MWA SoCal presents: A Love Letter to LA History: Authors discuss how LA History inspires their work

Moderated by MWA Board member Ona Russell

Ona Russell is the author of the recently released L.A. based novel, Son of Nothingness, as well as three Sarah Kaufman historical mysteries, including The Natural Selection, finalist in the 2009 California Book Awards, and Rule of Capture, 2016 IPPY silver medalist and praised by the LA Times as the “L.A. mystery of the summer.” She is currently at work on a 1950s historical mystery featuring Sarah’s daughter, Willa Kaufman.

Rachel Howzell Hall is the critically acclaimed author and Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist for And Now She’s Gone, which was also nominated for the Lefty-, Barry- and Anthony Awards. A New York Times bestselling author of The Good Sister with James Patterson, Rachel is an Anthony-, International Thriller Writers- and Lefty Award nominee and the author of They All Fall Down, Land of Shadows, Skies of Ash, Trail of Echoes and City of Saviors in the Detective Elouise Norton series. Rachel lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter. For more information, visit www.rachelhowzell.com

Ryan Gattis (ryangattis.com) is the author of SAFE, THE SYSTEM, and ALL INVOLVED, which won the American Library Association’s Alex Award and the Lire Award for Noir of the Year (France). He lives and writes in South Los Angeles, where he is a member of art collective UGLARworks, as well as a PEN America Prison Writing and Writing for Justice Mentor.

Naomi Hirahara is the Edgar Award-winning author of the Mas Arai mysteries and the upcoming historical mystery, CLARK AND DIVISION, which begins in Tropico, present-day Atwater, and moves into Manzanar and finally Chicago. She has also written the Ellie Rush bicycle cop series, set in downtown Los Angeles. Her follow-up to CLARK AND DIVISION is EVERGREEN, referring to the street in Boyle Heights