Many thanks, Los Gatos, for inspiring us for 15 years and counting. Thank you for being our creative sanctuary when the world, writing, life and our dreams needed the kind of grounding and encouragement that could only come from the kind of solace we’ve discovered in your charming village and in the comfort of our 20-year-old friendship.
At first, we sought you out of convenience. Edna, an author-illustrator and poet with credits in children’s and middle-grade literature, lives up north in Alameda. Laura, an author of memoir, and ghostwriter of books and screenplays, lived down south in Los Angeles, then eventually moved up to Big Sur, Carmel Valley, and settled in Santa Cruz.
We got to know each other in an online critique group through the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. In the early years of our friendship, when fate brought us within driving distance, Los Gatos started as a convenient “in the middle” place to meet. While we tried a few other places, like Salinas and San Jose, they didn’t feed our soul and creative spirit the way Los Gatos does. Here, we feel relaxed and a world away from our RL (real life). This is our place to “talk story,” as Edna likes to say.
Talking story can mean anything from reading each other’s writing, giving heartfelt feedback, chatting about our latest writing escapades, sharing our hopes and dreams, laughing about life and love, getting caught up with the latest news about our growing families, hugging during times of trials and heartache, encouraging each other to keep going in our creative pursuits no matter what (with silver bracelets that we wear inscribed with “keep f******* going,” lest we forget), and creating artwork to unleash our creative powers in new ways.
The art projects Edna coordinated for us over the years would eventually heal Laura’s spirit in such a way that it brought her writing back to life (she had lost her ability to write during a tumultuous time). Our meetups over the decades have given us the gift of time––to create, to simply be painters, artists, writers…whatever. Without judgment. Without expectation. Without labels.
Over the years, we’ve dealt with rejections, stuck with our WIPs (works in progress), powered through (the now-defunct) NaNoWriMo, celebrated publications, and made resilience, perseverance and laughter our North Star. As writers, our special bond has flourished on our day-long writer getaways in Los Gatos. Over time, we started calling each other “Tita,” which means “sister” in Hawaiian. Edna, who has danced hula professionally with Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu, a critically acclaimed hālau (school of hula) and dance company for over 30 years, welcomed Laura to the sisterhood even though she’s hula-challenged.
When the world opened up again after the pandemic, we met up in the village park in Los Gatos for the first time IRL (in real life). It had been over two years. We’ll never forget what it meant to hug each other again, get some food, and spend hours seated on one of the benches in the shade, reconnecting.
Our writing journey in Los Gatos is fueled by equal parts food, conversation and laughter. At first, we met at the Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company, back when they had a specialty grocery store attached to the establishment. Then we discovered Fleur de Cocoa, where we continue to enjoy tasty lunches and incredible chocolate creations. The salade niçoise, onion soup and chocolate treats are among our favorites. Laura discovered the place when she needed macaroons to create gifts for her daughter’s bridal shower guests.
Great Bear Coffee is another special place, introduced to Laura by her assistant who lived in Los Gatos. This charming spot is perfect for getting your creative vibe on for hours (they had us with their Rose Cardamom and Apple Spice Lattes!). Having the Apple store close by has come in handy on a few occasions, too.
Last Wednesday, at the Great Bear Coffee Roasting, we celebrated some big milestones. Laura released her first memoir (38 years in the making) in mid-August on the 80th anniversary of VJ Day—Dear Laura, A Lost Chapter of WWII: A Father-Daughter Adventure of Courage, Faith & Freedom (Merack Publishing). Edna has a new comic out this October in LET’S GO!, a middle-grade comic anthology successfully crowd-funded on Kickstarter through Kids Comics Unite. In March 2026, Edna’s new poem will appear in the middle-grade poetry anthology, “FOR THE WIN, Poems Celebrating Phenomenal Athletes” (Lerner/Carolrhoda).
Here’s to another 15 years!
Edna’s latest book: Honu and Moa (Beachhouse) beachhousepublishing.com
Edna’s website: kidlitedna.com
Laura’s latest book: Dear Laura, A Lost Chapter of WWII: amzn.to/4lJsNpj
Laura’s website: laurasmagicday.com
