Bestselling Author To Preside at Literary Evening

Bestselling Author To Preside at Literary Evening

With more than a dozen published works to her name, author Elizabeth Atkins will share her insights on writing and publishing books at a literary event hosted by the Columbia University Alumni Club of Michigan on June 1.

Atkins is a Detroit-area journalist, public speaker, and bestselling author of novels that often focus on the theme of color-blind love, such as White Chocolate, Dark Secret, and Twilight--an exotic love story written with Billy Dee Williams. 

Her latest works include the non-fiction March 2011 release, Fat Family, Fit Family: How We Beat Obesity and You Can, Too (Penguin Publishing) about a family featured on NBC’s The Biggest Loser.  A health and fitness enthusiast, Atkins’ own 100-pound weight loss was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Her other new release is The Wrong Side of Mr. Right, a novella in My Blue Suede Shoes: An Anthology (Simon & Schuster), which followed her novella, Take It Off!  in the 2008 anthology, Other People’s Skin, about triumphant women.

Atkins will appear in the Woods Gallery of the Huntington Woods Public Library at 26415 Scotia, Huntington Woods, Mich. 48070, with a reception and refreshments starting at 6 p.m. and the author’s lecture-a customized version of her seminar for aspiring authors-following at 7.  Afterwards, she will autograph copies of her latest books, as well as the romantic thriller Dark Secret, for which she is writing the screenplay adaptation. 

The event is open to the public and free, but a donation of $5 is suggested.  The sponsors ask guests to pre-register by calling 248-224-3369. 

Atkins’ expertise is rooted in research for her master’s thesis at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism about mixed-race Americans.  The former Toastmasters International member and University of Michigan English Major covered race for The Detroit News, where her articles were nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.  Her writing has appeared in many other publications, including The New York Times, The San Diego Tribune, Essence, Ebony, Black Issues Book Review, and BLAC Detroit Magazine. 

The sponsor of Atkins’ lecture, the Columbia University Alumni Club of Michigan, fosters and strengthens the relationship between Columbia University and its alumni through educational, cultural, and networking opportunities.   More information is available at the club’s Web site at http://www.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/COU/cpages/home.jsp?chapter=18.