Books & Authors
posted: 08/29/2010 by David LondonFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 15, 2010 (Clawson, Michigan) - Leon & Lulu will celebrate reading and writing with its 2nd Annual Books & Authors event, hosting Michigan authors and provide a warm atmosphere for them to meet people interested in discovering a few good reads. The Books & Authors at Leon & Lulu will be held on Sunday, October 10 from 11am to 5pm. There is no admission fee to exhibit or attend. "Last year we hosted almost 40 local authors and the store was jammed with book lovers," explains Mary Liz Curtin, the owner of Leon & Lulu. "We all had so much fun that we decided to do it again especially since there are more local authors to discover. We also truly want to focus on the importance of literacy." Mary Liz' is also a local author, having penned A Shopkeeper's Manual, a terrific source for small business owners of all kinds. She is just finishing her second book, is a columnist and professional speaker. Any published author currently living in Michigan, or formerly from Michigan, may submit his or her work for consideration. A capable jury will select authors to participate to ensure a balanced representation of genres. "We are planning to have fiction, children’s books, travel and history books, to name a few. We may even have books in different languages to truly represent the diversity of our community," says Mary Liz. As with the highly-successful Artists' Market, authors will be present to sign books and talk to enthusiastic readers. All proceeds from the tips and book raffles as well as 10% of the day's sales will benefit Beyond Basics, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation offering reading, writing and expanding horizons enrichment programs to students attending public schools in Metropolitan Detroit. Author submissions may be made until September 10th. The list of participating authors will be announced by September 17th. Authors interested in participating are asked to send a copy of their published work and a brief bio to Mary Liz Curtin at Leon & Lulu. Please visit www.leonandlulu.com for submission guidelines. The Books & Authors event will be located within the existing 15,000 sq.ft. of Leon & Lulu, a home furnishings and accessories destination in metropolitan Detroit located at 96 W 14 Mile Road in Clawson, Michigan. "I love to read and am thrilled to be able to host an event to give local writers a little boost. Our book department, which is largely non-educational but lots of fun is one of the most popular categories at Leon & Lulu, I am happy to say." says Curtin. "All of us are delighted to welcome Michigan authors and spotlight their work as well as to help Beyond Basics." Leon & Lulu has supported the creative community since opening its doors on April 1st, 2006. Books & Authors is part of Leon & Lulu’s ongoing efforts to support the local community. Leon & Lulu and Mary Liz Curtin have won numerous national and local awards including a Retail Excellence Award and an ART award. Leon & Lulu has been named a Retail Star in 2007 by Home Accents Today. ABOUT BEYOND BASICS The Beyond Basics program is firmly based on the understanding that children, exposed to educational curricula beyond the basic school system offerings, will obtain higher scores on exams and have a greater chance of achieving excellence beyond their public school careers. Working closely with school personnel and administrators, all educational intervention takes place during the school day and includes the part time operation of a publishing center. There is no cost to the schools, the district or individual students. For more information, please visit www.beyondbasics.org. MEDIA CONTACT: Saverio Mancina 202-468-7644 mancina1966@yahoo.com