Amy Alkon – The Advice Goddess

The National Writers Series and Doug Stanton Present – A Special Valentine’s Evening With Amy Alkon, the Advice Goddess!

Lively, witty and hilarious conversation about Love, Lust and Bad Manners!

NATIONAL WRITERS SERIES, Traverse City’s year-round book festival, KICKS OFF ITS SECOND SEASON FEATURING AMERICA’S BEST STORY TELLERS AND WRITERS.

Following on the heels of the National Writers Series’ evening with Elmore Leonard and Peter Leonard last Fall, Amy Alkon leads the 2010 season with an evening on the Opera House stage, February 11, 2010. Doors open at 6 p.m., Event begins at 7 p.m.

Amy will answer, in her famous light-hearted way, questions from the love-lorn, love-struck, and loveless in a lively dinner party format at Traverse City’s downtown City Opera House. Don’t be shy! You won’t have to say anything at all to have fun.

In addition to the great conversation, the evening’s guests will enjoy chocolates, Indian music, free tarot card reading, and delicious Indian food compliments of Wellington Street Market (and included in the ticket price). The night’s festivities are capped off with a reception (cash bar will be offered by Stella Trattoria) and personal book signing with Amy. Amy’s books will also be for sale at the Opera House.

Amy Alkon is nationally syndicated advice columnist, author, journalist, and blogger with a wild wit. She is well-known to Northern Michigan through her popular weekly column in Northern Express in which she talks straight about love and lust. Her advice column runs in more than 100 other newspapers across the U.S. and Canada. Her New York Daily News series won a first place award in the Southern California Journalism Awards. She has appeared on numerous television and radio shows, including Good Morning America, The Today Show, NPR, CNN, MTV, Entertainment Tonight, Dennis Miller, Politically Incorrect, and Biography Channel, where she was featured in “The Advice Minute, with Amy Alkon.”

The evening will culminate with a special auction of treats only the energetic and witty Amy can provide. In fact, auction items include Amy herself– so to speak. Winners will be delighted with their prizes, including attending a sumptuous brunch (February 12) with Amy.

The prize of the evening, however, may be Amy’s offer to record a special voice mail greeting on your phone. Feeling bullish with callers? Amy can oblige. Want to sound like Scarlett O’Hara? Amy can do that.

New York Times best-selling author Doug Stanton will share the stage with Alkon, as Amy talks romance, manners, humor, and the writer’s life. Amy’s new book is I See Rude People, One Woman’s Battle to Beat Some Manners Into Impolite Society. She also co-authored Free Advice — The Advice Ladies on Love, Dating, Sex, and Relationships.

This is the first event in the new season of the National Writers Series. The Series, now in its second season, will bring best-selling authors, journalists, and storytellers to Traverse City in 2010. Founded in 2009 by Doug Stanton, New York Times best-selling author, Traverse City attorney Grant Parsons, and Northern Express writer Anne Stanton, the Series hopes to raise $50,000 in five years for aspiring writers to pursue writing in college.

The mission of National Writers Series is to support young writers through college scholarships, and inspire writers of all ages.

Net proceeds will be donated to a National Writers Series scholarship fund benefiting college-bound writing and arts students that attend Grand Traverse Region schools. Winners will be published in the Midwest’s best literary review, The Dunes Review, and receive their awards at a special reading multi-day gala event also featuring nationally prominent writers.

The evening event is supported and/or sponsored by FIM Group, Beia Family, Copy Queenz, Courage Project, Crema, Debbie Sparks, Horizon Books, IRONKEEP, Lakehouse Publishing, Oryana, Porterhouse Productions, Realtor Marsha Minervini, Stella Trattoria, and Wellington Street Market.

Advance tickets* are $15, Seniors $10, Students $5. Tickets at the door are $20.

TICKETS ON SALE at the Traverse City Opera House box office at 106 East Front Street, or online at: www.treatickets.com or www.cityoperahouse.org.

* Advance ticket price does not reflect outlet or on-line handling fees.

For more information: www.nationalwritersseries.org