band, Mynameisguy!

Pulitzer Prize-winner Maraniss tells the story of the 1960 Olympics and the broader world they reflected on the verge of fateful upheaval. Maraniss's remarkable narrative reveals how Cold War rivalries, the civil rights and women's movements, the first doping scandal, television, money, new athletic ... (mere)techniques, and legendary athletes came together in Rome to alter the Olympics forever.

In this gripping narrative of political persecution, exile, and redemption, Kai Chen tells of having to flee his home at the age of 15, a victim of China's Cultural Revolution. Finding salvation in basketball, he used his athletic skills to escape to Canton and eventually to the US.

From esteemed journalist Reed (Vogue, Newsweek) comes this love letter to one of America's most beloved cities, New Orleans, and its unflappable residents. After traveling to New Orleans for a story, Reed fell in love with the town and was never able to leave again. Four days after moving into her ... (mere)new house, Hurricane Katrina struck.

Author of three #1 New York Times bestsellers, Vincent Bugliosi has written what promises to be one of the most explosive, powerful and important books in many years, an unprecedented look at the monumental crime behind the Iraq War. Bugliosi presents a tight legal case against President Bush as being ... (mere)criminally responsible for the deaths of more than 4,000 American soldiers in Iraq.

Ty Buchanan is finally putting his life back together after leaving his high powered lawyer job and the painful loss of his fiancée, until a mysterious woman and her six-year-old daughter show up in desperate need of his help. When the woman turns up dead Buchanan is left to track down the killer and ... (mere)protect the daughter.

For those interested in writing whodunits, plotting is often the most daunting aspect of the narrative. Fear no more. This workshop will take the mystery out of writing mysteries. Moreover, you'll learn that the key to writing a good mystery or crime story is an understanding of how each of the characters' ... (mere)distinct wants and needs collide with those of the other characters. When done right, a good plot reveals character, and good characters make the plot compelling. Whether you're writing the coziest of British-style mystery or the edgiest of hard-boiled thriller, this informative, entertaining workshop is for you.

In Human, Michael Gazzaniga explores the evolutionary trail and looks to a wide range of studies to try and pinpoint the change that made us thinking, sentient humans, different from our predecessors. Among studies include the genetic similarities and differences of human brains compared to the brains ... (mere)of other animals, and identifying the importance of language and art in defining the human condition.

Detective Cassie Maddox, who first appeared in French's book In the Woods, returns when a woman bearing a striking resemblance and her old undercover name is found dead. Cassie's old boss creates an extreme undercover opportunity and soon she finds herself immersed in this mysterious woman's old life, ... (mere)with no leads, no suspects and no clue as to the dead girl's real identity. The Likeness is an exciting read with many twists and turns all leading up to an explosive conclusion. This event is free and open to the public. Delicious sandwiches are available from Europane bakery for $13.95+tax. Please call Vroman's customer service at (626) 449-5320 no later than August 4 to place your order.

In his new memoir, veteran actor Ernest Borgnine chronicles his life starting with his humble beginnings as the son of Italian immigrants and going straight through his 50-year career in film. Meet this screen legend at Vroman's Bookstore as he signs copies of his no holds barred autobiography! This ... (mere)is a signing only. Check back for more information.

Comedic entertainer Kim Wayans and her writer husband Kevin Knotts have penned a new series that gives voice to children of mixed race, while also dealing with universal themes of feeling different and making new friends. In the first book, Amy Hodges is excited to start 4th grade at a new school. There, ... (mere)she finds a group of friends who accept her for who she is; but when the talent show comes up, she's afraid that they suddenly might not want their “mixed” friend to be a part of it.

In this powerful, provocative collection of 4 plays that fearlessly explore the face of modern genocide, Felde, an award-winning playwright & public radio journalist, has contributed A Patch of Earth, a moving story about a reluctant soldier in the Bosnian War. Filled with issues of justice, it will ... (mere)challenge audience members to turn the questions toward themselves and really take time to reflect.

In this intensively-researched, flawlessly-executed art heist story, Davies (Goodbye, Lemon & The Frog King) visits Otto Starks, a highly-trained, very specialized security guard - a “pulse” - as his reputation has started a downward spiral. The only happiness in his life is his girlfriend, an ... (mere)art history professor, who, right before his impending proposal, runs away. Upon further investigation, he finds that not everything may be as it seems, and that he might have to break the very law he's sworn to uphold for so many years.

Silva, one of the world's finest writers of int'l intrigue & espionage, leads Gabriel Allon to the streets of a “new” Moscow where he's pitted against Ivan Kharkov, a former KGB colonel turned arms dealer. Unless Allon can stop him, Kharkov will deliver Russia's most sophisticated weapon into the ... (mere)hands of al-Qaeda where the repercussions are fatal: the world will witness the deadliest terror attacks since 9/11.

In his ambitious, inventive, magnificent new novel, Ebershoff applies his talent for sweeping plots, psychological delicacy, and historical evocation to questions of faith and love. What is it like to be a man's 19th wife? What inner life do you have, and how does it feel to share your spouse ... (mere)with umpteen others? What version of “faith” leads people into these situations, what doubts might they have along the way, and is it really their faith in God that keeps them there?

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