Arizona Women's Board Authors Luncheon

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Arizona Women's Board Authors Luncheon

The 47th Annual Friends of Erma Bombeck Authors Luncheon will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2026. We are about preserving life.

Author and humorist Erma Bombeck created the country’s first Authors Luncheon in 1980, in Phoenix, AZ, when she invited fellow authors to join her in raising awareness and funds for Arizona kidney patients. She was convinced that out there somewhere were people so selfless and families so compassionate, they would commit to the ultimate act of love — a gift of life. “The real heroes and heroines are the patients who are hanging tough and the donors who are faced with hard decisions and give humanity a good name. It is indeed a gift,” said Erma. The Authors Luncheon was an immediate success and quickly became a much-anticipated annual event. The Arizona Women’s Board has kept the tradition alive for 43 years. The Arizona Women's Board dedicates all Luncheon proceeds to prevent kidney disease through awareness, education and research and to improve the quality of life for Arizonans with kidney disease. Last year the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona, Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation, St. Joseph’s Foundation, TGEN Foundation, Transplant Community Alliance and Valleywise Health Foundation received grants. Thanks to the success of the Authors Luncheon and the support of the Arizona Women's Board, services for kidney patients in Arizona rank as one of the best in the nation. Since its inception, the Arizona Women's Board has granted nearly $13 million.

10/10/2026

💐✨ Take home a little beauty from the Authors Luncheon!
One of our favorite luncheon traditions is back! The gorgeous floral centerpieces that grace our tables will once again be available for purchase, with proceeds supporting the Arizona Women’s Board and its mission to advance kidney health in our community. 💚
Bursting with vibrant blooms, lush greenery, and cheerful autumn colors, these stunning arrangements are the perfect way to bring a little Authors Luncheon magic home with you!
🌸 Centerpieces are $150 each and can be purchased in advance at authorsluncheonaz.org or at the luncheon. Quantities are limited, so reserve yours early!
🎟️ And don’t forget our Experience Raffle! For just $250 per ticket, you could win one of five extraordinary experiences, including lunch with Adriana Trigiani in NYC, a luxury Four Seasons Los Cabos getaway, an exclusive New York Fashion Week experience, VIP access to the WM Phoenix Open, or a private book club with Adriana!
Only 250 raffle tickets will be sold, and you do not need to be present to win.
💚 Beautiful flowers, unforgettable experiences, and a wonderful cause. Visit authorsluncheonaz.org to purchase your centerpiece and raffle tickets today!
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10/05/2026

🎟️✨ The Experience Raffle is back—and this year’s prizes may be our best yet!
Just 250 tickets will be sold at $250 each, and every ticket is a chance to win one of FIVE extraordinary experiences:
📚 Literary Lunch in the City Lunch in New York City for up to four with bestselling author Adriana Trigiani, plus a $1,000 gift certificate to Schmitt Jewelers.
🥂 Bestseller Book Club Gather your book club for a private discussion with Adriana Trigiani—at her NYC brownstone or from your own living room via Zoom.
🌴 The Ultimate Beach Read Four days and three nights in a three-bedroom private residence at Four Seasons Los Cabos at Costa Palmas. Luxury transfers, a private sunset cruise, tennis or pickleball, wakesurfing, a Michelin-starred lunch, private starlit dinner and more. A $40,000 value!
👗 Money Can’t Buy Fashion Week Experience Go behind the scenes at New York Fashion Week with Lafayette 148, including an exclusive Spring/Summer 2027 collection preview, private headquarters tour, access to members of the design team and CEO, and an optional VIP shopping and styling experience in SoHo.
⛳ The Greatest Show on Grass Grab seven friends for VIP Saturday at the 2027 WM Phoenix Open. Eight Scorekeepers VIP credentials with hospitality, lunch and open bar—plus eight VIP credentials to the Coors Light Birds Nest that evening. An $8,000 value!
Five prizes. Just 250 chances. And some truly unforgettable experiences. ✨
🎟️ Tickets are $250 each and only 250 will be sold. You do not need to attend the Authors Luncheon to win.
Purchase your Experience Raffle ticket at authorsluncheonaz.org—and don’t wait. With only 250 available, we expect these to go quickly!

10/01/2026

The Arizona Women’s Board is deeply saddened by the passing of our longtime friend and floral partner, Dennis Thompson, owner of White House Design Studio.
For many years, Dennis shared his extraordinary creativity with the Arizona Women’s Board, transforming our events with beautiful floral designs that became part of so many treasured memories.
Dennis also had a deeply personal connection to our mission. Kidney disease touched his family profoundly, with the loss of his father and lifelong kidney challenges faced by both Dennis and his sister. His support of our work carried a special meaning, and we were grateful to have him as part of our community.
Beyond his remarkable talent, Dennis was simply a joy to work with. His warmth, generosity, kindness, and thoughtful spirit endeared him to all of us who had the privilege of knowing him.
We will remember Dennis with tremendous gratitude for the beauty he created, the moments he helped make memorable, and the lasting mark he leaves on the Arizona Women’s Board and our community.
Our hearts are with his family, friends, colleagues, and all who loved him. He will be greatly missed. 💚

08/29/2026

📚✨ Our fifth and final author announcement is here!
Seventeen years after the publication of The Help, Kathryn Stockett returns to fiction with the instant New York Times bestseller The Calamity Club—and we’re delighted to welcome her as a featured speaker at the 46th Annual Arizona Women’s Board Authors Luncheon.
Kathryn’s debut novel, The Help, sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. Now, her long-awaited second novel takes readers back to Mississippi, this time to Depression-era Oxford in 1933.
The Calamity Club brings together three unforgettable women: Meg, an 11-year-old orphan determined to keep her spirit unbowed; Birdie, unmarried and outspoken, who discovers her sister’s seemingly charmed life is built on lies; and Charlie, a woman with little left to lose. When their lives collide, they hatch an audacious plan to reclaim control of their futures.
Heartfelt, hilarious, and deeply moving, The Calamity Club is a story of underestimated women, unexpected friendship, and the idea that sometimes calamity can be the spark of a new beginning.
We can’t wait to hear Kathryn share more about her return to fiction and the story behind The Calamity Club.
🎟️ And with that, our full author lineup is revealed! Tables are going fast, so don’t wait to reserve yours. Visit authorsluncheonaz.org to secure your table and join us for an afternoon of fascinating authors, great books, and conversation.

📷 Photo Credit: Ken Kochey

08/05/2026

🇮🇹📚 Our fourth author announcement is one I absolutely can’t wait to read!
We’re delighted to welcome Pulitzer Prize-winning author Andrew Sean Greer as a featured speaker at the 46th Annual Arizona Women’s Board Authors Luncheon.
Best known for his beloved novels Less and Less Is Lost, Andrew has earned readers’ hearts with his wit, humor, and deeply human storytelling. His work has received some of literature’s highest honors, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and now he returns with what promises to be another unforgettable novel.
In Villa Coco, an aspiring archivist finds himself in the Italian countryside working for Coco, a glamorous 92 year old baroness with a flair for life. Surrounded by eccentric princesses, boar hunters, nuns, priceless antiques, unexpected romance, and one final quest for lost love, the story unfolds into a sun drenched celebration of adventure, reinvention, and the joy of embracing life’s surprises.
If you’ve ever dreamed of escaping to Italy or simply love stories filled with heart, humor, and unforgettable characters, you won’t want to miss hearing from Andrew this November.
🎟️ Tickets are on sale now! Visit authorsluncheonaz.org to reserve your seat for an unforgettable afternoon with some of today’s most celebrated authors.
Our final author announcement is coming soon!

06/29/2026

🔎📚 Our fourth author announcement is here—and if you love page-turning thrillers, this one is for you.
We’re thrilled to welcome #1 New York Times bestselling author Douglas Preston as a featured speaker at the 46th Annual Arizona Women’s Board Authors Luncheon.
With more than 40 books to his name—including over 30 New York Times bestsellers—Douglas has become one of the most acclaimed thriller writers of our time. Best known for the internationally bestselling Pendergast series, he has captivated millions of readers with his masterful blend of mystery, science, history, and suspense.
His newest novel, Paradox, co-written with his daughter, Aletheia Preston, plunges readers into a chilling investigation involving desecrated religious relics, ritualistic murders, a fanatical secret society, and a mystery hidden deep within the Colorado wilderness. As the case unfolds, one astonishing question looms: What if the impossible isn’t impossible after all?
Whether you’re already a Douglas Preston fan or simply love a can’t-put-it-down thriller, you won’t want to miss hearing from one of the genre’s true masters.
🎟️ Tickets are on sale now! Visit authorsluncheonaz.org to reserve your seat for an unforgettable afternoon with some of today’s most fascinating authors.
Stay tuned—more announcements coming soon!
MysteryReaders

06/22/2026

✨📚 Our third author announcement is here, and she may have you rethinking every conversation you’ve ever had. We’re delighted to welcome Pamela Meyer as a featured speaker at the 46th annual Arizona Women’s Board Authors Luncheon. If her name sounds familiar, it may be because of her TED talk, How To Spot A Liar, which has been viewed more than 32 million times worldwide. As a leading authority on deception, trust, and human behavior, Pamela has spent her career studying what most people miss: the subtle signals hidden beneath the service of everyday interactions.
In her fascinating new book, How to Read the Room, Pamela reveals how power, trust, and influence are communicated through every glance, pause, and gesture. Drawing on behavioral science, intelligence – agency techniques, and real-world experience, she teaches readers how to better understand the people around them and navigate the complexities of modern life with greater awareness and insight.
As founder and CEO of Calibrate, Inc., Pamela advises organizations on fraud detection, security awareness, and decision-making. Whether you’re a leader, a lifetime learner, or simply curious about what makes people tick, Pamela’s insights are sure to leave you looking into the world a little differently.
Tickets are on sale now! Visit authorsluncheonaz.org to reserve your seat and join us for an unforgettable afternoon of stories, ideas, and inspiration.

05/29/2026

📚✨ Our first author announcement is here!
We’re honored to welcome New York Times bestselling author Lisa See as a featured speaker at the 46th Annual Arizona Women’s Board Authors Luncheon.
For more than two decades, Lisa See has illuminated the stories of women whose lives have been overlooked, forgotten, or erased from history. Her bestselling novels—including Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Shanghai Girls, The Island of Sea Women, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, and The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane—have captivated readers around the world and have been translated into 40 languages.
In her newest novel, Daughters of the Sun and Moon, Lisa brings to life the stories of three Chinese women living in post-Civil War Los Angeles. Set against the backdrop of the real-life Night of Horrors, a largely forgotten chapter of American history, the novel explores friendship, resilience, love, and the extraordinary strength it takes to find your voice in a world determined to silence it.
Richly researched and beautifully told, Lisa’s work reminds us that some of the most important stories are the ones history almost forgot.
Join us as we welcome one of today’s most acclaimed historical fiction authors to the Arizona Biltmore this November.
More author announcements coming soon!
WomenInHistory BooksThatMatter AZBiltmore

05/17/2026

📚✨ A beloved tradition returns! We’re honored to welcome Adriana Trigiani back as emcee for the 46th Annual Arizona Women’s Board Authors Luncheon at the Arizona Biltmore. 💚
A New York Times bestselling author, playwright, filmmaker, and one of the literary world’s most cherished storytellers, Adriana returns for her thirteenth unforgettable year bringing her warmth, humor, and signature storytelling magic to our stage.
And this year comes with exciting news: Adriana has been chosen to write Connie, the highly anticipated continuation of The Godfather saga centered on Connie Corleone, the matriarch of the Corleone family. The novel marks the first authorized Godfather continuation written by a woman and is already generating major buzz in the literary world.
From Appalachia to Italy, page to screen, Adriana’s stories continue to celebrate family, resilience, humor, and the women at the heart of it all — making her the perfect voice to guide this unforgettable afternoon.
We cannot wait to welcome her back to Phoenix. 📖✨

05/08/2026

📚✨ The invitation is here, and the countdown is officially on!
Join us for the 47th Annual Friends of Erma Bombeck Authors Luncheon, a beloved Arizona tradition that brings together bestselling authors, community, and purpose in support of kidney disease education, research, and patient services across Arizona.
💚 Save the date for an unforgettable afternoon of storytelling, inspiration, and impact at the Arizona Biltmore.
🎟️ Tickets are available now! Visit our website www.authorsluncheonaz.org to reserve your seat. Tickets are expected to sell quickly once this year’s incredible lineup of authors is announced, so don’t wait!
And stay tuned… the much-anticipated reveal of this year’s distinguished authors is coming soon, and we cannot wait to share this inspiring group with you.
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Phoenix, AZ

Telephone

+14809512950

Website

http://authorsluncheonaz.org/

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