FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SCOTTSDALE SOCIETY OF WOMEN WRITERS
Patricia L. Brooks, president/founder 480-250-5556 cell or [email protected]
Scottsdale Society of Women Writers partners
with Barnes and Noble Booksellers
WHEN: Tuesday September 6th, 2011 – 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. – Free Event
WHERE: Barnes and Noble Booksellers
Scottsdale, AZ – 90th St., Shea Blvd., W of the 101 freeway
WHO: Three award winning authors of MEMOIR Sue
Ellen Allen, Dee Horwitz and Dawn Marie Roeder
WHAT: Share their writing stories and sign books
The Slumber Party from Hell
Who Made My Bed?
It Doesn’t End Here
HOW: RSVP Patricia L. Brooks, [email protected] or 480-250-5556
SUE ELLEN ALLEN
What would you do if you suddenly found yourself in prison with advanced breast cancer at 57? How would you cope? It happened to Sue Ellen
Allen. This former University of Texas grad, former educator, former business owner, former community leader, former inmate at Arizona State Prison is a .current activist who found her purpose in prison. She is co-founder and Executive Director for GINA’s Team, an organization that brings educational
programs into prison to inspire and empower the inmate population to strive for a better future and a successful reentry. GINA’s Team is named for her prison roommate who died there of medical neglect. Gina’s death was the defining moment of Sue Ellen’s journey, giving her life a new purpose and passion. Her motto is Been there. Done that.
Now how can I help?
In prison, under harsh conditions, she survived breast cancer and learned to turn her pain into power. Despite incredible odds, she found her purpose. Now she works with prison officials, legislators, and interns from Arizona State University to serve the forgotten population behind bars so that upon their re-entry to society, they will join our community as positive, contributing members. The author of The Slumber Party from Hell, a memoir about her prison journey, Sue Ellen was awarded the Dawson Prize in Memoir
in the 2009 Prison Writing Contest for PEN American Center. Her writing was
also included in Serving Productive Time by Tom & Laura Lagana,
authors of Chicken Soup for the Prisoner’s Soul. Additionally, many of her poems have been published in Cosmopolitan magazine. An inspirational speaker, Sue Ellen has a unique story and powerful message.
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DEE HORWITZ
Who Made My Bed? is the story of Samuel Bronstien and his family, and the United States Bedding Co., better known as King Koil. Personal anecdotes and national and world history parallel the company’s growth from its founding in l898 to the time it became an international corporation. The authors discovered old documents that revealed the real name of the founder who was able to leave Russia at a time when Jews were being slaughtered. They also discovered that Samuel had a younger brother, a rebel rabbi who apparently was the black sheep of the family because no one in the family had heard of him.
Dee Horwitz has enjoyed a long career as a writer. She has been a columnist, reporter and editor for various publications, including the South Bend Tribune and Chicago Sun Times. Although retired, she still writes for bridge publications and recently wrote Who Made My Bed?
and her memoir, Finishing Strong.
DAWN MARIE ROEDER
Dawn Marie Roeder, a member of the AZ Authors Association, The Catholic Writer’s Guild and Scottsdale Society of Women Writers. She is a first-time author of the book It Doesn’t End Here: An Amazing Journey of Faith and Forgiveness, an incredible true story of faith, persistence and love. Her story has aired on CBS’s 48 Hours, local and national news outlets, including the front cover story of The East Valley Tribune and Jane Magazine. Dawn Marie lives in Scottsdale, AZ and cherishes a full life with her husband
Robert and her Maltese, Misty.
Book info: It Doesn’t End Here: An Amazing Journey of Faith and Forgiveness The unimaginable events that led to her son Nathaniel’s death could have broken her. Instead, Dawn Marie Roeder embarked on
a journey to help others avoid tragedy by warning them of the unusual side
effects of her ADHD medication. This story resonates with passion and faith and gives us comfort and hope that our own seemingly senseless tragedies can also be transformed with God’s love and forgiveness.