Vroman’s Bookstore will present two distinct Local Author Day programs Sunday, July 20, 2025, showcasing emerging literary talent and fostering community engagement at its historic location, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.
The day begins at 11 a.m. with Local Author Day – Young Readers Edition. Authors Kyriacos Vidalakis, Norah Lally and Sarah McLean will introduce works aimed at youth audiences. Vidalakis presents Murky Waters, a story inspired by personal challenges at the Missouri Military Academy, emphasizing spiritual growth and resilience. Lally will discuss Back to Bainbridge, a coming-of-age novel exploring teen life in a close-knit apartment community. The title won the 2024 CIBA Gertrude Warner Book Awards Grand Prize and was an Amazon No. 1 New Release in teen fiction. McLean will read from Leah Is A Dragonfly Now, a picture book about grief and friendship.
At 4 p.m., the adult-focused program features Carlos Vasquez, S.L. Cook and Scott Coon. Vasquez, the founder of How To Battle and a formerly incarcerated advocate, will share insights from Warrior in the Garden: 7 Rules for Men, shaped by the lessons he learned during his nearly two-decade prison sentence. He earned degrees in psychology and entrepreneurship while incarcerated, the latter from the Drucker School of Management, and also authored The PRICE: Five Principles to Break the Bonds of Trauma and Achieve Personal Success, published in March 2023.
Cook’s debut novel A Snow Leopard Named Midas follows a covert operative pulled back into violent conflict after his girlfriend is kidnapped and brutalized. The story explores societal anxiety and survival through morally ambiguous characters who fight apathy. Goodreads data suggests this may be her first published work.
Coon introduces Godless Armageddon, an afterlife fantasy centered on Thom, a gay WWII soldier who awakens in a universe devoid of gods. The narrative incorporates weaponized memories and confronts legacy trauma, drawing from Coon’s experience as a bisexual atheist and former U.S. Army Intelligence Analyst. He served six years, received the First Army Combat Patch and Joint Service Achievement Award, and published Godless Armageddon through Hypatia Press in 2024. The book reached No. 1 in Amazon’s hot new releases in the atheist category.
Founded in 1894, Vroman’s remains Southern California’s oldest and largest independent bookstore. Chief Executive Officer Julia Cowlishaw credits its endurance to community support and a dedicated staff: “Our longevity is because of the people. Our dedicated customers and our dedicated team of employees are the reason we are still here.”
Admission to both events is free. For details, visit vromansbookstore.com or call 626-449-5320.
