Featuring Appearances by
Eduardo Santiago
Eduardo is a two-time PEN Fellow (2004 and 2010). His novel, "Tomorrow They Will Kiss," took the International Latino Book Awards honors for Best Historical Novel and Best First Book. Kirkus Reviews hailed his next effort, "Midnight Rumba," "a historically sound, sublimely heartbreaking novel about the soul of the Cuban revolution." Santiago is a creative writing teacher and the founder of the Idyllwild Authors Series.
Lee Rice
Lee has lived in the Coachella Valley for more than 12 years and has been a devoted wife, and "bonus mom" to four awesome individuals for nearly seven years. She works as communications and public relations specialist for Eisenhower Medical Center, a position she's held for 11 years. When she has time, she's the Official Eater for Little Lee's Breakfast in America her online, social media campaign to find America's favorite breakfast spots.
David Kelly
David is a self-described "refugee from New York" and writer in Palm Springs and Los Angeles. His journey to express his creative side took turns through schooling at Yale, NYU and Fordham law school, as well as a career with JP Morgan Chase. His story "Last Train from New Work' was recently published by PEN Center USA and the Palm Springs Writers Guild. He's currently writing a piece of historical fiction on Lawrence Crossley, the first African-American resident of Palm Springs.
Jacob Cantu
Jacob is a longtime desert resident and comedian. He graduated high school in Mexico but lived half of the year in Palm Desert where his mother hoped he'd avoid becoming a punk rocker (he did become a punk rocker, but in Spanish). He honed his English watching "Seinfield" and later studied business at College of the Desert.
Xochitl Pena and Shad Power
Desert Sun columnist Xochitl Pena is a graduate of Michigan State University and has been a journalist for more than 20 years getting her start in Lansing, Mich., covering state legislature. She’s been at The Desert Sun since 2003 and has been a beat reporter for most of the valley cities including Coachella, Indio, Indian Wells, La Quinta and Palm Springs. She is currently the Vibe and Style Columnist, making sure to stay on top of lifestyle trends and what folks across the valley are talking about. She also helps cover key events across the desert including the Palm Springs International Film Festival, Modernism Week, BNP Paribas Open, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Stagecoach and charity events. She lives in Bermuda Dunes with her husband of 12 years and their 3-year-old dog Lucy. Shad has been a journalist for more than 20 years and uncomfortably tall for even longer. He worked in the sports department at various newspapers in his home state of Michigan before moving to the Coachella Valley in 2003. He is currently the sports columnist at The Desert Sun, where he has worked as an editor and columnist for 12 years. The Michigan State University graduate is an avid indoorsman, movie buff and world class couch potato. He lives in Bermuda Dunes with his wife of 12 years and his dog Lucy. You can almost always find him on Twitter at @shad_powers.
Agenda
July 17, 2016
Matters Of The Heart - Love and Heartbreak: Eduardo Santiago
Eduardo tells a story about a long-ago experience -- and how it may have gone differently in another time.
July 17, 2016
Matters Of The Heart - Love and Heartbreak: Lee Rice
Lee loves, Love, a self proclaimed sap; this is her story about how she found love.
July 17, 2016
Matters Of The Heart - Love and Heartbreak: David Kelly
David shares a story about love, the things that keep us together, and how things fall apart.
July 17, 2016
Matters Of The Heart - Love and Heartbreak: Jacob Cantu
Jacob tells a story about looking for love in all the wrong places -- and how a pretty set of toes helped him find love.
July 17, 2016
Matters Of The Heart - Love and Heartbreak: Xochitl Pena and Shad Powers - 'Desert Sun columnists share their love story'
Audiences may know their bylines, but some may not know that Desert Sun columnists Shad Powers and Xochitl Pena are married! They share their story -- from both sides -- on how Shad professed his love, with some minor mishaps.