Pasadena Festival of Women Authors - Pasadena Festival of Women Authors

Saturday, March 20, 2027 Pasadena Convention Center

One day · seven extraordinary authors.

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2027 Featured Authors

Ballroom Authors

Caro Claire Burke

Yesteryear

#1 New York Times Bestseller

Natalie is a “tradwife,” a social media influencer, the mother of six, a bit of a scary person, and the protagonist in Caro Claire Burke’s chartbusting debut novel, Yesteryear. Natalie’s happy, cheerful on-camera demeanor belies the behind-the-scenes tensions in her life. Her persona is that of a pioneer wife living in the 21st Century. And then suddenly, in a deft plot twist, Natalie finds herself in 1855 facing the actual hardships of pioneer life. Burke’s detailed description of Natalie asks the readers to determine what is real. A film adaptation of Yesteryear is in the works with Anne Hathaway in the role of Natalie. Burke attended the University of Virginia and received her MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars. She is co-host of Diabolical Lies, a politics and culture podcast. Burke lives in Virginia. “The premise is already an ingenious, exquisite, be-careful-what-you-wish-for… And in Burke’s biting prose, Natalie is an electric antiheroine.” — The New York Times

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Allegra Goodman

This Is Not About Us

Stephen Colbert Book Club Featured Pick

A death, three sisters, three generations of a Jewish family, and an apple cake – thus begins Allegra Goodman's heartfelt novel, This Is Not About Us. This character-driven story interlaces tradition, holidays, family interactions, and humor in a story with universal themes. Goodman, who was raised in Hawaii, is a graduate of Harvard and received her PhD from Stanford University. A recipient of numerous awards and honors, including a Whiting Award, Goodman also received a MacDowell Fellowship. She was a finalist for the National Book Award for Kaaterskill Falls. Her previous novel, Isola, was a Reese's Book Club selection and a Libby Award winner. Goodman lives with her family in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "… a nimble, heartfelt, acutely written collection that forms one wonderfully cohesive unit…. It's a wise, witty exploration of a contemporary American family, and a deliciously readable book." — The New York Times

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Vanessa Hua

Coyoteland

Award-Winning Columnist and Bestselling Author

Vanessa Hua's novel, Coyoteland, explores the truth, lies, and complexities of an upper-class, multi-racial suburban neighborhood in the San Francisco Bay Area. Coyotes are everywhere, and they are not always what they seem, just like the neighbors. Hua, an award-winning, best-selling author, was a finalist for the Northern California Book Award. Her many awards and fellowships include a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellow, a Rona Jaffee Writer's Award, and a Steinbeck Fellowship in Creative Writing. For many years, Hua was a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and much of her journalism focused on the Asian diaspora. A graduate of Stanford University, she earned her MFA at UC Riverside. Hua lives with her family in the San Francisco Bay Area. "Impressive…inspiring. At the heart of her achievement is the portrait of El Nido itself—its sociology, its topography, its history, its native plants and animals, and its moral swamp. A standout in the wave of 'dark suburbia' novels coming out of the dystopian realities of the embattled West Coast." — Kirkus

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Sadeqa Johnson

Keeper of Lost Children

International Bestseller, New York Times Bestselling Author

What happens to mixed-race children born in post-World War II Germany when they are left in an orphanage? The answer to that question is what New York Times bestselling author Sadeqa Johnson explores in Keeper of Lost Children. The novel is based on the true story of what one woman did to rescue these children whose birth parents were black GIs and white German women. Racism in the military, integration, and family are major themes in this uplifting novel. Johnson is the author of five previous novels and was a nominee for the NAACP Image Award. She was a winner and a finalist for numerous other awards, including the Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy Award. Johnson studied theater in New York and worked in publishing until she turned to writing. She lives outside of Richmond, Virginia. "Johnson once again uncovers overlooked corners of history, blending emotional storytelling with historical depth.... Johnson delivers a moving exploration of hope, courage, and the ties that bind us through generations." — Booklist (Starred Review)

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Breakout Room Authors

Jiyoung Han

Honey in the Wound

Nominee for The Center for Fiction 2026 First Novel Prize

Jiyoung Han's debut novel, Honey in the Wound, will make you shudder and cry. Following three generations of one Korean family from 1931 to the present, the story's focus is the enslaved Korean comfort women during the Japanese colonization. It also focuses on the women's ability to survive and thrive as they take back their own power, whether through magic, cunning, or violence. The story is a realistic portrayal of the trauma the women endured, and Han wants this story told. It is historically accurate and, to this day, survivors wait outside the Japanese Embassy in Seoul for an apology from the Japanese government. Born in Seoul, South Korea, and raised in the American Midwest, Han is a graduate of the University of Chicago and earned her master's degree from Harvard University. A scientist as well as a writer, Han currently lives in San Francisco, where she balances her literary career with research on climate change. "Han has incorporated extensive research into a revelatory work of harrowing fiction. . . . [Han] validates the hidden powers of 'powerless' women." — Kirkus

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Rachel Hochhauser

Lady Tremaine

New York Times Bestseller and Reese’s Book Club Pick

In her debut novel, Lady Tremaine, a Reese's Book Club Pick, Rachel Hochhauser creates an upside-down version of the classic fairy tale Cinderella. In Hochhauser's rendition, the stepmother has two lovely daughters and one arrogant stepdaughter. (There is also a very unlikeable prince.) The good stepmother wants all three girls to have promising futures, but there are many challenges along the way. The novel was a New York Times bestseller and will be published in more than 11 languages. Hochhauser grew up in Santa Barbara, California. She attended New York University and earned a master's in professional writing from the University of Southern California. She is also a co-founder of Piecework, a brand of jigsaw puzzles with a cult-like following. Currently, she lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two daughters. "A triumphant ode to the countless lost histories of women who gave their all to fight for the dignity of other women." — NPR

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Patmeena Sabit

Good People

A Must-Read Pick – The Guardian, The Sunday Times, and The New Yorker

In Patmeena Sabit's debut novel, Good People, the narrative is revealed through multiple voices that tell the story of an Afghan family who has immigrated to Virginia to pursue the American dream. The Sharaf family's rags-to-riches story is undone by a family tragedy. The narrators include police officials, neighbors, family friends, and community members, among others. Notably, the family does not speak for itself. The Sharafs are enmeshed in the tight-knit Afghan community whose members try to live according to their Muslim values while their American-raised children seek to succeed in the high-pressure American culture outside the community. Adolescent rebellion and misogyny are among the many themes that engage the reader while moving the story along. Born in Kabul, Sabit was a month old when her family fled to Pakistan before moving to Virginia where she was raised. Her undergraduate studies moved her to write her debut novel. She lives in Toronto. "An intimate study of an Afghan immigrant community forced to reevaluate what it means to raise children in America." — The New Yorker

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