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I have been invited to take part in the River Reads Book Festival in Stockton, NJ on Sunday, October 23, 2016. This event features over 40 authors from the surrounding area who will be showcasing their latest books, signing copies, and presenting readings from their work. There will also be a "blind date with a book" sale to benefit the Friends of the Hunterdon County Library, wine tastings from Unionville Vineyards, crepes from Bonjour Creperie, and giveaways to local bookstores and Triumph Brewing Company of New Hope with the purchase of a book! It's all happening Sunday, October 23 from 10:00 to 4:00 at Prallsville Mills, Stockton, NJ. Check out the link below for more information. Hope to see you there! 
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A book signing has been scheduled at the Moravian Book Shop in Bethlehem, PA for Sunday, October 9, 2016 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. As a featured local author, I am planning to sign copies of both BEV: The Invisible Sister and Les Amis. For those of you not acquainted with it, the Moravian Book Shop, the oldest continually operated bookstore in the country, is located across from the Hotel Bethlehem and right next to the Central Moravian Church on historic Main Street. It is a fantastic little bookstore and gift gallery - a great venue for local authors to meet and greet readers and introduce them to their work. Check out the bookstore at the link below and look for publicity on my appearance as the time grows closer.  On Saturday, May 21, I was invited to meet with the board of the Pennhurst Memorial and Preservation Alliance in Mohnton, PA. Five members of the board were there in person, with others attending via conference call. All of the members have backgrounds in working for and with intellectually disabled individuals. Greg Pirmann, in particular, knew Bev at Pennhurst and helped her prepare for her life outside the institution. I shared stories about Bev and my experiences with Pennhurst, while they told me about their projects, most importantly the museum that will be housed in the superintendent’s house on the Pennhurst grounds. We talked about my reasons for writing the book and my hopes for what readers will take away from Bev’s story. Several members purchased the book to read, and I’m looking forward to hearing their reactions to it. The mission of the PM&PA is dear to my heart. If you would like to learn more about their vision, click below to visit their website.  I invite you to listen to my interview with Bob Cohen on WDIY 88.1 May 30 at 6:00 as we talk about my book Bev: The Invisible Sister on the Lehigh Valley Arts Salon. Find out why Bev was invisible both to her family and to society while she resided at Pennhurst State Hospital, hear what life was like for residents of institutions like Pennhurst, and learn what happened to former residents when they finally rejoined society. Bob and I also talk about my family, our challenges and struggles, and what is was like having an intellectually disabled sibling. If you can’t catch the interview when it airs, click on the link below to listen to the podcast after May 30.   On April 9, 2016 I attended The Write Stuff writers’ conference in Bethlehem, PA. It was hosted by the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group which is the writing group I belong to. It was a great event that featured Robert Liparulo, author of Comes a Horseman and the Dreamhouse Kings, as the keynote speaker and presenter. I had an opportunity to talk to an agent about my book and received some good advice about how to proceed with marketing BEV. At the end of the day there was a book fair at which I was able to sell a few copies of my book and chat with Robert and some of my fellow local authors.
On March 20, 2016 I held a private book launch party with family and friends to formally introduce BEV: The Invisible Sister to the world. Guests enjoyed refreshments that featured a stunning cake which Bev would have loved. I gave a brief talk and reading and then showed the slide show that I had put together for Bev’s memorial service exactly one year ago. Afterward I had a great time signing copies of the book and chatting with everyone. It was a great day!
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