ReadingGroupGuides.com - "Season of Personal Discovery" weekends

"Season of Personal Discovery"
Weekends

ReadingGroupGuides.com is pleased to share news about the "Season of Personal Discovery" Weekend Getaways taking place this fall in Arizona at the Fairmont Scottsdale, a AAA Five Diamond resort located in the pristine Sonoran Desert.

The six "Season of Personal Discovery" weekends, taking place from September – December, invite travelers to celebrate the literary and culinary arts. Of particular interest to our readers might be the literary-themed weekend of October 2-4 when Carol Fitzgerald, the founder of ReadingGroupGuides.com, will be at the Fairmont to join Lisa See, Anita Diamant and Debra Dean as they discuss their work and mingle with guests.

Each themed weekend includes a three-day/two-night stay at the resort, exclusive admission to the Friday "Meet the Authors" welcome cocktail reception, Saturday book readings, reminiscences, demonstrations, "Q&A" sessions, a Saturday evening "Mix & Mingle" cocktail reception and gala dinner, a farewell breakfast Sunday morning and a keepsake "Season" gift.

FOR THE LOVE OF BOOKS - October 2-4, 2009

Riveting and powerful, the novels these three authors have crafted are works of literary art. This weekend is one to relish for lovers of good books:

Lisa See - Author of On Gold Mountain, Peony In Love, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, and the current New York Times best-seller, Shanghai Girls. USA Today calls See "A gifted writer, and in Shanghai Girls she again explores the bonds of sisterhood while powerfully evoking the often nightmarish American immigrant experience."

Anita Diamant - Author of The Red Tent and Day After Night. The Boston Globe describes The Red Tent as a "vivid, intense novel...what the Bible would have been like had it been written by women, but only Diamant could have given it such sweep and grace." Meanwhile, Day After Night is set in 1945 and tells the stories of four young Jewish women following the end of World War II in Europe.

Debra Dean - Author of The Madonnas of Leningrad and Confessions of a Falling Woman. Her 2006 debut novel, The Madonnas of Leningrad, now published in 17 languages, was a New York Times Editors' Choice, Booklist Top 10 Novel and an American Library Association Notable Book of the Year. Her collection of short stories, Confessions of a Falling Woman in 2008 won the 2009 Patterson Fiction Award.

More Information and Reservations

Below are the dates of all of the events and the themes that are covered. Click each link to find more specifics about the program. Please mention the code noted when booking any of these packages so you are identified as a ReadingGroupGuides.com reader. USE CODE FOR EACH EVENT.

Or Call 800-908-9460 to make your reservations via phone. When making your reservations by phone, please just mention the name of the weekend you are booking and that the rate code should be under bookreporter.com.

September 25-27, 2009 - “LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE”
More info | Make a Reservation | Promo Code - 1U8BR1

October 2-4, 2009 - “FOR THE LOVE OF BOOKS”
More info | Make a Reservation | Promo Code - 1U8BR2

October 9-11, 2009 - “ULTIMATE GIRLS GETAWAY”
More info | Make a Reservation | Promo Code - 1U8BR3

October 23-25, 2009 - “FOOD & WINE FOR THE SOUL”
More info | Make a Reservation | Promo Code - 1U8BR4

November 6-8, 2009 - “CLOAK & DAGGER”
More info | Make a Reservation | Promo Code - 1U8BR5

December 4-6, 2009 - “GRAND FINALE WEEKEND”
“Literary Stew – Grand Finale Part I”
More info
“Small Change for Big Change - Grand Finale Part II”
More info | Make a Reservation | Promo Code - 1U8BR6

Weekends are priced at $499 per person, double occupancy and $591 per person, single occupancy. Each program includes:

A three-day/two-night stay at the resort.
Exclusive admission to the Friday "Meet the Authors" welcome cocktail reception, Saturday book readings and "Q&A" sessions
A Saturday evening "Mix & Mingle" cocktail reception and gala dinner,
A farewell breakfast Sunday morning and a keepsake "Season" gift.

Triple and quadruple occupancy pricing is available. Saturday daytime event pricing is available for Arizona residents at $275 per person including the day's seminars, author luncheon, book signing opportunity and a special "Season" gift. Also priced for locals, the Saturday evening dinner event is $185 per person. Gratuities are included in all package/pricing options; resort taxes are additional on an overnight stay.

"Season" guests also have the opportunity to enjoy other resort amenities featuring the top-rated Willow Stream-The Spa at Fairmont Scottsdale, with special value-adds, such as a complimentary express massage, facial, manicure or pedicure with a 90-minute spa treatment. Guests may also relax at one of Fairmont Scottsdale's five pools, play a round at the Stadium Course at the TPC Scottsdale, go fishing at the resort's lagoon or take in a game of tennis with the scenic McDowell Mountains as the backdrop.