Literary Arts

  • Don Carpenter, novelist

  • George Leonard, author 

  • Martin Cruz Smith, novelist

  • David Harris, investigative journalist, author

  • Richard Dillon, author, historian

  • Zilpha Keatley Snyder, children’s novelist

  • Barry Spitz, journalist, historian

  • Susan Trott, novelist

  • Paul Liberatore, journalist, arts chronicler

  • Margaret Sanborn, historical writer

  • Cyra McFadden, author

  • Jane Hirshfield, poet/editor

  • Lonnie Barback, author 

  • Gabriella Mautner, author

  • Jean Shinoda Bolen, MD, author

  • Richard Moore, poet 

  • Katy Butler, journalist, essayist

  • Betty Goerke, author, anthropology professor

  • Ann Killion, sports columnist, authorhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Killion

  • Joyce Maynard, author

  • Eve Pell, investigative reporter, author

  • Jacques Leslie, journalist, author

  • Thacher Hurd

  • Dr. Warren Farrell

  • Karen Benke

    Karen Benke is a poet and the author of four popular and imaginative books that focus on creative writing for kids and kids-at-heart. Karen has coached and mentored writers of all ages. She specializes in using creative techniques to help writers tap into memories and experiences and risk putting their hearts on the page. Karen has been a teacher and collaborator in California Poet in the Schools for over 20 years. She brings her “magic ticket bag” to book fairs and community events to write poems-on-the spot with kids. The teacher’s guide that accompanies Karen’s 2015 book, Write Back Soon! Adventures in Letter Writing, meets Common Core Standards for 6th grades and up and is used around the country. Karen’s poems have been published in numerous anthologies and she is the recipient of multiple grants and awards.

    Website: www.karenbenke.com

  • Thomas Singer

  • Joyce Kleiner

    Journalist Joyce Kleiner is the author of two books and countless articles about Mill Valley, her home town since 1995. A meticulous researcher, she loves to lift layers of history to reveal much about the known and unknown men, women and events that have shaped our special place. Her books, Legendary Locals of Mill Valley (2014) profiled more than a hundred movers and shakers; and Kind of Close to Heaven (2021), a compendium of her columns in the Mill Valley Herald, educated and informed readers. Joyce is currently writing vignettes for MV Connect, the City of Mill Valley’s primary online vehicle to communicate to its citizenry.

  • Paola Gianturco

    Paola is an internationally known photojournalist whose seven books, combining compelling photographs and text, lift up lives challenged by poverty, hardship and the dire environmental threat of climate change. Her prose is masterful and impactful, and she is an outstanding teacher and generous mentor. Paola has lived in Mill Valley for 37 years while traveling around the world to document women’s stories.