E Train Talks

Hi, I’m Ethan, a 14-year-old award-winning literacy advocate, podcast host, and founder of E Train Talks, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to inspiring a love of reading in kids of all ages and helping to end book deserts in underserved communities throughout the Sacramento area.

The wonderful author Wendelin Van Draanen, who was a guest on my book podcast about a year ago, suggested I reach out to you about sharing my program at your upcoming book festival. She’s familiar with the literacy advocacy work I do in the Sacramento area and thought it might be a good fit.

I started my literacy program over three years ago, and since then, I’ve donated more than 7,500 brand new books to children in underserved communities and Title One schools across the region. I’ve also interviewed over one-hundred authors and spoken at school assemblies and reached thousands of children across the U.S., both in person and virtually.

I’d love the opportunity to share my program and help celebrate children’s stories with a table at your book festival. To learn more, feel free to visit my website at www.etraintalks.org or find me on social media at:
Twitter: https://x.com/ETrainsWorld
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/etraintalks/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/etraintalks/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/e-train-talks-inc-84a138257/

Mustard Seed School

Mustard Seed School is a free, private, emergency school serving children experiencing homelessness, ages 3 to 15. While families work with our Outreach Team to seek a stable living situation, community resources and more, eachstudent is welcomed into a classroom environment lovingly prepared with their academic and social-emotional needs in mind.

Students receive healthy snacks and meals, school supplies, clothing, survival supplies, counseling, health screenings, and access to various other community resources.

Mustard Seed’s main goal is to provide a safe, structured, nurturing environment as we prepare students to enroll in public school. 

Friends of the Sacramento Public Library – Book Den

Friends of the Sacramento Public Library is a volunteer helpmate to the award-winning Sacramento Public Library system. As a membership-supported nonprofit, the Friends advocate, raise funds, and provide crucial support to the system’s 28 libraries. There is a Branch Friends Group at each of the 28 branch libraries of Sacramento Public Library. Friends of the Sacramento Public Library is proud to serve as a community ambassador for the Library. Our volunteer activities help the Library expand the materials and programs serving our diverse community beyond those normally included in the Library’s operating budget. We also advocate on behalf of increased funding for the Library through our public relations initiatives and publications.

About the Book Den: The Book Den is a brick and mortar, non-profit, used bookstore run by the Friends. We average about 80,000 used books, media, magazines, games, puzzles, records, DVDs, and CDs between our store and warehouse. We also sell on Amazon and Ebay in addition to special sales throughout the year along with donating to many other non-profits, schools, etc.. Everything is donated and we are all volunteers. The Book Den is located at 8250 Belvedere Ave E, Sacramento, CA 95826. We’re open for sales on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 9am to 3pm. Donations are taken on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9am to noon.

Lavender Library

The Lavender Library is a volunteer-run LGBTQ+ library, archive, and community space in Sacramento with queer books, films, archives, zines, and more.

We host book clubs, support groups, open mic nights, craft markets, and other community events year-round.

Amatoria Fine Art Books

Amatoria Fine Art Books is the Sacramento region’s only bookstore specializing in the arts. We are a woman-artist-owned brick & mortar in the heart of Midtown, with over 10,000 high-quality fine art books, prints, ephemera, and original art. curated to ignite your imagination.

Avid Reader Davis

Since 1987 in Davis, California, The Avid Reader has been slinging books around the greater Yolo area for more than 30 years. Long walks on the beach and glasses of sparkling wine at midday are lovely, but we prefer curling up in the corner of a couch with a few books, some tea, and maybe a warm dog at our feet.

Capitol Crimes

We are the Sacramento, California chapter of Sisters in Crime, an international mystery writers organization dedicated to enhancing visibility and representation of diverse voices in the genre and across the marketplace. Membership offers networking, guidance, educational events, professional development, support, and mentorship to those who are published as well as those who have not yet published their work. Whether you love writing mysteries or love reading them, you’ll discover a host of fabulous programs, events and networking resources at Capitol Crimes.

Cornsilk Press

Cornsilk Press™ is an independent press in Sacramento County that publishes creative nonfiction and personal narrative books for adults (Family Storyteller Series) and fiction books for children (Children’s Bookshelf Series). The goal of Cornsilk Press is to offer books with authentic voice and imaginative content appealing to readers enthusiastic about American history and culture. Sandra S. Navarro is Cornsilk Press’s principal author and illustrator. An American anthropologist, Sandra’s work is inspired by family archives of photographs, letters, diaries, and collected memorabilia. She also finds inspiration in vintage artifacts, antiques, stories from the past, and folklore.

Cultural Connections Publishing

Cultural Connections Publishing specializes in multicultural/multilingual materials for the early childhood/elementary level. Publications include bilingual Spanish/English picture books: “ZACK EL CONEJO…ZACK THE RABBIT”, “LOS PINGÜINOS PUEDEN….PENGUINS CAN” and ÁRBOLES PARA LAS MARIPOSAS MONARCA…TREES FOR THE MONARCH BUTTERFLIES”. We also publish games for all ages, including beginning bird identification, animals of the continents, and arts of Mexico.

Elk Grove Writers Guild, Inc.

Elk Grove Writer’s Guild, Inc – In early 2018 a woman saw a need for an all-genre, one-day, writers conference in Elk Grove that wouldn’t cost $2000 – $3000 to attend plus airfare and lodging. How hard could it be? She found three like-minded writers, and they went to work. The first Elk Grove Writers Conference of October, 2018 was a surprising success. Encouraged by that success, they filed the required State and Federal documents and by early 2020, they were a legal nonprofit doing business as the Elk Grove Writers Guild, Inc. Their mission statement says they will, “Help Writers Be the Best They Can Be Through Education and Networking.”  

Horror Writer’s Association – Sacramento Chapter

We are Horror Writers Association members based in the Greater Sacramento Area and beyond. We hold monthly meetings and regularly host public events to highlight our love of stories from the dark side.

Jaym Gates

Jaym Gates is an editor, author, and occasional defense and security consultant. After five years as the Communications Director for the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association, she spent a few years as a freelancer before moving into the tech world, where she works for a not-for-profit standards organization. She has co-edited the anthologies War Stories, Strategy Strikes Back, and Winning Westeros, co-founded Falstaff Books, and has edited and written for games such as Pathfinder, Gloomhaven, Oathsworn, Blue Rose, and Zorro the Roleplaying Game. In her spare time, she consults for space and defense interests and spends time with her horses and dogs in the Seattle area.

Mumblers Press

Mumblers Press is a San Francisco micropress launching its ninth and tenth books this year, with three more in the pipeline for 2026 and beyond. Our first five novels were from LGBTQ+ writers, but we have branched out to straight authors. From unearthing a buried past, to coming out, coming of age and coming unstuck,, our settings, characters, genres and topics are highly diverse. What do all these books have in common? Good stories.

New Wind Publishing

New Wind is an independent publisher dedicated to providing readers with quality fiction and non-fiction. We believe in the craft of writing, the importance of books, and the ability of the written word to express truth, convey beauty, and change lives. We work closely and collaboratively with each writer through the stages of bringing a book to life.  Founded in Sacramento, California, in 1995, we first issued a series of books for medical providers on how to find the best information on the Internet, and quickly branched out to include other topics. In 2014 we began publishing fiction for teens and adults, and in 2019, poetry. We are dedicated to environmental practices; we ship orders using recycled boxes, envelopes and packing materials.

Northern California Chapter of Sisters in Crime

Founded in 1992, the Northern California Chapter of Sisters in Crime is a friendly group of people, both writers and readers, who share a common passion for mysteries. The National Sisters in Crime was founded to represent and advocate for women crime writers. We continue to work for all who share our commitment to and love for a vibrant, inclusive community.

Northern California Publishers & Authors

Northern California Publishers & Authors (NCPA) is an alliance of independent publishers, authors, and publishing professionals in Northern California. Formed in 1991, our purpose is to foster, encourage, and educate authors, small publishers, and those interested in becoming authors and publishers.

Northern California Romance Writers

Northern California Romance Writers is located in the Sacramento area of Northern California. Our goal is to educate and encourage all those interested in pursuing romance writing. We also welcome all fiction writers to join us for our monthly meetings, as many of the topics presented are of general interest to anyone interested in the craft and business of writing.

Paper Lantern Writers

The Paper Lantern Writers are an author collective focused on historical fiction of all eras. From the medieval world to WWII (and beyond), in locales around the world, from romantic to tragic, and back again, our books will take you on the journeys of a lifetime. There’s a story to be told everywhere you look and we’d love to be your tour guides.

Sibylline Press

Sibylline Press is a California-based traditional publisher of women over 50 (only!). These women have powerful stories and are largely overlooked in society and in mainstream publishing, but our authors are prize-winning, university and high school teachers, professionals, grandparents, LGBTQIA, of all ethnicities. In common? They are brilliant storytellers.

Specific Culinary Designs

At Specific Culinary Designs, we believe food is more than nourishment—it’s a pathway to wellness, creativity, and connection. We are an independent publisher and design studio dedicated to creating cookbooks and specialty titles that serve unique dietary needs, craft beautiful stories and serve niche culinary communities.

Our work blends evidence-informed content with beautiful, accessible design, ensuring that every book we create is as functional in the kitchen as it is inspiring on the shelf. From therapeutic diets to culinary themed stories, we specialize in turning complex food journeys into clear, engaging, and visually compelling guides.

At Specific Culinary Designs, we don’t just publish cookbooks—we design books for living well, eating joyfully, and crafting creativity in the kitchen.

Stonehenge Writers

Stonehenge Writers is a group of Sacramento-based independent authors, all in speculative genres, who have weekly writing meetings and quarterly retreats where we share our work and discuss technique. We have been meeting for almost 15 years, and our authors have published dozens of books.

Underground Books

Underground Books opened in the summer of 2003 under the direction of St. HOPE (Nonprofit 501c3) and is part of the 40 Acres Cultural Center in Oak Park.

Water Dragon Publishing

Water Dragon Publishing publishes tales of fantasy and wonder.
Small Publishing in a Big Universe Marketplace: Small Publishing in a Big Universe Marketplace provides a platform where independent authors and publishers can promote and sell their work.