Women authors’ future on the menu

Not so long ago, higher education was believed to threaten a woman’s health, a belief refuted by the gathering of college graduates at the Surf & Sand to enjoy the Festival of Women Authors.

The festival was the 19th annual Literary Luncheon presented by the Laguna Beach Foundation of the American Assn. of University Women. Proceeds help provide fellowships and grants to women for graduate study, and funding for elementary school tutoring and scholarships to the AAUW Tech Trek Science Camp in San Diego and high school seniors.

“AAUW was founded 1881 by women who believed that education was the key to equality for women,” said Barbara Antonacci, co-president with Peggie Thomas of the Laguna Beach branch.

Almost 200 women attended the luncheon, which featured five authors: Crystal Cove native Laura Davick, Susan Straight, Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Leora Krygier and Marianne Alireza, who couldn’t attend.

Diane Reed, who co-chaired the luncheon with Karen Dennis, introduced the authors, who talked about their books and shared some life experiences.

“I was driving here from the San Fernando Valley where I live, cursing the Google map all the way,” said Krygier, author of ‘When She Sleeps.’ “It took me 2 ½ hours ? that should have been one hour. That is a metaphor for my life ? I always take the circuitous route ? but I always end up where I should be.”

Krygier knew at age 10 that she wanted to be a writer, but she was sidetracked by advice from her mother to get a job that led to a law degree and a career as a referee in the juvenile division of the Los Angeles Superior Court.

She gave up her dream for 30 years, until 10 years ago.

“But dreams are very powerful,” Krygier said. “ ‘When She Sleeps’ came out of a dream.”

The book earned kudos from Kirkus Reviews and Booklist.

Straight also has a daytime job: She co-chairs a creative writing program at UC Riverside.

But it is motherhood that is embodied in her books: “A Million Nightingales,” which debuted the Tuesday before the luncheon, and “High Wire Moon.”

“High Wire Moon” is the story of a young girl’s struggle to find her biological mother, begun when Straight was 19.

“A Million Nightingales” was inspired by an account Straight read of a slave woman who was freed at the age of 30, but whose 4-year old son was not.

“She had to buy him,” Straight said. “She owned him. I can’t imagine that.”

Straight was recognized by the Los Angeles Times in the 2006 Faces to Watch.

Davick, a third generation “Covite,” is a co-author of “Crystal Cove Cottages: Islands in Time on the California Coast” and president of the Crystal Cove Alliance.

“Toni Iseman [the councilwoman is a regular at the luncheons] says Crystal Cove is part of my DNA,” Davick said.

Davick’s contribution to the book was research, which, she said, involved hundreds of interviews.

“Marge Fuller’s [a guest at the luncheon] father built one of the cottages in 1900, when the cove was a location for silent films,” Davick said.

The cove also was a preferred landing for prohibition smugglers.

Davick’s research will be donated to the archives at UC Irvine, which is partnering with the Alliance on the development of the cove as a public recreation facility with marine research.

Once the cottage rentals begin, the second Saturday of the month tours will longer include the interiors. Davick offered to conduct a special behind-the-scenes tour for AAUW members of the restored, but still vacant cottages. Carol Reynolds, founder of AAUW’s Women of Distinction Award Dinners, volunteered the tours with Jean Paris, of the Tustin branch.

DeMarco-Barrett wrote “Pen on Fire: A Busy Woman’s Guide to Igniting the Writer Within” to help other writers get their duffs in gear.

“The first thing is to glue your derriere to the seat; everything else will come,” DeMarco-Barrett said. “Use a timer. Set it, pick a few words as prompts and then just write.

“So many of you have books in you ? it’s just getting started. There was a time for all writers when they had no books on the shelves.

“Focus on what obsesses you and write like you. There is no deadline for too late.”

The luncheon also included a silent auction, opportunity prizes and the introduction of winners of the annual Tech Trek Science Camp scholarships: Kiki Henderson, Victoria Langton and Beverly Ronses, daughter of Irma Ronses, who graduated from the La Play Center English as a Second Language program to become a manager of the Laguna Beach Job Center.

All three girls are seventh graders at Thurston Middle School, among those nominated by teachers. Contenders also write essays and are interviewed before the final selection.

“AAUW developed the Tech Trek Science Camp because there was a Barbie Doll that said ‘Math is too hard for girls,’” said Dee Perry, who co-chaired the committee this year with Karen Hogrebe.

Another myth laid to rest.

Three men were attended the luncheon: Dan Brotherton, son of Jean Brotherton, co-founder of the Literary Luncheon with Louise Fleenor; Peter Antonacci, husband of the branch president; and Bob Lawson.

“I am dues paying member,” said Lawson, husband of program Chair Elaine Lawson.

“I am getting used to feeling like a fish out of water. Last year a guy said he would go if I went, but I got sick and I haven’t seen him since.”

Also on the guest list: Vera Martinez, Anita Halton, Laguna Art Museum docent Deana Pink, Pat Jamieson and two tables of El Morro volunteer tutors, Bana Hilel, Karen Stevens, Laguna Beach branch librarians Marianna Hof and Rebecca Porter, Ann Colin, Ericka Waidley and event committee members, including Laura Tarbox, Carol Redford, Carol Brasher, Miriam Kranser, CeCe Sloan, Beverly McComb and Diane Logan.

Donors to the auction included the Poetry Appreciation Group, Cindy Prewitt, Barbara Garrett, Valerie Gorrell and Katie Haven. Surf & Sand catered the luncheon.