Award-winning El Dorado County authors will share insight into writing, publishing and the creative process during Sept. 29 event
EL DORADO HILLS — The El Dorado Hills Library will put the spotlight on the region’s literary community this fall with the launch of a new Author Showcase, bringing three award-winning local authors together for a public discussion on writing, storytelling and the road to publication.
The inaugural Author Showcase @ El Dorado Hills Library will take place Sept. 29 from 5:15 to 6:45 p.m. at the library, 7455 Silva Valley Parkway.
Created to highlight authors from El Dorado County while encouraging aspiring writers in the community, the program will feature a moderated panel discussion with authors Jennifer Laam, James L’Etoile and Mark Wiederanders.
Rather than a traditional book reading, the event will focus on the craft and business of writing. Discussion topics are expected to include creating characters, developing a writing process and determining when a manuscript is ready to be reviewed by literary agents and publishers. Panelists will respond to questions from the moderator as well as members of the audience.
Laam writes historical fiction inspired by strong women, complex relationships and family drama. Her latest novels, The Romanov Heiress and The Romanov Impostor, explore imagined alternate histories surrounding the daughters of Russia’s last tsar and what their lives might have looked like had they survived the Russian Revolution.
L’Etoile draws on nearly three decades working inside the criminal justice system, including 29 years as a former associate warden in a maximum-security prison, as an influence in his award-winning crime fiction. His recent novels include Illusion of Truth, Sins of the Father and Darkness Falls. He also serves as executive vice president of Mystery Writers of America.
Wiederanders, who holds a doctorate, writes historical novels exploring the private lives of well-known authors. His novel Stevenson’s Treasure was a finalist in the Eric Hoffer Book Awards. His forthcoming novel, Making Jack London, was shortlisted in the 2026 Historical Novel Society First Chapters competition.
Local resident Claire Purtich will moderate the discussion. Purtich holds degrees in comparative literature and French from UC Berkeley and leads two area literary groups, Austen-tatious: Jane Austen Book Club at the El Dorado Hills Library and the Serrano Jane Austen Book Club.
Books by the participating authors will be available for purchase during the showcase, with cash or checks accepted.
The September event is planned as the beginning of an ongoing Author Showcase program at the library. Organizers plan to expand the series with an in-person discussion featuring a local author each quarter and are inviting published authors interested in participating in future programs to contact the showcase organizers at authorshowcase.edh@gmail.com.
Registration for the Sept. 29 event is encouraged, although walk-ins will be welcome. Registration and additional program information are available at edhlib.org/Showcase.
The El Dorado Hills Library is located at 7455 Silva Valley Parkway, near the intersection of Serrano and Silva Valley parkways and a short distance from the Silva Valley Parkway interchange with Highway 50.
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