Plano Book Festival Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COLLIN COUNTY ADULT LITERACY COUNCIL TO PRESENT

3rd ANNUAL PLANO BOOK FESTIVAL FOR ADULT LITERACY

Event to feature children's events, workshops, creative writing contest,

and appearances from distinguished authors including Dick Armey

PLANO - FEBRUARY 9, 2004 - A television news reporter? A former Speaker of the House? A police officer?A radio personality?An airline pilot? What do these people have in common? They are only a few of the many distinguished authors who will be featured at this year's Plano Book Festival, an event presented by the Collin County Adult Literacy Council.

The Collin County Adult Literacy Council (CCALC) today announced a preliminary schedule of events and partial list of distinguished authors that will be participating in the 3rd annual Plano Book Festival for Adult Literacy on Saturday, March 20.

Events will be conducted simultaneously at Haggard Park, Plano City Hall, and the Plano Station (adjacent to the DART light rail station) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. More than 60 distinguished authors including former Speaker of the House Dick Armey will speak and sign books. An Author Party and Silent Auction will follow the book festival from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Plano's Southfork Hotel.

"Our ultimate goal is to provide an opportunity to learn English for the estimated 50,000 people in Collin County who can't read, write, speak or comprehend English," said CCALC President Rev. Michael Frick. "We hope to do the best job possible by involving many people in our county in this effort, including professional educators and people form all walks of life. We also hope to establish a stand alone literacy center in our county in the next five years."

Schedule of events includes:

· Authors presentations in City Hall meeting rooms or in the Plano Station next to the DART rail line, either individually or on panels regarding a specific kind of literature: children's, bilingual, true crime, non fiction, history and much more!

· Tents in Haggard Park will house authors and publishers, exhibitors, book sales, book signings, children's activities, food vendors and entertainment at the gazebo.

· Creative Writing Contest - Students Kindergarten through Fifth Grade are encouraged to write a 100-word essay on "How life would be different if I couldn't read? Entries must be submitted to CCALC, P.O. Box 941802, Plano, TX 75094 by February 20. Prizes include gift certificates to Planet Pizza, Main Event, Henry's Homemade Ice Cream, Laser Quest and more! Winners will be announced and prizes awarded at the festival on March 20.

· Author Party and Silent Auction - Following the Plano Book Festival, meet Texas authors at the Author Party, which begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Southfork Hotel, 1600 North Central Expressway in Plano. A buffet dinner will be served beginning at 6 p.m. The sale of Silent Auction items will also support adult literacy. Tickets are $40.00 in advance and may be purchased at The Master Suite or Nooks 'N Krannies in downtown Plano and Regions Bank in Allen.

History of the Plano Book Festival

The Plano Book Festival was begun in 2002 for the purpose of supporting adult literacy in Collin County. To see pictures and contest entries from the 2003 festival or to learn more about the 2004 festival, visit www.planobookfestival.com

About the CCALC

The Collin County Adult Literacy Council is a non-profit organization that exists to serve the literacy needs of adults living in the county. The literacy rate in Collin County is about 11 percent. Our affiliate literacy and English as a Second Language (ESL) providers are working diligently to lower this number through various efforts in classrooms, small groups, and one-to-one tutoring sessions. Our volunteers give thousands of hours of their time each year, serving an average of 170 students at each affiliate site. Even this tremendous effort does not reflect the demand, however, since a great number are put on waiting lists each year. The Collin County Adult Literacy Council was founded in the mid-1980's as a non-profit organization with 501 c3 status. The Council presently represents a dozen active literacy programs in Collin County. www.ccalc.org

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For more information, contact:

Rev. Michael Frick

President, Collin County Adult Literacy Council

972-839-9529

Pastor@MichaelFrick.com

Gail Pounders

Plano Book Festival

972-394-6392

gmp@airmail.net

2004 Plano Book Festival Featured Authors

· Dick Armey, author of Armey's Axioms

· Prof. William Baker, author of The Cultural Heritage of Arabs, Islam, & Middle East

· Ginnie Siena Bievona, editor/publisher of Haunted Encounters, Real Life Stories of Supernatural Experiences

· Mark H. Bogosian, Tommy L. Hamilton, and Michael K. Regan, authors of Never Again A Self-Defense Guide for the Flying Public

· Trudy Bourgeois, author of Her Corner Office and Strategies and Solutions to Optimize the 21st Century Workforce

· Lillian Stewart Carl, author of Time Enough to Die and, soon to be released, Lucifer's Crown

· Zella Case, author of Dating 101

· Mary Cimarolli, author of The Bootlegger's Other Daughter

· Laura Cobb, author of Most Likely to Succeed How to Assure Your Child's Success in School

· Steve Copling, author of The Listener

· Javier and Dyanne Fry Cortez, authors of Tipi A Modern How-To Guide

· Jeff Crilley, author of Free Publicity

· Ken C. Cross, author of The Witness

· Cindy Daniel, author of Death Warmed Over

· Bill Dareing, author of The Pages of Time

· Kelli Kyle Dominquez, author of The Perfect Pinata (a children's book)

· Sydney Newman Dotson, author of No Greater Deception A True Texas Story

· Denise Fields, author of Baby Bargains and Bridal Bargains (with Alan Fields), and Baby 411 (with Dr. Ari Brown)

· Pattie G. Fields, author of Curtain Call: A Mother Daughter Story of Triumph Over Adversity

· Robert Flynn, author of Paul Baker and Integration of Abilities and Growing Up a Sullen Baptist and Other Lies

· Matt Fuller, author of A Smart Little Saver

· Dr. Lawana Gladney, author of If I Have to Tell You One More Time Six Keys to Motivating Your Kids

· Jim Gramon, author of Legendary Texas Storytellers, Famous Texas Folklorists
and Their Stories, and Fun Texas Festivals and Events

· L.C. Hayden, author of The Drums of Gerald Hurd

· R.L. Hayden, author of Cover-Up: An Alternate Roswell Story

· Sharon Hudgins, author of The Other Side of Russia: A Slice of Life in Siberia and the Russian Far East

· Bill Hunter, author of God's Covenant With America

· Gary M. Lavergne, author of Worse Than Death: The Dallas Nightclub Murders and the Texas Multiple Murder Law

· Mark Lewis a.k.a. Hawkeye (96.3 KSCS), author of The Single Man

· Phil Livingston & Ed Roberts, author of War Horse

· Dr. Len Lopez, author of Action Steps Journal: To Burn Or Not To Burn Fat

· Catherine Carrasco Lynch, author of Mi Abuelita

· William Manchee, author of Plastic Gods and Yes, We're Open

· Murray McColloch, author of Book of Animals (a children's book)

· Marlane Miller, author of Brain Styles for Lovers

· Maryann Miller, author of Double Take; Play it Again, Sam; and Coping With Weapons and Violence

· Lynda Morley, author of Outings and Adventures with Children Ages 1 - 6 & Beyond

· Mackey Murdock, author of Chute #3, Last of the Old-Time Texans, and Forgotten

· Joan Neubauer, author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Journaling

· Marjorie Hodgson Parker, author of Assault: The Crippled Champion

· Dr. Terry Parsons, author of The Intimacy Jungle

· Joyce Gibson Roach, author of Horned Toad Canyon (a children's book)

· Suzanne Short, author of Wisdom Daddy Taught Me: A Path from Poverty to
Prosperity

· Paul Spellman, author of John H. Rogers, Texas Ranger and Race to Velasco

· Hazel Spire, author of Secret of the Seventh Gate and Homeward Tracks

· Carlton Stowers, author of Death in a Texas Desert

· Pam Stone, author of Women's Guide to Living Alone

· Dr. Paul Tracy, author of Who Killed Stephanie Crowe?

· William Verkest, author of A Family Matter: A Guide to Organizing Your Estate

· Merle Volding, author of Family History DVD

· Helen West-Rodriguez, Ph.D., author of Hands Across the Border and When Mom and Dad Grow Old (with Carolyn King Dennis, M. Th.)

· Mitchel Whitington, editor/publisher of Haunted Encounters, Real Life Stories of Supernatural Experiences

· Gisella Olivo Whittington, author of Pump the Bear (a children's book)

· Del-Metri Williams, author of As A Mom Thinketh. . . A Mother's Guide to Unlimited Wealth

· Jim Wilson, author of Distillations of a Life Just Lived and Coals to Diamonds (poetry collections)

· Laura Wilson, author of Grit & Glory Six Man Football

· Jane Roberts Wood, author of Mocha the Clinical Cat (a children's book) and Roseborough

· Jeannette Wright, author of Men Are Dogs (This book is a humorous comparison
between dog breeds and male breeds. What breed is your man?)