I first came across Villanueva's work when I was interning at the great small women's press Calyx Books in Corvallis, Oregon a hundred years ago. I remember being so excited to find Ginseng and Other Tales from Manila in the shelves and being moved by the stories of Filipino men and women living under a military dictatorship. Her most recent collection is called Mayor of the Roses.

Also, Villanueva will read with Nona Caspers, whose book Heavier Than Air is not to be missed. In case you can't make it tonight, the two will be reading again on April 9th at the Ferry Building in San Francisco. I highly reccomend both authors, and stay tuned for an interview with Villanueva in the next few weeks. In the meantime, check out her great third-person blog here.

Also, Chitra Divakaruni -- (full disclosure: my auntie) -- will be in town for a slew of readings and media for her new book Palace of Illusions. The novel retells the epic Mahabharatha from the point of view of Panchaali -- commonly known as Draupadi -- a princess who was famous for marrying the five Pandava brothers. (It's like Big Love, ancient Hindu style.) Here's a piece in the Houston Chronicle about her and the book.

Divakaruni will be reading tonight (March 4th) at Kepler's Books in Menlo Park (1010 El Camino Real Menlo Park, CA 94025) at 7:30 p.m., also during lunchtime on Wednesday (12:30 PM) at Mechanics’ Institute Library in San Francisco (57 Post Street); and Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at the Sunnyvale Public Library (665 W. Olive Avenue Sunnyvale , CA 94086).