JUNE 21: Crossing the Line Gets the Gold on Arrival in Corona Del Mar, California

Hosted Event Behind the Orange Curtain at the Home of Peggie Fariss

A friend from my Paris days, Peggie Fariss, who I met through a book club, assembled Orange County (OC) neighbors and fellow readers for a sun-filled author talk and reading of Crossing the Line in her beautiful party house overlooking the harbor in Corona Del Mar. Joining me on the proverbial stage this evening was local activist, Felicity Figueroa. In addition to volunteering with the OC Rapid Response Network, Felicity is or has been at some point…

Co-Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee at Irvine United Congregational Church;
Trustee of the Orange County Justice Fund;
President of Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council;
Vice President of Membership at Americans United Orange County, CA Chapter;
Chair of the Women For Orange County Great American Write-In; and

Chair of the Orange County Equality Coalition.

My intention with Peggie’s hosted event was to introduce the gathering to the issues and the voices spotlighted in Crossing the Line to set them up with messaging tools, but then turn them over to Felicity to provide them with a valuable local resource — someone they could reach out to at any time; someone who might support them to take action.

It turned out to be the perfect model for all Crossing the Line events moving forward!

The beauty of the surroundings, the generosity of both host and co-speaker, and the willingness of all assembled to sit in the heat — figuratively and literally because it was a very hot day in Corona Del Mar — knew no bounds. It was gratifying to witness the myriad Ah-Ha moments as mental lightbulbs flashed before my eyes for a full 90 minutes. Indeed, this crowd represented the imagined target audience for Crossing the Line — folks who I believed would be outraged, too, if they only knew. And now they do!

But my gratitude that night did not stop with Peggie’s hospitality and Felicity’s good trouble. I also received gifts in abundance from the Nonfiction Authors Association, who graced me while en route to Peggie’s with this thrilling and unexpected news…

Dear Sarah,

CONGRATULATIONS! Our reviewers have completed the evaluation process, and we are thrilled to report that your book earned a Gold award.

(See the reviewer feedback in the images below)