Dr. Pat Hanson – www.invisiblegradparent.com is a seasoned health and human sexuality educator, public speaker, workshop facilitator and writer residing on the Monterey Peninsula. Former co-chair of the Monterey/Santa Cruz chapter of The National Writers Union, she has emceed Open Mikes for Writers monthly for 15+ years. She lectures nationally on Aging Positively and is a columnist for the magazine: Crone: Women Coming of Age (www.cronemagazine.com) and http//www.GRANDMagazine.com. Her first book Invisible Grandparenting: Leave a Legacy of Love Whether You Can Be There or Not came out in November 2013, and the second edition and Audible.com version in June 2015. Since then she has been climbing the learning curve of book promotion in all of its forms.
Born of one woman’s quest to become part of the lives of two grandchildren she has been kept from seeing, Invisible Grandparenting provides a blueprint for ‘virtual grandparenting.’ In spite of millions who because of personality conflicts, custody issues, distance, or consequences of choices made long ago, have no way to pass on a legacy of values and memories to those who mean the most to them, this book has been difficult to promote. Come learn how she is still transcending self and industry-imposed obstacles to a successful media campaign.
Participants will hear the pluses and minuses of how she:
• Wrote an excellent non-fiction book proposal, marketed it to agents at BookExpo NYC, had an offer and still decided to publish independently;
• Overcame her own and family reactions to her sharing her story with ‘the world;’
• Reviewed and used over 27 ways to ‘get her voice heard out there;’
• Faced her fears of Facebook and other social media specifically for authors;
• Balanced her time between continued writing and book promotion;
• Entered contests; and
• Undertook the grueling but enlightening recording of her own audio book.
| Time: | 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Check-in begins at 1:30 p.m.) |
| Adults: | $12 for adult CWC members $17 for adult nonmembers |
| Students: | $6 for student CWC members $10 for student nonmembers student fees waived for initial visit (must be 14-22 years old with valid school ID) |
| Location: | Four Points by Sheraton 5115 Hopyard Road Pleasanton, CA 94566 |
| Reservations: | Required: E-mail Linda Todd |