Why Do AI and Novels and Julia Morgan intrigue Mara Purl?
The Californer/10256384

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - Californer -- Mara Purl has a busy autumn in the Central Coast. First comes her starring role as the famous architect in the plays= "Becoming Julia Morgan," presented at the Cambria Center for the Arts. "It's a remarkable play about one of California's icons," Purl commented. "We're always thrilled to perform it, and we're excited to work with Jane Lloyd, the Program Director at CCAT." The group of experienced thespians, including Director Linda Wilson, actors Dan Murray and Tony Acosta, are well known in the region. Purl joins them from Los Angeles to helm the cast.

"The great Julia Morgan is being rediscovered," Purl added. "She had just begun slipping over the event horizon into obscurity. Along came playwright Belinda Taylor to put her in the spotlight again. We did two previous productions in buildings Morgan actually built: the Monday Club in San Luis Obispo, and Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland. Time and again, audience members say "I feel I met her!"

Next on Purl's busy autumn agenda is the Milford-Haven Tour. Ever wanted to know the real places that inspired the fictional ones in her best-selling books? Her readers are clamoring to know.

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The focus of Purl's multiple award-winning series is the life and times of people who inhabit her fictional town. She'll lead friends and followers to two lighthouses, a glass-bottom boat tour, a hike at the mysterious "Cove," a stroll through Cambria's famous Scarecrow Festival, and conclude with a wine tasting overlooking the ocean. Locations will stretch from Avila Beach and Point San Luis, through Morro Bay, Cambria, and San Simeon.

"I can hardly wait to share 'behind the scenes' stories," Purl enthused. "There's so much history! There's my original radio drama that launched in Cambria and became the first American radio serial broadcast on the BBC where it reached 4.5 million listeners. And now there are 10 books in my series of novels and novellas." The books have won more than 60 book awards and attracted a loyal following across the country.

Third on her list of major events is the Central Coast Writers Conference. One of the premier author events in California, the conference attracts some of the top speakers and attendees in the field.

This year it promises to be a truly cutting edge event, starting with its opening session. The topic? Artificial Intelligence, with presenters touting its benefits on the one hand, and offering warnings about its dangers on the other. Conference director Brian Schwartz chose Purl as the moderator to start off the day with a bang.

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"I've been studying non-stop ever since I received the invitation," Purl admitted. "There's a new development about AI almost every day! From copyright infringement and intellectual property theft on one side, to the tremendous excitement of new frontiers in research and efficiency on the other hand. We all have much to learn," the author stated.

What's next for the busy author-speaker-performer? Does all this leave any time for the author to write her next novel? "Absolutely!" She declared. "The fourth novel will be published in 2024, and there are three novellas in the works as well." Does she see any end to the saga? "I always have more stories to tell about my fictional Milford-Haven. Why? Because it's all about the characters and the unfoldment of their lives, their hopes and dreams, their challenges and the unwinding of their snarls. As the major characters in the first generation get themselves sorted, the next generation is coming along, just in time to need some mentoring. The possibilities are endless."

https://MaraPurl.com. #MaraPurl Follow Mara on Facebook.com/MaraPurl and Instagram @MaraPurl