Join Melody Chu\, author of Mathey Gir ls: A Novel\, and her publicist Mara Leventhal\, as they chart the su ccess of Mathey Girls over its first year. Melody published M athey Girls in May 2025 and has since participated in numerous librar y events\, book clubs\, and community engagements. Mathey Girls w as selected for the Princeton Alumni Weekly fall 2026 book club\, the firs t time that a self-published book has been chosen. Melody was also include d in Cleveland Magazine's Most Interesting People 2026. Hear how Melody and Mara launched the novel and generated local interest through pr ess outreach\, social media\, and events. Mara will explain how to identif y your audience\, generate a marketing plan\, and apply the principles of Mathey Girls' success to promotion of your own work.
\nMelody Chu writes co ntemporary fiction featuring complicated Asian American characters. She wa s born and raised in Cleveland\, Ohio\, the daughter of Chinese immigrants from Taiwan. Melody graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law S chool and has practiced as an attorney in Hong Kong\, Beijing and the Unit ed States. She lives in Shaker Heights\, Ohio\, with her husband and three children. Her debut novel\, Mathey Girls\, was published in May 2025. In September 2025\, Melody hosted a Cleveland Public Library event a t the Asiatown ArtBox\, attended by nearly 200 community members. She has been interviewed by Kabir Bhatia on Ideastream\, featured on FreshWater Cl eveland\, and included in Cleveland Magazine's Most Interesting People 202 6. Melody regularly speaks to book clubs\, writing groups\, and community organizations. Contact her at melody@melodychuauthor.com. \;
\n< br />Mara Leventhal\, \;PR and Media Specialist
\nMara Leventhal helps artists\, nonprofits and community leaders tell th eir stories and expand their audience. A native Clevelander\, Mara moved t o New York after graduating from Ohio State University with a B.A. in Engl ish. She produced national and international news stories at MSNBC before joining the Communications Department of the American Red Cross in Greater New York. After moving to Miami\, she worked between nonprofit and politi cal worlds\, including a feminist grantmaking foundation\, a political cam paign and a government relations firm. Her freelance writing has appeared in Forbes.com\, Miami New Times\, \;and Huffington Post\, and her PR campaigns for artists and non-profits have garnered stori es in outlets including The New York Times\, Time Out NY \, NBC Miami\, and Northeast Ohio&rsquo\;s Ideastream Public Media. Mara&r squo\;s volunteer involvement in Miami included leading a women&rsquo\;s c ivic engagement organization and co-hosting a current events radio talk sh ow. She is thrilled to be back in Greater Cleveland with her husband and t hree children.
\nhttps://cuyahoga.libnet.info/event/16618928 URL;VALUE=URI:https://cuyahoga.libnet.info/event/16618928 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR