From  : Melissa Balmer – Maitriquest – Creative Conscious Connecting

Tel. (562) 612-0197 Cell (562) 221-9672 email: balmer64@yahoo.com

Re: New York Times Best Selling Author Christopher Rice Makes Appearance at Western Arts Alliance Conference in Long Beach on September 1^st!

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Long Beach CA – New York Times best selling author and public speaker Christopher Rice will make an appearance at the Western Arts Alliance Conference on Wednesday September 1^st at the Long Beach Convention Center from 10:30 am to noon. KMP Artists invites you to meet Rice at their booth #820. For appointment requests and speaking engagements for 2010/2010 please contact info@kmpartists.com or call (773) 294-9816. Interviews on the exhibit hall floor are subject to approval from the floor supervisor at the Western Arts Alliance Conference and media must check-in at the Press Desk for access.

About Christopher Rice

At just 32 years old Christopher Rice comes from a family of authors and was first published at 22. His parents are Anne Rice and the late poet Stan Rice; his aunt, Alice Borchardt, is also a noted writer. Now at just 32 four of his books are New York Times best-sellers and his latest novel The Moonlit Earth was published in April of this year by Simon and Schuster.

With KMP Artists as tour manager, Christopher does public speaking, community enrichment lectures, and interactive conversations with fans throughout the United States inspiring writers everywhere. Rice speaks about writing in the South in Louisiana and now in Southern California.  A warm and engaging speaker Rice has David Sedaris like humor and talks about growing up the son of Anne Rice, contemporary American novels, and a variety of specialty topics. He also hosts various writing workshops.

When asked in 2002 about "being pegged a 'gay writer,' " Rice replied:

    “That's not what I do. I might be more open to that label if I hadn't introduced ensemble casts of characters. Granted, A Density of Souls is as close to a gay book as you can get. It revolves around a character's homosexuality, and others are described in terms of their reaction to the one character's sexuality. In that sense it's at the core of the book. The Snow Garden is about identity. With this book, I'm trying to shrug off the term "gay" author.”

Nonetheless, Rice is proud of his large following in the gay community, explaining "it was incredibly rewarding when I got a huge positive response from the character Stephen in A Density of Souls. More than a thousand young gay men contacted me and said that I captured what it was like for them going through those years. That means everything to me." Rice also writes a regular feature for the LGBT-related biweekly news magazine The Advocate called "Coastal Disturbances," in which he discusses various topics. You can learn more about him at www.christopherricebooks.com.

About KMP Artists

From solo pianists to multi-celebrity concerts, KMP is committed to bringing top quality American talent and art forms to performing art centers and universities around the country. Just a handful of their talented performers include celebrity critic Rex Reed, NYT best selling novelist Christopher Rice, master pianist Philip Fortenberry, award winning Broadway star Karen Mason and James Gavin's Stormy Weather. Partners Kristopher McDowell and Andrew Delicata are also delighted to announce they will open a Long Beach office at the beginning of 2011. For more information on KMP and their artists please go to www.kmpartists.com.

About the Western Arts Alliance Conference (WAA)

The WAA Conference convenes presenters, artists, and agents around the shared goal of programming live performances. The five-day schedule is filled with exhibits, performances, networking, speakers, classes and workshops. Unlike traditional trade shows, The Commons - our combination meeting, event and exhibit space - is where it all happens. With everything right at your fingertips in the vibrant city of Long Beach, the WAA Conference is a hub of activity, full of opportunities for artistic exploration and gaining insight and expertise from dedicated professionals. For more information please go to www.westarts.org.

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