Pen Parentis Launches 16th Season with Thelma Adams, Simon Van Booy and Daphne Uviller

Book lovers and fans of creativity will want to mark today, September 13 on their calendar, as the Pen Parentis Literary Salons opens its 16th season by presenting the return of three incredible writers who will read from their most recent novels and discuss changes in their lives since they were last seen on the Pen Parentis stage.

The lineup at the elegant Andaz Wall Street in Lower Manhattan features red carpet reporter and film critic, Thelma Adams with a new novel, Welsh-born master-storyteller Simon Van Booy with his eighth book, and Daphne Uviller, whose Zephyr Zuckerman series was just picked up for TV.

Pen Parentis Literary Salons shatter the stereotype of parent-writer by presenting lineups that will surprise anyone who thinks that writers who have kids can only write children's books and mommy blogs. The salons are free and open to the public.

The sponsor organization, Pen Parentis, Ltd, is a federally-recognized literary nonprofit incorporated in 2013 that provides resources to authors who are also parents: one of their outreach programs is to place parent-writers in a spotlight featuring them as professionals. Salons begin with readings from the authors' new works and evolve into lively question-and-answer roundtables that address the negative stereotypes and actual difficulties of continuing a creative career after starting a family, as well as discussing the traditional roundtable questions of creativity and craft.

Though the Salons were first established in New York in 2009, they already show reach across the country. In 2014, Pen Parentis authors Elizabeth L. Silver and Ivy Pochoda, formerly of Brooklyn, started salons in Los Angeles called Pen Parentis West. The headquarters of Pen parentis are in Lower Manhattan and the nonprofit has partnered with many other local nonprofits and businesses including Church Street School for Music and Art, the Lilac, Concert Artist Guild, many local bookstores, and it especially values its long-term partnership with the neighborhood-friendly hotel, Andaz Wall Street, which provides a glamorous space for the salons as well as refreshments for all attendees. In addition to its monthly Salons, Pen Parentis is actively engaged in a research project, gathering data on successful creative writers who are also parents.

"New York City has always and will always be a great home for writers," says Milda M. De Voe, Founding Director of Pen Parentis and herself an award-winning writer with kids, "And the Financial District is becoming more and more residential with each passing year. Our Salons enliven and enrich this growing community. They connect readers to authors, which deepens the connection between literature and humanity. We're excited to be an intrinsic part of the burgeoning downtown arts scene, and thrilled to show off one of NYC's best neighborhoods in a new light."

In addition to the incredible lineup of authors returning to the Pen Parentis stage, the winner of the 2016-2017 Pen Parentis Writing Fellowship for New Parents, Elizabeth Pagel-Hogan of Pittsburgh, PA, will be presented the $1000 award and read her winning story. The Writing Fellowship is merit-based and previous winners of the award have gone on to publish books and win international writing contests. Marcelle Soviero, Editor in Chief of Brain, Child Magazine will be in attendance with giveaways and to present the award.

The general public (21+only) is encouraged to check out a Salon - no prior reading or preparation is necessary, and you don't have to be a writer or a parent. You just have to know how to enjoy good books. An RSVP through penparentis.org is encouraged but not required.

IF YOU GO:

Pen Parentis Literary Salon Season Opener
with Simon Van Booy, Thelma Adams, and Daphne Uviller

Where: Andaz Wall Street, 75 Wall (entrance at Water, second floor)

When: Tuesday September 13, 7pm - 9:30pm

How: Any train to Wall Street (4/5, 2/3, J/M/Z) walk east.

Free. RSVP encouraged.

More information: info@penparentis.org OR 212-501-2031 OR www.penparentis.org/calendar

UPCOMING EVENTS:
October 11, 2016 - Authors Jaime Yourdon, Aidan Donnelley Rowley, Courtney Zoffness November 8th - Election Day Madness with Alice Kaltman and Kera Bolonik
December 13th - Holiday Author Mingle with Chris Rice and Eleni Gage

Pictured: The 2016-2017 Fellowship Winner, Elizabeth Pagel-Hogan will receive her award during the Season-Opening event. Giveaways from Brain, Child magazine. As always, these Salons are free and open to the public.