LocalLit 2022

LocalLit 2022

Get ready for the 10th anniversary of LocalLit! Join us on Saturday, December 10, 2022, from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM, for a virtual celebration of local authors and their books. Get inspired by local authors who will speak about their work and publication process. Registration details and a list of authors available on our event page.

While there is no need to read the authors' books before the event, we are happy to offer several copies of these books in our circulating collection for you to enjoy before joining us for the event. You can search and place holds on LocalLit 2022 featured books, or browse all past LocalLit titles. Support local authors by checking out their books and get gifting inspiration for the readers on your holiday shopping list!

View the Recording

Author Works

The Full Extent: An Inquiry Into Reality and Destiny by Richard Botelho**

In the early 20th century, discoveries in quantum mechanics, specifically the double slit experiment, proved Consciousness is the ground of existence. This finding contradicted scientific materialism, which posited matter as foundational, with Consciousness resulting from physical nature; instead, physical nature results from Mind. Moreover, Consciousness was antecedently linked to a First Mind or God. Suddenly, our perception of reality was toppled as it became evident the universe is a mental and spiritual construction by a Divine Being. Obviously, this new understanding has huge implications for individuals and society. The Consciousness Paradigm, replacing physicalism with the primacy of Spirit, identifies Soul as the fundamental aspect of human existence. The Full Extent examines the physical realm and its immaterial base, the possibility of different levels of reality, the progression of knowledge, the management of destiny, an assessment of human survivability, our potential for the colonization of space, and the impact of potentially extraterrestrial and supernatural entities on our experience. Thus, humanity will be positioned within the objectives of the Creator, specifically Soul development through the technological and spiritual enhancements of human culture. The nature of reality and the true purpose of human existence will be revealed.

Surat to San Francisco by Mahendra K. Doshi

Surat to San Francisco is the untold Patel hospitality history from its genesis to its gradual consolidation and expansion (1942-1960). It chronicles how three founders, Kanji Manchhu Desai. Nanalal Patel, and D.Lal, accidentally created the first Patel hotel in Sacramento in 1942 and then helped over two dozen Patels and Khatris to lease inexpensive SROs in San Francisco. The stories of Gujarati hoteliers, told for the first time, are fascinating, exciting, and inspiring--a must-read.

Nurturing Our Self: During College, Everyday Life, and the Job Search by Lily E. Espinoza

Research shows that students need support beyond academics in order to be successful in college and beyond. This book is an invaluable resource for higher education professionals who seek a holistic approach to improving students' health and well-being. "Nurturing Our Self" provides useful strategies for managing the physical, mental, and emotional pressures that often accompany college life.

In the Shadow of Tungurahua by A. J. Faas*

In the Shadow of Tungurahua relates the stories of the people of Penipe, Ecuador living in and between several villages around the volcano Tungurahua and two resettlement communities built for people displaced by government operations following volcanic eruptions in 1999 and 2006. The stories take shape in ways that influence prevailing ideas about how disasters are produced and reproduced, in this case by shifting assemblages of the state first formed during Spanish colonialism attempting to settle (make "legible") and govern Indigenous and campesino populations and places. The disasters unfolding around Tungurahua at the turn of the 21st century also provide lessons in the humanitarian politics of disaster-questions of deservingness, reproducing inequality, and the reproduction of bare life. But this is also a story of how people responded to confront hardships and craft new futures, about forms of cooperation to cope with and adapt to disaster, and the potential for locally derived disaster recovery projects and politics

Life in a Cuppa by Kakoli G**

Bodhidharma from Tamil Nadu is among those who are credited with discovering tea in far away China, where he traveled 2,500 years ago. It is Buddhist monks who taught people the benefits of tea and took it to Tibet, Japan and other South Asian cultures. The Singphos of Arunachal harvested tea from tree tops on elephant-back many centuries ago. Robert Bruce wrote all about tea in a book in the 1830s and began the first commercial cultivation of tea in India with the help of Diwan Maniram. It is Indian tea that helped the English break the Chinese monopoly on tea. It is the same Indian tea that caused a tax revolt in Boston harbour, leading to an independent USA. In the book, Life in a Cuppa, curated by Kakoli G, a connoisseur herself, experts like Sanjeev Kapoor, Sanjay Khosla, Piyush Pandey, Chandrajit Banerjee...tell us the tea story of India and how special it is through tales of twining, tasting and trade.

Venice Rising: Aqua Granda, Pandemic, Rebirth by Kathleen Ann González

Venice, a city with 1200 years of tenacity and grace under her belt, is not new to struggle. From her earliest beginnings, she has endeavored to wrestle an existence out of a Lagoon that both protects and punishes her. In recent years, the wakes of cruise ships have battered her fragile stones as tourism and economic realities have driven local Venetians out of the city. Then the aqua granda of 2019 flooded the calli and campi, nearly carrying Venetian fortitude away on its outgoing tides. A soggy, somber winter led way to a hopeful spring, when the pandemic lockdown appeared to strike the final blow. Or did it? In April, as an elegant double rainbow arched its way over the marbled city, Venetians put on their masks and got to work, dreaming up a new Venice. Read their stories, letters, poems, posters, and conversations that ring in the vision of Venice's rebirth.

M is for Dog Show: A Mystery with Real Bite by Dan Grylles

M is for Dog show is a punny whodunnit, a one-of-kind cozy/noir murder mystery – it’s a literary take on Naked Gun meets Best in Show! NOTE: M is for Dog Show may trigger a stodgy and serious reaction in those who have a low tolerance for puns, escapades, and silliness from dogs and humans. The shocking death of a champion contestant casts a shadow across one of New York City's most esteemed dog breed shows. Suspecting it’s a murder, lone wolf Detective Rex Douglass digs up dirt on the competition and uncovers jealousies, deceit, and tangled relationships beneath the show’s glossy veneer. A dognapping sends him on a chase down a dark alley, and fear for their fine furry friends reverberates among the contestants. Navigating designer pets, poison, crime underworld, nosy news reporters, and two and four legged characters galore, can he count on canine collaborators to help collar the killer? This fast-paced novella by short story award winning author Dan Grylles will have you cheering for the dogs and laughing out loud! Directions to get a FUN FREE BONUS Detective Rex Douglass short story are at the end of the novella. Praise for M is for Dog Show from Natalie Duberow, AKC Scentwork Judge, USCSS Judge and CSD, Regional and International Coordinator: "Movies and books about dogs tend to be sad and cause you to shed tears but here is a book with great humor. If you love mystery and detective fiction then it’s even better! This is an easy and enjoyable read, filled with fun. The sentence rhythm and quick action immerse you into main character’s head in every step and turn of the events. The characters are entertaining from the first page to the last. The book is very well thought out and highly entertaining. Some parts will make you laugh out loud but all parts will surely make you smile!

Mistress Molly and Her Senior Sex Club by Sherry Halperin

Molly Shapiro is having a crisis. She had been a faithful wife and mother for fifty years but now, with her husband dead and her lawyer son entrenched with his own family, she wants to make her own mark on the world. Life now for the seventy-two-year-old is playing Bunco, Mahjongg and Dominoes with her three best friends. It’s a daily routine. After much coaxing, she convinces her buddies to join her on an adventure that will change their lives. A move to another state, a dalliance in what some would consider an illegal and saucy venture, Molly is determined to make her last act one that is memorable. As she would say, It’s Molly’s Turn. And memorable it becomes.

The Glitch by Grace Kwak

How far would you go to achieve the optimal version of yourself? In Grace Kwak’s debut novel, The Glitch, an engineer named Ethel lives in a techno-utopia that’s devoid of errors. The data-driven system assigns her a successful career path, friendships, hobbies, and even a pet dog. The voice in her head advises her every move, enabling Ethel to reach her full potential physically, mentally, and emotionally. Everything is the best it can computationally be...until it isn’t. A mysterious glitch in the system begins destroying humanity as a whole, turning people into unpredictable and self-sabotaging dangers to society. The crisis forces Ethel out of her idealized existence and into a broken reality, calling into question everything she believes about who she is and who she wants to be. Errors break computers; flaws make us human.

Surviving the Odd by Candi Milo

Surviving the Odd is a dark comedy memoir written by the daughter of a once prominent but now fading stand up, who is herself a very accomplished entertainer. In 1968, Governor Ronald Reagan emptied California's mental hospitals, leaving hundreds of thousands of mentally ill and emotionally disturbed people on the street. With no medical training or higher education, Tony Milo brought them into a home he called Milo Arms. He cared for and treated them like his own family. Tony ran the home with his five children underfoot, and Candi, his middle child - bright, curious, and mouthy, watched and learned from her father the real definition of family and the value of an open heart.

Far From Home: Discovering Your Identity as Foreigners on Earth by Mabel Ninan

Explore the intersection between culture, identity, and faith in this new release from an earthly immigrant who gained a spiritual perspective. What is my purpose? Why do I exist? A sense of self and belonging are two questions many of us struggle to answer. And what if you are a foreigner in another land? How does one adjust to a new culture? Discover their place in a new society? For Mabel Ninan, born and raised in India and an immigrant in America shortly after marriage, the search for those answers sent her on a journey that led to an unexpected and exciting discovery. God revealed she was not only an earthly immigrant but also a spiritual one, created with a unique calling to impact His kingdom. Mabel’s renewed perspective imbued her with joy and hope, urging her to share the message with others. Drawing from her personal experiences and by examining the lives of biblical heroes, Mabel sheds light on what it means to live as a citizen of Heaven on earth. Far from Home will inspire you to: Embrace your identity as a foreigner on earth. Make your home with God. Find community and common purpose with fellow sojourners.

The Cyclone Release by Bruce Overby

It's the late 90s Internet boom, and Brendon Meagher has just lost his wife Sadie in a freakish car accident at the edge of Silicon Valley. The Cyclone Release follows Brendon as he emerges from tragedy and lands in a pre-IPO start-up that promises astonishing riches. Mo Gramercy, a bright and commanding colleague with her own deep secret, joins Brendon, disrupts his malaise, and takes him as her lover. The characters' careen toward IPO millions, their secrets suddenly converging, and both are shaken without mercy from bucolic notions of work, life, and impending fortune.

We the Elites: Why the US Constitution Serves the Few by Robert Ovetz*

Written by 55 of the richest white men, and signed by only 39 of them, the US constitution is the sacred text of American nationalism. Popular perceptions of it are mired in idolatry, myth and misinformation - many Americans have opinions on the constitution but have little idea what it says.

This book examines the constitution for what it is – a rulebook for elites to protect capitalism from democracy. Social movements have misplaced faith in the constitution as a tool for achieving justice when it actually impedes social change through the many roadblocks and obstructions we call 'checks and balances'. This stymies urgent progress on issues like labour rights, poverty, public health and climate change, propelling the American people and rest of the world towards destruction.

Robert Ovetz's reading of the constitution shows that the system isn't broken. Far from it. It works as it was designed to.

Break Bone Fever by Mary Rae

Facing a coming epidemic of dengue fever, Louise and Marnie try to discover the truth behind their friend's murder, but can they solve it before it's too late?

When Dr. Gennifer Drake's body washes up on a foggy beach on Galveston Island, Texas, Dr. Louise Finnerty, an emergency medicine physician, and Dr. Marnie Liccione, a recently widowed pediatrician, are shocked by their friend's death. As they delve into the murder investigation, they discover Gen had been researching a deadly new form of dengue fever at the ultra-high security Gulf National Laboratory. Aided by climate change, this mosquito borne illness, known as Break Bone Fever, is spreading northward and threatening the United States.

Marnie and Louise are determined to uncover the root cause of Gen's murder and whether or not Gen's transgender status was a factor. With the help of an editor and an unconventional police detective, they learn the murder may be connected to Q-Anon conspiracists. Untangling the web of lies being propagated by a cabal inside the Environmental Protection Agency, they confront a fight not just for justice, but for their lives.

In Defense of Kindness by Bruce Reyes-Chow

When did kindness become a sign of weakness? These days we view kindness as an inert act based solely on the absence of being a jerk, or as heroic and herculean, beyond the reach and capability of mere mortals. But what if kindness actually had the power to save the world? In his engaging new book In Defense of Kindness, leadership coach and pastor Bruce Reyes-Chow shows how being kind (which is different than being nice) has the power to transform our relationships in all arenas of our life - from the internet to the public square, from with our families to those we find it most difficult to be kind to, from justice work on the streets to boardroom meetings, and in our everyday transactions, from the school drop-off line or standing in line at the coffee shop. Relevant, insightful, warm, relatable, and written with Bruce's trademark cheeky wit, In Defense of Kindness will jumpstart your heart and inspire you to practice kindness as a daily discipline, grounded in the idea that each person is created and complex and worthy of dignity and respect. Each chapter ends with reflection questions and several practices for living out kindness in the world every day. Join the kindness movement and help save the world ... today!

The Map to Wholeness Real-life Stories of Crisis, Change, and Reinvention by Suzy Ross*

We need only talk to neighbors, overhear conversations at a coffee shop, or chat with colleagues to be reminded that transformation is happening within all around us. In our own social circle, there is always someone and something that is catalyzed by a major turn of events: sending a child off to college, returning from military duty, changing careers, benefiting from a housing bubble, or surviving the pandemic. Impactful happenings like these constitute the visible half of transformation and this book brings the hidden half that most people are likely experiencing right now.

The Map to Wholeness mobilizes Suzy Ross’ doctoral research by leading the reader through the intimate details of two ordinary individuals’ lives as they progress through the 13-phases of transformation. Radha Stern and Kenny Johnson’s rousing stories will inspire you through the Figure-8 Map as you grow, despite extraordinary challenges, and are recreated as a happier, healthier, and entirely new you.

Unlocked: An Anthology by Paper Lantern Writers by Linda Ulleseit

In much the same manner as Pandora, each Paper Lantern Writer takes a turn opening an old wooden chest, digging out stories spanning seven centuries. The individuals in these tales—heroes, villains, and in between—are more than people from the past. Whether they are making mayhem, waging war, or quietly holding their families together, their strength and fortitude shines on the page. From the Swinging Seventies to the Middle Ages, these characters gather, keep, and spill the secrets of their souls.

Who knows what treasures will be found when this ancient trunk is finally Unlocked?

La Raíz Magazine (2022)

La Raíz Magazine is a literary magazine that publishes visual art and poetry by community members, writers, and artists based in San José, California and Santa Clara County, while also welcoming work from our national and international community. La Raíz Magazine consciously creates space for the publication and presentation of creative work by people who identify as women, girls, and members of the global majority (people of color); with an emphasis on work by people ​whose ​heritage is rooted in lands​ that are now Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America, who may identify as: Indigenous, Chicana/o, or from their country of origin​. Through our publication and events, we hope to promote inclusion, empathy, and connection.

*SJSU faculty

**Author donated books to the SJPL and SJSU LocalLit collections but is unable to attend the event.