VANCOUVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Award winning BC entrepreneur and author Cathrine Ann, whose compelling memoir “Beautiful Buttons” describes her triumph over a troubled and shocking past, has been slated to participate in the 2011 Brisbane Writers Festival. Ann is one of only 29 international writers invited to the event, which boasts an audience of 30,000.
“I am thrilled to be asked to participate in what is arguably one of the most prestigious writers festivals in the world,” says Ann. Ironically, Ann was recently turned down by the annual writers festival in Sechelt, where she has resided for the last 12 years. “They basically said my book 'wasn’t right' for the event, which is disappointing given that this is now my home town.” She added, “some people still aren’t prepared to hear stories like mine, but Australia obviously feels differently.”
In Queensland, Ann will participate in a number of panels and will be interviewed by prominent Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio host Richard Fidler. She will also share the podium with author Eva Gabrielsson, partner of the late Stieg Larsson, for a session titled “Catharsis: The Narrative of Trauma.”
A highly sought after inspirational speaker, Ann’s rags to riches story includes an abusive childhood, forays into prostitution and living in a car when she founded her multi-million dollar business, Consumer Connection. She has won numerous awards and accolades from such powerful women as Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle, Maria Shriver and Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallon.
First published by Key Porter in hard cover in 2010, “Beautiful Buttons” was promptly chosen as a top pick by Chatelaine and lauded by the Globe & Mail who named her “an inspiration to women everywhere.” The book sold well by the time Key Porter shut down, prompting an offer from Toronto based publisher BPS Books.
The new revised paperback version of “Beautiful Buttons,” will be distributed through the Ingram Book Group and will be available by the end of August in bookstores and online in Canada, the US, the UK and Australia, also on Kindle, ibook and Amazon.