Authors Fair A Success Story for Monrovia
Arcadia Weekly: June 5, 2006 by Liset Marquez
Despite the heat Monrovians and book readers alike came out to enjoy the Author and Community Service Fair at Library Park that was presented by the Monrovia Library and Mystic Sisters Bookstore.
One of the real crowd pleasers was pro wrestling star and author, Diamond Dallas Page who was the keynote speaker.
Page who showed off his world heavy weight title during his speech emphasized the importance of reading. At the age of 30, Page told the crowd he had a third grade reading level and as a child he battled ADD and dyslexia.
Page told the crowd he was determined to read a book so he broke it down into goals was able to complete the book in a year. He is now the author of two books.
Melanie Goodyear, Literacy coordinator at Monrovia Library, said Page was a real inspiration to the entire audience.
"As a former pro wrestler he definitely put on a good show, he got everybody excited and he was really inspirational," she said. "A lot of our adult learners were here in the audience and they all walked up him and gave him a hug afterwards."
Goodyear said the adult learners shared their experiences with him.
"His theory is that 10 percent of what happens to you in life is other external stuff you can't control. The other 90 percent is what make of it," Goodyear
FAIR said. "It's about how he's overcome his adversity in life by controlling what he thinks, having positive relationships and being physically fit."
Goodyear said Page's message helps promote the adult literacy program the Monrovia library operates, which is the only one in the surrounding cities.
But Page's message was just one of many expressed by the more than 20 authors that spoke at the fair.
Abel Flores of Azusa sat in on an inspirational panel discussion and said it was nice that the authors were there to talk about their books.
"You actually figure out what they're thinking when they were writing the book," he said.
Tina Carey, owner of Mystic Sisters, said the fair is a fundraiser for the library with a percentage of sales of the books going towards the Monrovia Library.
She said that she started talking with the library about creating an author fair in February. The bookstore also hosts two other fairs, one in Duarte, and Diamond Bar.
"When you're doing it for the first time you always want more people but it takes time to build roots," Carey said.
Both Goodyear and Carey said there is discussion to make the fair an annual event. Carey said one thing she would love to see is more children engaged in the event.
"We partnered with the library to get out the message- to the community- what resources it has to offer," she said.
Carey said that she opened her bookstore, which is located down the street from the library, with intentions for the authors to connect with the readers.
"Part of the purpose of the bookstore is to create a community," she said.
Carey said it is obvious that the library needs funding.
"It's such an interesting time, Monrovia Library needs funds to be expanded," she said.
Carey said she hopes events like the fair could help strengthen support for the friends of the library club.
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