My book launch party for A VILLAGE IN THE FIELDS this afternoon at Eastwind Books of Berkeley was beyond my expectations. Associate Professor Dawn Mabalon of San Francisco State University gave a warm and generous introduction. I was honored with the attendance of Filipino-American author Vangie Buell and Myrna Zialcita, founder and director of the San Francisco Filipino-American Jazz Festival. Dear friends, students, and new faces came, making the book launch a standing-room only affair with overflow out the front door. Filled with gratitude and sharing the moment in a pictorial.
![Dawn Mabalon, associate professor in history at San Francisco State University, provides background information on the Filipino American farm labor movement.](http://www.pattyenrado.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Dawn-Mabalon.jpg)
![Giving some backstory before reading an excerpt from my novel.](http://www.pattyenrado.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Backstory.jpg)
![With my cousin Daniel, who helped with my research by sharing stories of our relatives.](http://www.pattyenrado.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Daniel-and-me.jpg)
![Steve Susoyev was a dear writing workshop mate at the Squaw Valley Community of Writers in 1998.](http://www.pattyenrado.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Steve-and-me.jpg)
![With Tana Hakanson, fellow artist and mom, we spent many an afternoon talking about trying to juggle one's art while being a fully present mom to our kids.](http://www.pattyenrado.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Tana-and-me-2.jpg)
![With Sid Valledor, who took a group of us on a pilgrimage to Agbayani Village back in 2004. He also gave a lecture on Filipino-American labor leader Philip Vera Cruz.](http://www.pattyenrado.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Sid-Valledor-and-me.jpg)
![Signing for long-time friends Barbara and Matt.](http://www.pattyenrado.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/With-Barbara-and-Matt.jpg)
![On the shelves!](http://www.pattyenrado.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/New-and-Noteworthy.jpg)