March 2012  – the 12th Annual Authors’ Forum

Authors include:  C.J. Silas, Mohammad G. Mohabbat, John W. Strobel III, Jill Schaefer

Saturday, March 3, 2012 | 11:00 am – 2:00 pm at the Santa Maria Inn, 801 S. Broadway, Santa Maria

Meal Choice:     Sunburst Chicken Salad, Grilled Salmon, or Penne Pasta   Cost:  $28.00 per person

4 Great Authors with 4 Great Stories,  Great Food, Great Friends, Great Fun for All!

The 12th Annual Authors Forum was attended by over 80 wonderful people.  Lunch was delicious, with great service by the SM Inn WaitStaff.  The Santa Maria Inn provided a lovely ambiance to support our program.

We started the program with the very energetic C.J. Silas, a vibrant young woman from San Luis Obispo, who has written about her experience in the wide field of Broadcast Journalism, especially as a female journalist in the field of Sports.  Her book, No Girls Allowed:  The Jock and Jill Mentality of Sports, is available on her website.  If she writes like she speaks, this will be a very quick, informative, and entertaining read for sure!!

Jill Schaefer, a British woman who has written 2 memoirs, is a delight to listen to, as she shared her story from her books, Up the Wooden Hill, and Coming of Age in California -English Style.  Both books are written with heart, wit, and quite an enjoyable read.

John W. Strobel III is an 81 year old retired Radio and Television News Journalist with 35+ years broadcasting experience in the Los Angeles radio and television market. He has written five books, with two near completion and two in the first developmental stages.

“Winds of Horror” (Fiction)

“Shanghaied” (Biographical)

“My Home Town” (Biographical)

Other writing efforts: He is a contributing author for “Moments Count Journal”,  a weekly e-magazine for which he writes articles based on his many years in broadcasting and the many people “I Met Along The Way.”   A book of short stories based on the articles he has written has been published by Moments Count Journal. Complete archives of those articles may be accessed through <momentscountjournal.com> .   He also writes poetry and short stories.  He was working on publishing his novels as well as film adaptations of them at the time of his death in Sept. 2012.

Mohammad G. Mohabbat chronicles his tumultuous yet inspiring life in Afghanistan and the United States.  

After escaping his less than desirable treatment in Afghanistan, he becomes a part of the U.S. where he experiences great love and acceptance until the tragic event on September 11, 2001.  

Through a mixture of humor and unsettling drama, Mohammad relates his most valued life lesson… there is a very thin line between love and hate.

He also said that he now has his own live TV show called “The World of Love” which is being broadcast via satellite all over the world. He said the purpose of his show is to spread peace and acceptance and he gets calls from around the world praising his program.

The program ended with the enticing raffling off of 12 bottles of wine, to the laughter of our great audience.  This is one of our favorite annual events and we look forward to seeing everyone next year!!