Mary Patrick Kavanaugh

After spending a ridiculous amount of time and money polishing her work, California author Mary Patrick Kavanaugh eagerly awaited news as her agent pitched her novel to a list of New York publishers who, unfortunately, all shot down her dream of landing a book contract. Tired of dragging around dashed hopes and disappointment, the author buried that dream at an open casket funeral in Oakland on December 6, 2008, in a Chapel filled to capacity. On Oct. 5, she will be with Kim Smith to discuss the writing life and her book, Family Plots