2007 AASL Annual Conference

Authors, Chocolate, Champagne, and . . . You!
Friday, October 26, 2007
8:00-10:00 p.m.
Silver Legacy Resort Casino
Silver Baron A Ballroom

Sponsored by:

Sit back and enjoy chocolate decadence cake and champagne while Pam Muñoz Ryan along with P.C. Cast, Sherry Mazzanoble, Kevin Anderson, Debra Garfinkle, and Alice Kuipers read from their works.

A book signing will follow and some books will be given away free and others will be generously discounted. Event sponsor McGraw-Hill will provide all program attendees with a free book.

Advance tickets sales are available online or by phone at (800) 936-5872 through October 22, 2007. Tickets will be available while supplies last just prior to the event at the door.

Pam Muñoz Ryan, author of Paint the Wind
Pam Muñoz Ryan was born and raised in California's San Joaquin Valley. She grew up with aunts, uncles and grandparents nearby and considers herself truly American because her heritage is part Spanish, Mexican, Basque, Italian and Oklahoman. She lives about 30 miles north of San Diego, California - the town is called Leucadia - with my husband, four children, and two dogs Buster and Barney. Growing up, she spent many long, hot valley summers riding her bike to the library. The library became her favorite hang out because her family didn't have a swimming pool and the library was air-conditioned. That's how she got hooked on reading and books. After college, she knew that she wanted to work in a profession that had something to do with books, and so became a teacher. A friend encouraged her to write a book herself, and that's when she discovered what she really wanted to do with her life. Today, she is a full-time writer and still spends a lot of time at the library.

Kevin J. Anderson, author of The Last Days of Krypton
Kevin J. Anderson is the author of more than ninety novels, 41 of which have appeared on national or international bestseller lists. He has over 20 million books in print in thirty languages. He has won or been nominated for numerous prestigious awards, including the Nebula Award, Bram Stoker Award, the SFX Reader's Choice Award, the American Physics Society's Forum Award, and New York Times Notable Book. Anderson has coauthored eight prequels and sequels to Frank Herbert's classic Dune, with Herbert's son Brian. The initial deal with Bantam Books was the largest single science fiction contract in publishing history. He has also coauthored a major bestseller with Dean Koontz, Prodigal Son, as well as his ambitious science fiction epic, "The Saga of Seven Suns" (seven volumes), and original novels Hopscotch, Captain Nemo, The Martian War, Blindfold, Ill Wind (with Doug Beason), and many others. Anderson has scripted numerous bestselling comics and graphic novels, including Justice Society of America for DC, Star-Jammers for Marvel, Star Wars and Predator for Dark Horse, X-Files for Topps, and Star Trek for Wildstorm.

P.C. Cast, author of Marked and Betrayed
P.C. Cast (at right in photo) is an award-winning fantasy and paranormal romance author. Her novels have been awarded the prestigious Prism, Holt Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, and Affaire Du Coeur, among others. She lives and teaches in Oklahoma with her daughter Kristin (at left in photo) who is thrilled to be co-authoring the House of Night series with her mother. She has won awards for her poetry and journalism and, currently, attends the University of Tulsa.

Debra Garfinkle, author of The Band: Holding On
Debra Garfinkle's teen trilogy, The Band, was published in May, August, and December of this year. The Band is about five high school seniors in a rock band, and their evolving romances and music careers. A song written especially for the books can be downloaded for free at the band's Myspace page, Myspace.com/AmberRoad. Garfinkle is also the author of the humorous teen novels Storky: How I Lost My Nickname and Won the Girl (Putnam, 2005), which was published in four languages, and Stuck in the 70s (Putnam, 2007). The first four books of her children's series, Supernatural Rubber Chicken, will be published next year. Garfinkle is a recovering attorney who lives in Orange County, California, with her husband and three children. She loves to do school and library visits. Visit her at www.dlgarfinkle.com.

Alice Kuipers, author of Life on the Refrigerator Door: Notes Between a Mother and Daughter
Alice Kuipers was born and raised in London, England. She graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University and has had her work published in various small literary magazines. She now lives in Saskatoon, Canada. Life on the Refrigerator Door is her first novel.

Shelly Mazzanoble, author of Confessions of a Part-Time Sorceress: A Girl’s Guide to the Dungeons & Dragons Game
Shelly Mazzanoble has written short stories and essays for The Seattle Times, Carve, Whetstone, Skirt! and SomeOtherMagazine.com. Her plays have been produced in Seattle and New York City. When not over-editing her collection of short stories, she enjoys watching HGTV, walking dogs, and designing clothes for D&D minis. She lives in Seattle. Visit her online at www.shellymazzanoble.com.

Tickets are $25 in advance or at the door. Advance tickets sales are available online or by phone at (800) 936-5872 through October 20, 2007. Tickets will be available while supplies last just prior to the event at the door.