FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Rae Jones, RAEDIANT Communications
323.294.5280

INTERNATIONAL AWARD-WINNING ARTIST SYNTHIA SAINT JAMES TO UNVEIL SIGNATURE
IMAGE FOR LEIMERT PARK VILLAGE BOOK FESTIVAL

(Los Angeles, CA) - An original, signature image for the inaugural Leimert Park Village Book Festival will be unveiled by international award-winning artist and author Synthia Saint James when "Celebrating Our Literary Legacy:
Our Heritage, Our Words, Our Stories," will be held beginning at 10 a.m., Saturday, June 30, 2007 in Leimert Park Village at Degnan Blvd. and 43rd Street, Los Angeles.

Commissioned by book festival creator, Cynthia E. Exum, self taught artist and 38- year artistic veteran, Saint James will unveil an image created solely for the historic first Leimert Park Village Book Festival.
"Art, for me, is a very precious gift from above and within," offered Saint James. "In creating art, I get to share my pure physical and visual impressions in various forms."

Having created more than 60 book covers, including books by Alice Walker, Terry McMillan, Iyanla Vanzant and others, Saint James also has completed more than 50 commissioned works for major corporations, organizations and
individual collectors, including the United States Postal Service for whom she created the original Kwanzaa stamp.
Also an author, Saint James has written or illustrated 20 books for children.

"We are ecstatic to have the renowned and acclaimed Ms. Saint James involved in our history-making first Leimert Park Village literary festival," commented event creator, Cynthia E. Exum. "We had high hopes from the beginning and now we are absolutely thrilled to have Ms. Saint James bring her artistic vision, along with the talent and celebrity of our honorary co-chairs and authors Hill Harper and Victoria Rowell." Honoring the memory of four-time best selling novelist and journalist, Bebe Moore Campbell, who succumbed to brain cancer last fall at age 56 years,
"Celebrating Our Literary Legacy," will feature more than 100 writers storytellers, poets, publishers, book sellers, literary vendors and spoken word artists, including a Children's Village and Reading Corner in addition
to workshops and panel discussions.

A special workshop, "Masculinity and Hip Hop," will be offered by acclaimed authors, Mel Donalson (Dancing on Quick Sand/Black Directors in Hollywood); Michael Datcher (Raising Fences); Fred Smith (Down for Whatever); and Jervey
Tervalon (Dead Above Water and Lita). And, the Stephanie Starks Hope Foundation will donate a new book to every child from pre-school to 8th grade age levels through its Project Read for Hope initiative. Performing artist Charles Wright (Express Yourself), former Raelette, Mabel John, Pan African Film Festival's Kamau Daood and former L.A. City Council member John C. Farrell will review the 1972 Wattstax concert and documentary as part of another featured panel, "Remembering Wattstax: Then and Now."

Other panel topics include "Mystery, Murder and Mayhem," 'Black Media Today," and "Creating Stories and Tales for Children," among others. Workshops include "How to Get Published," "How to Write a Best Selling Novel," and "How to Write and Produce a Screenplay." Produced by Cynthia E. Exum and Associates in conjunction with 8th District
City Councilmember Bernard C. Parks, Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas (D., 26th Dist.), Eso Won Books and Helping One Another, Inc., the Leimert Park Village Book Festival also will be held in association with the Department
of Cultural Affairs, the Leimert Park Village Merchant's Association, the Leimert Park Village Certified Farmers Market and the City of Los Angeles. Sponsors include Washington Mutual, Starbucks, KABC-7, Time Warner Cable,
the United States Postal Services, Nestles, Broadway Federal Bank and Our Weekly newspaper.

For details contact Cynthia E. Exum at 323.828.7997,
forward questions to info@leimertparkbookfair.com

The Leimert Park Village Book Festival is free and open to the public.

For more information on involvement opportunities and author/vendor registration
please contact: Cynthia Exum - 323.828.7997.