Local Authors to Speak at P.E.O. “Books ‘n Lunch” Event

Deborah Chrisman

P.E.O. Chapter DM is presenting the eleventh annual scholarship benefit, Books ‘n Lunch, to be held at the Christ Presbyterian Church, 925 N. Sarival Ave, on Saturday, March 16 at 11 a.m. Many members of chapter DM reside in PebbleCreek. As last year, there will be two local authors speaking about their careers and their books.

Jan Whalen, founder of Whalen Voices, is an award-winning author, workshop leader, and book creation coach. In June of 2023, Jan won the HerStory Award from the Women’s Federation for World Peace for her “nurturing and encouraging spirit that helps women find their voice through sharing their stories.” She works with aspiring authors—much like a tour guide—to discover the beauty of their experiences and wisdom. Jan’s mission is to celebrate the female voice through her books, greeting cards and her SOLE to SOUL workshops. She will guide the audience through her writing journey and her latest book, Conversations With Well Seasoned Women. Her other books are Rock Solid Confidence and You Are the Perfect Age.

Also joining us as a speaker is Paul Johnson. As a past tour guide and author writing about Sedona, Paul toured thousands of visitors to natural and cultural sites in Northern Arizona and on Native Nations. Sharing stories, geologies, and histories to educate guests about our multicultural past and present filled his days. Now, he shares those stories with a wider audience through his books. His series, Sedona Chi Mysteries, follows the adventures of an Arizona guide with a secret past and his half-Mayan friend. The first two books of the series are Tale of the Broken Spoke and Whitewater Honeymoon. Book 3 in the series, scheduled for release in summer 2024, delves deeper into the characters.

This promises to be an interesting and enjoyable event where the authors will talk about their work and background and take questions from the audience.

The cost of the presentation and lunch is $30. Tickets will be on sale Feb. 4 to March 4, 2024. For tickets, contact Dee Sussman at [email protected] or 623-594-8945, or Jackie Abel at [email protected] or 623-535-7426.

P.E.O. is a philanthropic organization whose mission is to celebrate the advancement of women, educate women through scholarships, grants, awards, loans and stewardship of Cottey College; and motivate women to achieve their highest aspirations. P.E.O. chapters support the educational and charitable funds of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, but are not classified as charitable by the IRS. Therefore, donations to individual chapters do not meet the IRS requirements for a charitable income tax deduction. P.E.O. shall not be liable in any way for any goods and services supplied by third-party vendors or public establishments.