"A book about a Riverdale girl by a Riverdale girl!"

Join local author and Riverdale resident Cara Kagan as she talks about her book - The Rise, Fall and Return of Sarah Mandelbaum. You'll hear all about Cara, the book, and the challenges she had to get it published. A book signing will be held after the talk.

About the book - After a soul-crushing stint at music school, Sarah Mandelbaum thinks her star is finally on the rise when she's recruited by the fabulous Fiona Campbell for a top spot at high-fashion Sophistiquée magazine. But almost as soon as she slips into her first pair of stilettos, Sarah realizes that between the plotting and scheming of the industry's Fashion Flamingos and outrageous demands from Sophistiquée's creative director Henri-François Bernard, her fall is imminent. Caught between the need to pay off her staggering student loans and the struggle to regain her self-confidence, Sarah seems completely stuck between that proverbial rock and a hard place. But with the help of a tattooed guitar teacher, a statuesque Southern pastry chef, 90-lb financial analyst with anger management issues, and a rockstar muse, she discovers the true path to her return. The question is: Will she take it?

Cara Kagan is a writer, musician, commercial copywriter, and award-winning author who has contributed to many national magazines, including Self, Shape, Fitness, Glamour, Real Simple, InStyle, Harper's Bazaar, and The New York Post's Alexa. She got her start writing style and beauty for the fashion and beauty bible, Women's Wear Daily, and then became beauty and fitness director for YM and Mode magazines. Cara is most proud of creating Girl, the first multi-cultural and multi-size fashion and beauty magazine for teens. Despite her wild hair, sensible shoes, and decidedly "basic" fashion sense, she also served as Elle magazine's beauty and fitness director. She lives in The Bronx, where she volunteers for KRVC and 4Bronx Project. She also leads the KRVC Riverdale Community Book Club. Cara lives with her husband of 32 years, Andrew.

The book is available wherever books are sold, including Amazon and barnesandnoble.com, in paperback and e-book formats.