Appearances
Ongoing Online Events:
Mixed Chicks Chat
Wednesdays at 5pm ET / 2pm PT
A live weekly podcast about being racially and culturally mixed. Find out more or subscribe via iTunes.
Upcoming In-Person Events:
Ellman Lectures with Paul Simon: Atlanta, GA
Sept. 22-24, 2013
I'll be introducing singer/songwriter extraordinaire at his mini-concert!! I can't wait. Learn more about the event here.
Past Events:
Tucson Book Festival: Tucson, AZ
March 9-10, 2013
This is the 4th largest book festival in the country! I'll be speaking on three different panels with a couple of my favorite writers too: Lisa Genova and Naomi Benaron. Don't miss this awesome festival!
California Lutheran University: Thousand Oaks, CA
February 19, 2013
I'll be speaking and meeting with students at the university. Details to come!
Friends of the College of the Desert Library Benefit: Rancho Mirage, CA
Feb. 16, 2013 12PM
A wonderful benefit for a wonderful cause! Looking forward to seeing you there!
Richard Ellman Lectures in Modern Literature: Atlanta, GA
Feb 10-12, 2013
This is the biennial event held at Emory University to celebrate literature. This year the speaker is Paul Simon. Yes, that Paul Simon and as a committee member I will introduce him for his mini-concert on Feb. 12 at Emerson Concert Hall, Schwartz Center for Performing Arts. Needless to say, I'm over the moon! For more information visit the website.
Western Oregon University: Monmouth, OR
January 24, 2013
I'm excited to speak about "Unity and Community" for the university MLK commemoration.
Brooklyn Historical Society: Brooklyn, NY
Oct. 4, 2012 7PM
Join me for this great panel discussion: 2nd Annual: What Are You?. Let’s talk about race and ethnicity, and where we’re from (or where we’re from from); how we express our own multicultural identities, and how others perceive us. Panelists will start the conversation and we hope you’ll join in. We’ll discuss big questions like: How does our cultural background shape us? Can we see race? Is identity fixed or fluid? #CBBGwhatru
Featuring:
Jen Chau, founder of Swirl
Erica Chito Childs, author of Fade to Black and White: Interracial Images in Popular Culture
Heidi Durrow, co-host of Mixed Chicks Chat and author of The Girl Who Fell from the Sky
Ken Tanabe, founder of Loving Day
Angela Tucker, director of Black Folk Don't
Co-sponsored by Swirl, a multi-ethnic, anti-racist organization that promotes cross-cultural dialogue. Brooklyn Brewery beer and light refreshments will be served. RSVP: http://cbbgwhatru.eventbrite.com/
West Hollywood Book Fair: West Hollywood, CA
Sept. 30, 2012
This is the 11th annual West Hollywood Book Fair. Check out the great line-up here.
Smart Summer Reads, Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore: Redondo Beach, CA
July 15, 2012 3PM-5PM
Come join the fun of the Smart Summer Reads program at Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore along with me, Robert Goolrick, Gigi Levangie Grazer, and Jill Smolinski, Pamela Ribon! Everyone who attends will receive a gift--customized just for them. Other surprises may be in store … so don’t miss this event! Please contact the Redondo Beach store if you are planning to attend to make sure that the store has enough goodies for everyone.
Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival, Los Angeles, CA
June 15-17, 2012
Join us for the 5th Annual Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival. Free and fun for all.
Book Expo, New York City, NY
June 5, 2012 11:00AM
Barbara Kingsolver will announce the name of the 2012 winner of the PEN / Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction at Book Expo America in New York City at 11 a.m . June 5. I will be there as well as the wonderful Hillary Jordan author of Mudbound.
Wy'East Book Shoppe & Art Gallery, Welches, OR
May 11, 2012 7:30PM
Meet me for a fun reading and talk at the Wy'East Book Shoppe & Art Gallery, 67195 E Highway 26 Ste A, Welches, Oregon 97067, on May 11, 2011 at 7:30pm.
Beach Books, Seaside, OR
May 10, 2012 12PM
Join me for a fun Literary Luncheon at Beach Books in Seaside, Oregon on May 10 at Noon. For more information visit the Beach Books website!
Santa Barbara Women's Literary Lunch, Santa Barbara, CA
May 5, 2012
I'll be a part of this wonderful program. For more information click here.
Brown University
April 18, 2012 8PM
I'm excited to speak as part of the Multiracial Identity Series at Brown University, April 18, 2012 at 8pm!
The Writer's Center, Bethesda, MD
April 12, 2012 7PM
I'm excited to be awarded the McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize. Join me for the prize presentation and reading and a special reception to follow. Location: The Writer's Center, 4508 Walsh Street, Bethesda, MD 20815.
Rutgers University - Camden, NJ
April 11, 2012
I'm thrilled to do a reading and signing with writer Tiphanie Yanique.
Story Week Festival, Chicago, IL
March 18-March 23, 2012
I'm thrilled to be part of this Festival doing a few different events: Wednesday, March 21 Center for Teaching Excellence afternoon conversation (Time TBD); Thursday, March 22 at 11:00 AM Panel: A Conversation on Seeing Narrative with Zach Dodson, featherproof books publisher, CCC Assistant, Prof., Graphic Design; Audrey Niffennegger, Her Fearful Symmetry, and me. Location: Film Row Cinema, 1104 S. Wabash; Thursday March 22 at 6:00 PM Literary Rock & Roll--Readings/Signings: Heidi W. Durrow, The Girl Who Fell From the Sky; John Sayles, A Moment in the Sun; Patricia McNair, The Temple of Air Location: Metro Chicago, 3730 N. Clark
AAUW Literary Lunch, Laguna Beach, CA
March 17, 2012
I'm thrilled to be part of this program. For more information click here.
Missouri State University, Springfield, MO
March 12, 2012 7PM
I'm excited to speak about my writing and the theme of "Women's Education and Women's Empowerment."
Everybody Reads 2012, Portland, OR
March 6, 2012
I'm thrilled that The Girl Who Fell From the Sky is the Everybody Reads 2012 selection and I will do a presentation at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. For more information and ticket information, click here.
Pasadena Festival of Women Authors, Pasadena, CA
March 3, 2012
I'll be part of the wonderful Pasadena Festival of Women Authors featuring Susan Straight, Fannie Flagg, Michelle Huneven, and moderated by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey. For more information visit the Festival website.
AWP Conference, Chicago, IL
Feb. 29-March 2, 2012
Join me for this great panel: Keeping a Debut Book Alive with Justin Taylor, Marie Mockett, Joanna Smith Rakoff, Dylan Landis, and me! Thursday, March 1 at 1:30 PM to 2:45 PM. Scheduled Room, Hotel, Floor: Crystal Room, Palmer House Hilton, 3rd Floor!
University of Washington, Seattle, WA
February 21, 2012 4:30PM
I look forward to seeing you at University of Washington. Be sure to make a reservation here.
Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH
February 13, 2012
I'll be speaking at Youngstown State for African-American History Month. Details to come!
Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH
Jan. 13, 2012
I'm excited to be a part of this day-long celebration with workshops and panels at Exeter.
Nature of Words
Nov. 4-6, 2011
I'll be part of the wonderful Nature of Words conference. More details here.
SE Missouri State
November 1, 2011 7PM
I'm excited to visit SE Missouri State for a reading and booksigning. For more information click:here.
How to Get Published!
Oct. 13, 2011 7PM
Don't miss this wonderful panel on "How to Get Published!" I'll be talking about my process and tips along with the lovely writer Michele Young-Stone, and agent extraordinaire Michelle Brower. WORD Bookstore, 126 Franklin St, Brooklyn NY 11222.
Reading & Signing
October 13, 2011 Noon
Reading and signing at Long Island University
Reading & Visit
Oct. 6, 2011
I'm excited to do a reading and visit with students at Catlin Gabel School. Details to come.
Novel Affair 2011
Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2011
A wonderful benefit event to support the amazing Ragdale artist colony. More details at www.ragdale.org.
Race: Are We So Different?
Sept. 8, 2011
I'll be doing a reading at the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, Santa Barbara, CA, in conjunction with the RACE: Are We So Different? Exhibition. For ticket information please visit the Museum website.
Pen on Fire Writers' Salon
Sept. 6, 2011 7PM
I'll be reading with Danzy Senna at the Scape Gallery as part of the Pen on Fire Writers Salon. For information on purchasing tickets to this event click here.
CNN Dialogue with Wolf Blitzer
August 31, 2011 7PM
I'm excited to be a part of this new series CNN Dialogues on Race moderated with Wolf Blitzer. Other panelists include Edward James Olmos, Yul Kwon, and Professors Kris Marsh, and Dana White. For ticket information visit the university website.
Dirty Laundry Lit - PEN Center USA
August 27, 2011 8PM
I'll be part of the very first installment of Dirty Laundry Lit hosted by the PEN USA Center featuring some talented writers and musicians (I'm part of the talented writer part 
) at The Mandrake which is located at 2692 South La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA. For ticket information visit the event website. Hope to see you there.
Algonquin Book Club Night: Heidi Durrow Interviewed by Terry McMillan
August 18, 2011 Time 7PM
An Algonquin Book Club Event! Literary luminary Terry McMillan interviews Heidi Durrow at Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera, CA 94925. This interview will be a live webcast so you can see it anywhere. Mark your calendars. And check out all the other goodies the Algonquin Book Club is offering!
Author Talk in Boone, NC
August 16, 2011 3PM
I am pleased as punch to visit Boone, NC to talk about The Girl Who Fell From the Sky. This is part of the Summer Author Series at Appalachian State University. Reception and book signing immediately following.
Nature of Words 2011 Benefit
July 1, 2011
A wonderful benefit event to support the Nature of Words conference held in November in Bend, OR.
Sundance Author Series
June 18, 2011 11:30AM
I am thrilled and honored to be a part of the Sundance Author Series.
Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival 2011
June 11-12, 2011
The 4th Annual Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival of which I am a founder. Come see what the fun is about! It's free!
Poets and Writers Featured Reading
May 7, 2011 4PM
A reading with several authors from the Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival and the Levantine Cultural Center and more held at Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Bl. Venice, CA 90291
Danish Cultural Cent
May 7, 2011 10AM
An author brunch at the Danish Cultural Center! A dream come true! 16881 Bastanchury Road, Yorba Linda, CA. For more information visit the Center's website.
LA Times Book Festival 2011
April 29, 2011 - May 1, 2011 1:30pm
The annual big festival of books at University of Southern California. Panel with Danzy Senna, Jessica Hagedorn, & Susan Straight
Vermin on the Mount Reading Series
April 30, 2011 7PM
Jim Ruland's popular Vermin on the Mount Reading Series downtown in LA's Chinatown. This event features me, Stephen Elliot, and Terese Svoboda. Come on out! It's just down the street from the LA Times Festival of Books.
The New School
April 27, 2011 6:30PM
Reading & talk moderated by the wonderful Jeffery Renard Allen, at the New School, Alvin Johnson/J. M. Kaplan Hall, 66 West 12th Street, room 510, New York, NY. In person purchases can be made at The New School Box Office at 66 West 12th Street, main floor, Monday-Thursday 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., and Friday 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. The box office opens the first day of classes and closes after the last paid event of each semester. Reservations and inquiries can be made by emailing boxoffice@newschool.edu or calling 212.229.5488
Booktowne Reading & Talk
April 26, 2011 7PM
Reading and talk at Booktowne, 171 Main Street, Manasquan, New Jersey 08736. Call to reserve a spot: 732-722-7255
South Carolina Post and Courier Author Luncheon
April 21, 2011 Time TBD
An annual event hosted by the Post and Courier featuring me, Paula McClain (The Paris Wife), Luanne Rice, and more.
Author Tea: Jerrol's Bookstore & Friends of the Library
April 18, 2011
A night for tea and talk of The Girl Who Fell From the Sky with the wonderful folks in Ellensburg, WA.
Costco Signings in Southern California: Marina del Rey & Hawthorne
April 17, 2011 11AM and 1PM
Costco signings at Southern California warehouses in honor of being Pennie's Pick! You know you're going to Costco anyway--come say hello at 11AM-12:30PM at Costco-Marina del Rey and 1PM-3PM at Costco-Hawthorne.
Portland Community College Reads
April 13-14, 2011
I'll be visiting several campuses as part of the PCC Reads program:
* 10 to 11:30 a.m., Great Hall, Southeast Center (2305 S.E. Division St.) Panel on Biracial Identity
* 1:30 to 3 p.m., Wednesday, April 13, Event Center, Building 9, Rock Creek Campus (17705 N.W. Springville Road) Reading & Signing
* 9 to 10:30 a.m., Thursday, April 14, Moriarty Arts and Humanities Building Auditorium, Cascade Campus (705 N. Killingsworth St.) Talk about My Educational Journey
* 1:30 to 3 p.m., Thursday, April 14, Performing Arts Center, Sylvania Campus (12000 S.W. 49th Ave.) Live Podcast Discussion & Performance
Waucoma Books
April 12, 2011 7PM
Reading & talk hosted by the wonderful Waucoma Bookstore, at Naked Winery 102 2nd St., Hood River, OR.
Columbia Journalism School Alumni Book Signing
April 8, 2011 7:30PM
A very special night to gather in the Low Library Rotunda for an Columbia J-School Book Signing Event.
California African American Museum: Identity: You Me and What Others See Panel Discussion
April 2, 2011 1PM
A wonderful panel discussion held in conjunction with the exhibit: "IndiVisible: African-Native American Lives in the Americas" at the Museum.
LA Times Book Festival 2011
April 29, 2011 - May 1, 2011 Time TBD
The annual big festival of books at University of Southern California. Details to come!
Rediscovered Books
March 18, 2011 7PM
Reading & talk at the wonderful Rediscovered Books, 180 N. 8th Street, Boise, ID 83702, 208-376-4229.
Literary Women
March 12, 2011
An appearance at Literary Women in Long Beach, CA, along with Jayne Anne Phillips, Elaine Showalter, Tatjana Soli, Jennifer Haigh, Linda Gordon, and Rae Armantrout.
Long Beach City College
March 11, 2011 3:00PM-4:30PM
Reading & talk at the Marian Sims Baughn Literary Arts Center, Long Beach City College, 4901 East Carson Street, P104, Long Beach, California 90808, 562 938-4973.
Lewis & Clark College Campus Read
March 9, 2011 Time TBD
Reading & visits with the students of Lewis & Clark College who are reading The Girl Who Fell From the Sky.
Portland Public Schools Visits
March 7-8, 2011 Time TBD
Reading & visits with the students of Portland Public Schools who are reading The Girl Who Fell From the Sky.
Corona Public Library
March 5, 2011 2-3PM
Reading & talk at the Corona Public Library, 650 South Main Street, Corona, CA 92882.
Santa Monica Public Library
March 3, 2011 7:30PM
Reading & talk at the Santa Monica Public Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd. Santa Monica, CA.
Algonquin Night: Watermark Books
February 23, 2011 Time TBD
A celebration of all things Algonquin and a reading from The Girl Who Fell From the Sky at WatermarkBooks, 4701 East Douglas Avenue, Wichita, KS 67218-1012.
Algonquin Night: Rainy Day Books
February 22, 2011 7pm
Rainy Day Books, 2706 West 53rd Street, Fairway, KS 66205, 913-384-3126.
Orange County Literacy Council Luncheon
February 21, 2011 TIME TBA
Details and location to come!
Orange County Literacy Council
February 20, 2011 TIME TBA
4th Annual Writers for Readers featuring me, Jeffery Deaver, Mark Richard, and Kim Severson. For information click: here.
Costco: Vermont
Feb. 12, 2011 1:00PM
Signing at Costco. 218 Lower Mountain View, Colchester, VT 05446.
The Book Cellar
February 11, 2011 6PM
Reading & talk at The Book Cellar, 120 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT.
RJ Julia
February 10, 2011 7PM
Reading & talk at the wonderful R.J. Julia, 768 Boston Post Rd. Madison, CT 06443 203-245-3959.
Watchung Booksellers
February 9, 2011 7PM
Watchung Booksellers, 54 Fairfield Street, Watchung Plaza, Montclair, NJ, 07042, 973-744-7177.
Odyssey Bookshop
February 7, 2011 7PM
Odyssey Bookshop, 9 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075, 413-534-7307.
AWP 2011 Conference
February 3, 2011 9:00AM
"Short Story to Novel": a panel with Marie Mockett, Alexi Zentner, Tea Obreht, and Eugenia Kim. Thurgood Marshall North, Marriott Wardman Park
Boulder Book Store
January 31, 2011 7PM
Boulder Book store, 1107 Pearl Street, Boulder, CO, 80302, 303-447-2074.
Tattered Cover Book Club Weekend
January 29, 2011 9:00AM-4:00PM
Tattered Cover Bookstore, 1628 16th Street, Denver, CO, 80202.
34th Annual Stanford Books on Review
January 27, 2011 10AM-Noon
The 34th Annual Books-on-Review raising money for Stanford undergraduate women. I will appear with Shilpi Somaya Gowda, Steven Winn, and Tobias Woff. For tickets ($30) please call Chair Ann Tipton 925-254-5612.
Anderson's Bookshop
January 25, 2011 7PM
Anderson's Bookshop, 123 West Jefferson, Naperville, Il 60540, 630-355-2665.
Women & Children First Books
January 23, 2011 4:30PM
Women and Children First Books, 5233 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60640, 773-769-9299.
Magers & Quinn Booksellers
January 21, 2011 7:30PM
Magers & Quinn, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55408, 612-822-4611.
Diesel Books Brentwood
January 19, 2011 7PM
Diesel Books, 225 26th Street, Santa Monica, CA 310-576-9960.
Book Passage
January 17, 2011 Time 7PM
Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Boulevard, Corte MAdera, CA 94925, 415-927-0960.
Third Place Books
January 15, 2011 6:30pm
Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park, WA 98155.
Costco: Seattle
Jan. 14, 2011 12:30PM
Signing at Costco, 4401 4th Avenue S., Seattle, WA 98134.
Elliott Bay Books, Central District Forum for Arts and Ideas, & NW African American Museum
January 13, 2011 7PM
A wonderful partnership between Elliott Bay Books, Central District Forum for Arts & Ideas, and the NW African American Museum. Join us at the NW African American Museum, 2300 S. Massachusetts St., Seattle, WA 98144. For tickets click here: $7 general, $5 students/seniors. For more information contact: Additional info, Randi Courtmanch, 206-323-4032.
Broadway Books
January 11, 2011 7PM
A celebration of the paperback release of The Girl Who Fell From the Sky in my hometown at the very awesome Broadway Books, 1714 NE Broadway, Portland, OR 97232 (503-284-1726).
Algonquin Night at Flyleaf Books
January 6, 2011 6PM
A celebration of all things Algonquin and a reading from The Girl Who Fell From the Sky at the awesome Flyleaf Books, 752 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd (Historic Airport Rd.) Chapel Hill, NC 27514. See you there!
Algonquin Night at Malaprop's Bookstore
January 5, 2011 5:30PM
A celebration of all things Algonquin and a reading from The Girl Who Fell From the Sky at the legendary Malaprops Bookstore, 55 Haywood Street, Asheville, NC 28801, 828-254-6734. See you there!
Bibliocracy Radio Interview
December 15, 2011 2:30PM Pacific
Listen from the KPFK website here.
Miami Book Fair
Nov. 21, 2010, 12:30pm
An appearance at the Miami Book Fair along with writers Joanna Smith Rakoff author of A Fortunate Age and Susanna Daniel author of Stiltsville: Miami Dade College, 300 NE Second Ave., Miami, FL 33132, Room 7106/7107 (Building 7, 1st Floor).
Words & Music: New Orleans, LA
Nov. 18-21, 2010, Time TBA
A reading at the Words & Music in New Orleans.
Capital Book Fest: Charleston, SC
Nov. 6, 2010, 10:30am-11:30am
A reading at the Capital Book Fest in Charleston, S.C.
LILA MAINSTAGE (Library First Floor), Nov. 6: 10:30 a.m. – 11:25 a.m. Reading/Talk
Noni Carter- Good Fortune
Heidi Durrow – The Girl Who Fell From the Sky
Beverly Hills Literary Escape
Oct. 22 at 7pm & Oct. 24 at 10am & 1pm
An appearance at the Beverly Hills Literary Escape along with an amazing line-up of authors including Aimee Bender, Robert Goolrick, Ethan Canin, Tatjana Soli, Dani Shapiro, Abraham Verghese and more.
1. The "Moveable Feast" on Canon Friday, Oct. 22 - 7 PM
Beverly Canon Gardens
241 N. Canon Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
2. Cafe Conversations: Sunday October 24- 10AM (Please arrive by 9:15AM)
Saban Theater, 8440 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
3. Literary Luncheon: Fiction and Memoir Sunday October 24- 1PM
Via Alloro, 241 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Laguna Beach: City-Wide Read
Oct. 21, 2010, 7pm
An appearance for the City-Wide Read of The Girl Who Fell From the Sky event.
Sponsored by Laguna Beach Books and St. Mary's Episcopal Church
One City, One Book
Beginning on September 1, 2010, the people of Laguna Beach will join together to read one book. On Thursday, October 21 at 7 pm, the author will join us at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 428 Park Avenue, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, (949) 494-3542, to discuss what we've read.
West Virginia Book Festival
Oct. 16, 2010, 1:00pm
A workshop at the West Virginia Book Festival in Charleston, W.V.
"Writing about Race, Social Change & Identity"
How do you find the words to put on the page when what you are writing is sometimes "beyond words" - like issues of race and identity? How do you write into your story your vision for social change without sacrificing the readability? Heidi Durrow talks about her process writing her debut novel, The Girl Who Fell From the Sky, which was chosen by Barbara Kingsolver for the Bellwether Prize for Literature of Social Change.
Skype Visit with Glencoe, IL
October 13, 2010, 1:30PM (Chicago)
A Skype visit with the good folks of Glencoe, IL!
Wordstock: Portland, OR
October 9-10, 2010
A reading, panel and workshop at the annual Wordstock in Portland, OR.
Saturday, October 9, 9am-10:15am
"Write Yourself into Fiction" Workshop
OCC Room B119
The old adage says “write what you know,” but it can be tricky to build a fiction structure on real life experiences and emotions. How do you fictionalize life?
Reserve your spot: tickets on sale through Tickets Oregon.
$35 for one workshop, $60 for two, and $20 for each additional.
Show your proof of workshop purchase at any information booth for free festival admission.
Sunday, October 10, 11am
Reading & Talk: Columbia Sportswear Stage
Sunday, October 10, 3pm
“What Works for Me” (panel) McMenamins Stage
The Wordstock Book Fair @ the Oregon Convention Center
777 NE MLK Jr Blvd.
Portland, Oregon
10am-6pm
$7 for one day, $10 for two days. Tickets are available at TicketsWest or the door.
Children 13 and under are free.
Widener University: Chester, PA
Oct. 3-5, 2010
Visiting writer residency at Widener University, Chester, PA.
Widener University: Chester, PA
Oct. 5, 2010, 4:00pm
A reading & talk at Widener University, Chester, PA.
Book Club Visit
October 2, 2010
A visit with a private book club in Wallingford, PA!
Collingswood Book Festival
October 2, 2010, 1pm
A special visit & reading at the Collingswood Book Festival in New Jersey at 1pm, Outdoor Street Festival Along Haddon Avenue, Downtown Collingswood, NJ. For directions click here.
Book Club Visit
October 1, 2010
A visit with a private book club!
Books & Books: Reading & Talk
Sept. 30, 2010, 6:30PM
A reading at Books & Books in Coral Gables, 265 Aragon Avenue.