Peninsula Volunteers 'Salon' draws authors Peninsula Volunteers 'Salon' draws authors (February 18, 2004)

** Dr. Dean Edell is among them.

The Peninsula Volunteers have lined up five authors, including television personality Dr. Dean Edell, for the 13th annual Authors' Salon on Sunday, March 7, starting at 11 a.m. at Hyatt Rickeys in Palo Alto.

The salon includes a luncheon, discussion by the authors of their recent publications and a question-and-answer session. The event will benefit the Peninsula Volunteers' projects, including Rosener House, Meals on Wheels, Little House Activity Center, Crane Place and Partridge Place. The Authors' Salon is co-sponsored by Kepler's Books and Magazines.

The authors

Dr. Dean Edell is host of a syndicated radio show, and provides medical reports for TV Channel 7 news in the Bay Area. His latest book is "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Healthiness: Dr. Dean's Commonsense Guide for Anything That Ails You."

Ron Hansen's most recent book is the novel "Isn't It Romantic?" Mr. Hansen is a professor of arts and humanities at Santa Clara University. His novel "Atticus" was a finalist for the National Book Award in 1996.

"The Kite Runner" is the first novel written by Khaled Hosseini, who was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, the son of a diplomat whose family received political asylum in the United States in 1980. "The Kite Runner" was ranked by both the San Jose Mercury News and the San Francisco Chronicle as one of the top novels of 2003.

Ayelet Waldman, a graduate of Harvard Law School, teaches at the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley. The drug policy reform work she did while working as a federal public defender inspired her novel, "Daughter's Keeper." It tells the story of a young woman facing drug charges because of her boyfriend's actions. Ms. Waldman is also the author of the "Mommy Track Mysteries."

John Billheimer writes about his native West Virginia. His latest mystery is "Drybone Hollow." His first novel, "The Contrary Blues," was named one of the 10 best mysteries of 1998 by The Drood Review.

Cost of the Authors' Salon is $75, and reservations are required. To purchase tickets, call Peninsula Volunteers at 326-0665 or go to www.peninsulavolunteers.org.

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