These recently published authors will join Authors on the Move guests for conversation during the first two courses of a gourmet Farm-to-Fork meal, followed by a lively auction during the main course. With dessert, guests will enjoy award winning keynote author Tommy Orange, author of Wandering Stars. Guests will have the opportunity to purchase a signed copy of any or all of our authors’ most recently published books. All books sales for the event will be offered through Capital Books. For more event information about the event, please visit Authors on the Move 2025.

Sasha Abramsky is a long-time freelance journalist and book author. His work has appeared in The Nation, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Salon, Slate, The Village Voice, Mother Jones, The London Guardian, and many other publications. Currently, he serves as The Nation’s West Coast correspondent and author of a weekly column titled Hiding in Plain Sight. In addition to journalism, Sasha is a continuing lecturer in the writing program at the University of California, Davis. Chaos Comes Calling is his tenth book. (N/A)

Ann Bancroft began writing fiction after a career in journalism and communications. A graduate of UC Berkeley, she has been a newspaper, magazine, and wire service reporter, editorial writer, speechwriter, and journalism teacher. She wrote humorous essays before beginning work on Almost Family. An early draft (titled The Oakland Mets) won the 2018 San Diego Book Award for Best Unpublished Novel. Ann leads workshops to help writers find their voice and generate story ideas. A two-time breast cancer survivor, she has mentored dozens of cancer patients through the UC Davis Cancer Center and the Save Ourselves Breast Cancer Organization. (annbancroftauthor.com)

Maxton Baeza brings his space adventure to life and makes his author debut at just 13 years old. He loves the science behind carousels, learning about the solar system, and the arts. Maxton has a big imagination and puts it to good use through his writing and drawings. Despite being a teenager, he inspires many people by spending his free time reading at events with his family and promoting literacy in underserved communities. When he grows up, he dreams of designing and engineering carousels that are out of this world. Through his mantra, “I can do anything!” Maxton hopes to encourage all kids to believe in themselves and pursue careers in STEAM. (cielitolindobooks.com)

Donna Janell Bowman is an award-winning author of books for young readers, including Wings of an Eagle: The Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills, co-authored with Billy Mills (Oglala Lakota); Step Right Up: How Doc and Jim Key Taught the World About Kindness; Abraham Lincoln’s Dueling Words; King of the Tightrope: When the Great Blondin Ruled Niagara; and others. Donna’s books have received accolades such as starred reviews, state book awards, and honors from NCTE, NCSS, ALA, Oprah Daily, Library of Congress Great Reads, best-of-the-year lists, and more. Armed with an MFA in Writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts, she writes from her Central Texas home and enjoys speaking at schools around the country and teaching writers of all ages. (donnajanellbowman.com)

Albert Camarillo is the Leon Sloss Jr. Memorial Professor and Professor of American History, Emeritus, at Stanford University. Camarillo’s storied career at Stanford began in 1975, when he was appointed to the Department of History. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the field of Mexican American history and Chicano studies. Notably, he is the first Mexican American in the nation’s history to earn a Ph.D. in U.S. History with a specialization in Chicano History. Camarillo has published eight books and dozens of articles on the history of Mexican Americans and other communities of color. He is also the only faculty member in Stanford’s history to receive six of the university’s highest awards for excellence in teaching and service. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Camarillo)

Chef Rogelio Garcia earned Michelin stars at Auro in both 2023 and 2024. Renowned for his innovative approach to Mexican cuisine, Garcia seamlessly blends his rich heritage with Napa Valley’s seasonal bounty. His artistry was further recognized when he competed on Top Chef Season 15 and was named a semifinalist for Best Chef: California by the James Beard Foundation. At Auro, Garcia redefines Mexican cuisine with a modern, sophisticated flair that highlights Napa Valley’s finest ingredients, making Auro the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Calistoga. In September 2024, Garcia published his debut cookbook, Convivir: Modern Mexican Cuisine in California’s Wine Country, a deeply personal collection of over 150 recipes. Each dish reflects his refined techniques, drawing inspiration from his immigrant journey while showcasing authentic flavors with a contemporary Californian twist. The book invites cooks of all levels to explore Mexican traditions using ingredients sourced from local farms, ranches, and sustainable fisheries, allowing them to bring Garcia’s sophisticated take on Mexican cuisine into their kitchens. (chefrogeliogarcia.com)

Anara Guard is a poet and novelist. Her newest poetry collection began when she learned that L. Frank Baum visited Kansas only once, vowing never to return. Her poems remedy the impression that the Midwest is a gray place of dust and poverty, giving new life to familiar characters from The Wizard of Oz, as well as to prairie entities such as blizzards, cows, and railroads. Her novel, Like a Complete Unknown, won Book of the Year Honorable Mention from the Chicago Writers Association, as well as other accolades. It draws upon her memories of that city and the music that provided a soundtrack to the late 1960s. (anaraguard.com)

Janie Kim was born and raised in San Diego, California. She studied molecular biology at Princeton University, pursued a Fulbright research grant in Denmark, and is currently a biology PhD student at Stanford University. She studies fun-sized ocean critters (bobtail squids) and their even funner-sized symbionts (bioluminescent bacteria) and writes for the American Society for Microbiology blog Small Things Considered. We Carry the Sea in Our Hands is her debut novel. (janie-kim.com)

Meera Ekkanath Klein, Award-winning author, deftly weaves her love of cooking and storytelling into irresistible tales. My Mother’s Kitchen has won numerous awards and was selected as a Winner in the 2015 International Book Awards in the Multi-Cultural Fiction category. Seeing Ceremony was named Grand Prize Winner (3rd place) in Fiction (2021 Indie Excellence Awards) and Best Romance Fiction (Feathered Quill Awards, 2021). Sunshine Clinic was awarded the Gold Medal Award by Literary Titan (2024). Klein, a former newspaper reporter and columnist, honed her writing skills in a busy newsroom. She mastered the art of Indian cooking in her mother’s South Indian kitchen. Her work has appeared in numerous online magazines, including Zibby Mag and The Ethel. She also reviews books for The New York Journal of Books. (meeraklein.com)

James L’Etoile uses his twenty-nine years behind bars as an influence in his award-winning novels, short stories, and screenplays. He is a former associate warden in a maximum-security prison, a hostage negotiator, and the director of California’s state parole system. His novels have been shortlisted for or awarded the Lefty, Anthony, Silver Falchion, and Public Safety Writers awards. Set in Sacramento, Face of Greed and River of Lies are his most recent novels in this series. Look for Sins, coming in 2025. (jamesletoile.com)

Manjula Martin is the author of The Last Fire Season: A Personal and Pyronatural History. She is coauthor of Fruit Trees for Every Garden, which won the 2020 American Horticultural Society Book Award. Martin edited the anthology Scratch: Writers, Money, and the Art of Making a Living, and she was managing editor of the National Magazine Award–winning literary journal Zoetrope: All-Story. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Los Angeles Times, and Virginia Quarterly Review. She lives in California. (manjulamartin.com)

Evelyn McDonnell is an award-winning journalist, essayist, critic, feminist, and university professor who regularly teaches Joan Didion’s work. She has written or coedited eight books, including Women Who Rock: Bessie to Beyoncé, Girl Groups to Riot Grrrl and Queens of Noise: The Real Story of the Runaways. She has been a pop culture writer at the Miami Herald and a senior editor at the Village Voice. She teaches journalism and directs the Media, Arts & a Just Society initiative at Loyola Marymount University. She lives in San Pedro, California. (evelynmcdonnell.com)

Catriona McPherson was born in Scotland and immigrated to the U.S. in 2010. A former linguistics professor, she is now a full-time fiction writer with thirty-six (and counting) published novels in the crime genre. These range from preposterous 1930s detective stories featuring a gently born lady sleuth, to dark, contemporary psychological thrillers, to comic crime capers set in a lightly fictionalized Davis, CA. Her latest series takes place in the late 1940s in the tenements of Edinburgh, finally marrying her love of historicals with her own working-class roots. Catriona’s novels have won the Anthony, Agatha, Lefty, and Macavity national awards for mystery fiction and have been finalists for the Edgar, Mary Higgins Clark, and UK Dagger prizes. (catrionamcpherson.com)

Billy Mills is a member of the Oglala Lakota Tribal Nation and is also known by his Lakota name, Tamakoche Te’Hila, which translates to “Loves His Country” or, more traditionally, “Respects the Earth.” He is an Olympic Gold Medalist in the 10,000-meter run at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. His Olympic victory is considered one of the greatest sports moments of all time. He remains the only athlete from the Western Hemisphere to ever win the Olympic 10,000-meter race. Billy was orphaned at an early age, with his mother joining their ancestors when he was 8 years old and his father passing away when he was 12. Before his father passed, he told Billy: “You have broken wings, son, and it takes a dream to heal. Find your dream, and it will take you down a path introducing you to your passions in life. Find your passion, develop your skills to equal your passion, and magic can happen! One or more of the magical things you do in life just may be looked upon as a miracle, son.” Inspired by his father’s teachings, Billy’s life has been guided by dreams and the resilience of his ancestors. He serves as the National Spokesperson for Running Strong for American Indian Youth, which he co-founded in 1986. (N/A)

Tomas Moniz is a Latinx writer living in East Oakland, CA. His debut novel, Big Familia, was a finalist for the 2020 PEN/Hemingway Award and the Lambda Literary Award. His new novel, All Friends Are Necessary, was published by Algonquin Books in June 2024. He teaches at Berkeley City College and in the Antioch MFA program. He has two cats and three chickens. He also shares work online and loves pen pals: PO Box 3555, Berkeley, CA 94703. He promises to write back. (tomasmoniz.com)

Leticia Ordaz is a ten-time award-winning author recognized by the International Latino Book Awards, the largest Latino book awards in the world. A proud Mexican-American, Leticia is also an Emmy Award-winning anchor and reporter in Sacramento, California, where she has covered some of the country’s biggest stories. Only 7 percent of American children’s books feature Latino characters, and just 10 percent of authors and illustrators in the U.S. are Latinx. Leticia is dedicated to breaking barriers and changing these statistics for the next generation. The Power of a Sister Circle: A Girl’s Guide to Making Best Friends is her eighth book. She is thrilled to share her bilingual stories and diverse characters with children around the world. (cielitolindobooks.com)

Bridget Quinn is a writer, art historian, and critic. She is the author of the lively biography Portrait of a Woman: Art, Rivalry & Revolution in the Life of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard—think Hamilton or Amadeus, but with women artists. Her book She Votes was an Amazon Editors’ Pick for Best History Books of 2020, and her debut, Broad Strokes, was an Amazon Editors’ Pick for Best Art & Photography Books of 2017 and a 2018 Amelia Bloomer List selection of recommended feminist literature by the American Library Association. Broad Strokes has been translated into four languages and, in 2018, was a national finalist for Best Art Book of the Year in Ukraine. A regular contributor to the arts magazine Hyperallergic, Bridget is a nationally sought-after speaker on women and art. (bridgetquinnauthor.com)

Eugene Rodriguez is the founder and executive director of Los Cenzontles, a non-profit organization with a cultural arts academy, production studio, and performing band composed of alumni. An accomplished guitarist and folk master, Eugene has produced over 30 albums and numerous films and has collaborated with renowned artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Los Lobos, The Chieftains, and Taj Mahal. For 35 years, Los Cenzontles Cultural Arts Academy has trained thousands of children in the working-class city of San Pablo, California, in the traditional music, dance, and art of Mexico. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and on NPR. Eugene resides in Richmond, California. (loscenzontles.com)

Elaine Russell is an award-winning author of three historical novels and six children’s books. Writing is a journey that has taken her down many unexpected paths. When she begins a new novel, her characters soon take over and lead the writing. Equally enjoyable is the research for her books (she holds a BA in history), where she discovers unexpected events or facts that can shape the entire story. It is a thrilling process that never ceases to delight her. Elaine’s love of travel and history has contributed significantly to her writing, as she weaves the culture and the past of other countries into her stories. She lives in Sacramento with her husband. (elainerussell.info)

Ethan Scheiner is a Professor and Co-Chair in the Department of Political Science at the University of California, Davis. His latest book, Freedom to Win: A Cold War Story of the Courageous Hockey Team That Fought the Soviets for the Soul of Its People—And Olympic Gold, was shortlisted for the 2024 Northern California Book Awards for Best General Nonfiction and was featured in The Wall Street Journal’s 2023 Holiday Gift Guide. Ethan’s previous books include Democracy Without Competition in Japan and Electoral Systems and Political Context. He now focuses his teaching and writing on the intersection of politics and sports. His work on sports and political resistance has appeared in The Washington Post, Stars and Stripes, Politico, and The Daily Beast. (scheiner.faculty.ucdavis.edu)

Terria Smith is a tribal member of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians. For nearly 10 years, she has served as the editor of News from Native California, a quarterly magazine dedicated to the vibrant cultures, art, languages, histories, social justice movements, and stories of California’s diverse Native peoples. Terria is also the director of California Indian Publishing at Heyday. She is an alumna of Humboldt State University and the University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. (newsfromnativecalifornia.com)

Shanthi Sekaran is a novelist and television writer, most recently working in the writers’ room of New Amsterdam, a medical drama on NBC. Her novel Lucky Boy was named the NPR Best Book of 2017. She has also written two YA/middle-grade books: The Samosa Rebellion, winner of the Northern California Book Award, and Boomi’s Boombox, a finalist for the California Book Award. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times and the Los Angeles Review of Books. (shanthisekaran.com)

Raj Tawney is a writer and journalist whose work reflects his multiracial American upbringing. Born into an Indian, Puerto Rican, and Italian American family, Tawney has explored his identity and family history through personal essays published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, and other outlets nationwide. His debut memoir, Colorful Palate: A Flavorful Journey Through a Mixed American Experience (Empire State Editions/Fordham University Press), has received critical acclaim, and was recently awarded a Best Indie Book Award and Living Now Book Award. His middle-grade novel, All Mixed Up (Paw Prints Publishing/Baker & Taylor), was recently released to rave reviews. (rajtawney.com)

Julia Park Tracey is an award-winning journalist, editor, blogger, and author. She served as Poet Laureate of Alameda, CA, from 2014 to 2017. Her work has appeared in Huffington Post, Salon, Oakland Magazine, sfgate.com, California Quarterly, and The Sun. Julia is the author of five novels, two women’s history books, and a collection of poems. Her newest book, Silence: A Novel, was published by Sibylline Press in September 2024. She lives in Grass Valley in a restored Victorian home and enjoys hot summers, occasional snow days, history, and the library. (juliaparktracey.com)

José Vadi is the author of CHIPPED: Writing from a Skateboarder’s Lens and Inter State: Essays from California. An award-winning essayist, poet, playwright, and film producer, José received the San Francisco Foundation’s Shenson Performing Arts Award for his debut play, a eulogy for three. He is also a co-producer of the short documentary film Broken City Poets, which explores Stockton’s bankruptcy through the poetry of its youth. Originally from Pomona, California, José moved to Berkeley for college, where he quickly became immersed in the Bay Area’s literary and performing arts communities. In 2021, he relocated to Sacramento. His work has been featured in The Paris Review, The Atlantic, PBS NewsHour, San Francisco Chronicle, Free Skate Magazine, Alta Journal, CalMatters, and The Yale Review. (josevadi.com)