Location: Santa Cruz, CA

Anthony Marra (A constellation of vital phenomena)

Anthony Marra is the winner of a Whiting Award, a Pushcart Prize, The Atlantic's Student Writing Contest, and the Narrative Prize, and his work was anthologized in Best American Nonrequired Reading 2012. He holds an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop and is currently a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. He has lived and studied in Eastern Europe, and now resides in Oakland, CA.From the Hardcover edition. (added from Random House)… (more)

Positive forward thinking is the ability to find the silver lining in every cloud no matter how difficult yesterday or today may be. Nowadays, many people have lost confidence in themselves and the world around them due to personal hardship along with economic and political uncertainty worldwide. Author David Mezzapelle believes that we all have stories that can inspire and motivate others across many of life's themes. Come out and learn more! (CleisPress)… (more)

Eleanor & Park is the book we'll be discussing June 27 @ 7:00.

“Eleanor & Park reminded me not just what it’s like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it’s like to be young and in love with a book.”—John Green, The New York Times Book Review

Bono met his wife in high school, Park says. So did Jerry Lee Lewis, Eleanor answers. I’m not kidding, he says. You should be, she says, we’re 16. What about Romeo and Juliet? Shallow, confused, then dead. I love you, Park says. Wherefore art thou, Eleanor answers. I’m not kidding, he says. You should be.

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love—and just how hard it pulled you under.

Society members will receive a 20% discount on titles chosen for discussion and ocassional access to pre-publication previews of new books from well-known as well as up-and-coming authors. Other surprises may also be in store – remember, this is Hicklebee’s…

Call the store (408) 292-8880 or email Renee if you are interested in joining. Novel Society facilitator, Renee Ting is the President and Publisher of Shen’s Books, a small press specializing in multicultural children’s literature. As a publisher, she has been reading, evaluating, producing, and marketing children’s content for over ten years. Prior to heading Shen’s Books, Renee worked at several children’s book and music stores, including Linden Tree and Storyopolis. She is a graduate of Harvard University with a BA in music, and is the author of The Prince’s Diary.

Location: Street: 1378 Lincoln Ave City: San Jose, Province: California Postal Code: 95125-3010 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Meet debut author, Galen Longstreth

Saturday, July 13 @ 2:00

Yes, Let's tag along with a family as they take time out for some summer fun.

Let's get into the station wagon, roll those windows down, Let's sing out loud and wave to cows as we drive out of town. Let's park the car beneath the trees and trade our shoes for boots, Let's set the timer, all say "Cheese!" then head into the woods.

In this family's camping trip, the simple, rhyming text is enhanced by comical illustrations that bring wit and energy to every page. Yes, Let's is a small, easy to pack picture book made especially for little hands and is a perfect read-aloud during the car ride. The illustrations inside the front cover serve as a reminder of things to pack, and the story inspires activities to plan. There is even a space in the back to paste a picture of the reader's own family trip. It's a loving tribute to family togetherness.

Galen Longstreth grew up on Mercer Island, Washington, where she spent a lot of time outdoors with her family their dog, Sunday. One summer she learned a game called “Yes, Let’s,” which involved a lot of running and laughing. It was incredibly fun and she’s never forgotten it. Galen has taught kindergarten, sold children’s books, and written book reviews. She lives in Philadelphia. Yes, Let's is her first book.

Location: Street: 1378 Lincoln Ave City: San Jose, Province: California Postal Code: 95125-3010 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Kevin West (Saving the Season)

Kevin West is from rural Blount County in eastern Tennessee. He attended Deep Springs, an experimental college in the White Mountains of California, and Sewanee: The University of the South. For thirteen years he was on the staff at W magazine, with postings in New York, Paris, and Los Angeles, where he was West Coast editor and where he still lives. He runs the blog SavingtheSeason.com; writes about food, culture, and travel; and produces a retail collection of jams and marmalades. He is certified as a Master Food Preserver by the University of California Cooperative Extension. (added from Random House)… (more)

Meg Waite Clayton (The Wednesday Sisters, The four Ms. Bradwells, The Language of Light, The Wednesday Daughters)

Meg Waite Clayton is the author of The Language of Light, a finalist for the Bellwether Prize. Her stories and essays have appeared in Runner’s World, Writer’s Digest, and literary magazines. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and was a Tennessee Williams Scholar at the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. She lives in Palo Alto, California, with her husband and their two sons. (added from Random House)… (more)

David Kinch (Manresa)

DAVID KINCH'S singular style of American cooking has placed him on the world culinary map, and assured his legacy in the advancement of California cuisine in the 21st century. He has won the Best Chef in America award for the Pacific region from the James Beard Foundation. Manresa has been awarded two Michelin stars for five consecutive years. (added from Random House)… (more)

Natalie Goldberg is a poet, painter, teacher, and the author of twelve books, including her classic, Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within (which has sold more than 1.5 million copies and has been translated into fourteen languages) and Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir. She has taught seminars for thirty-five years to people from around the world and lives in New Mexico. (added from Simon & Schuster)… (more)