Mandy Jackson-Beverly’s “Lunch with An Author Literary Series” at El Encanto

El Encanto, A Belmond Hotel, holds a monthly “Lunch with an Author Literary Series,” led by lectiophile and host of The Bookshop Podcast, Mandy Jackson-Beverly. The program includes meeting the author, a signed copy of the book, the author interview hosted by Jackson-Beverly, a three-course lunch, and complimentary valet parking.

This year saw A-List authors like T. C. Boyle – Blue Skies; Annie Barrows – The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society; and Steven Rowley – The Guncle Abroad. 

Coming up for September through December are Jan Carson – Quickly, While They Still Have Horses; Dani Shapiro – Signal Fires; Gillian Flynn – Gone Girl; and Dawn Tripp’s book on Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis titled Jackie. 

Given that it’s sold-out every time, your Society news reporter booked a meeting with Jackson-Beverly to uncover the pages of this cult following series.

During our lunch, Jackson-Beverly was refreshingly open and happy to talk about her career path. She grew up in Australia and moved from Tasmania to Sydney at sixteen to study the flute. In 1982, she relocated to London where, after working as a chambermaid, was offered a position in the fashion industry as an assistant manager turned buyer for Browns South Molton Street. Next, she traveled to Los Angeles and worked as a stylist with A-List directors Joel and Ethan Coen, David Fincher, Steve Barron, Peter Care, and music icons David Bowie, Madonna, George Michael, Billy Idol, Tom Petty, Gloria Estefan, and Tina Turner. She met her musician husband Brian Beverly on set. With the birth of their two sons, Angus and Jack, they left L.A. to reside in Ojai. There she formed her podcast, authored a supernatural book series, and taught art at the local high school.

Q. Your thoughts on the value of reading books.

A. One of the reasons I started The Bookshop Podcast is because reading is imperative to the growth of humanity. Reading well-written fiction and creative nonfiction helps us become more empathetic to others. We experience the world through another’s POV.

Since 2020, I’ve interviewed over 160 authors and 175 independent bookshop owners and booksellers globally, and a subject that comes up repeatedly is global literacy rates. According to The National Literacy Institute, 54% of adults have a literacy rate below a 6th grade level, and 20% are below 5th grade. Low levels of literacy cost the U.S. up to 2.2 trillion dollars per year. Three out of four people on welfare can’t read. Twenty percent of Americans read below the level needed to earn a living wage. While these statistics are shocking, research shows that when a child has 20 print books in their home library, they will have greater literacy and numeracy in adulthood.

I was lucky; I grew up in a home where stories were shared and books were cherished, and going to the local library was my favorite day of the week. My sons grew up surrounded by books, nonfiction and fiction. They saw my husband and I read, we read to them, and they became passionate readers.

I started my podcast during lockdown to support independent bookshops, authors, and to explore literary genres out of one’s comfort zone. I’m working with “Books in Homes USA” as their partner podcast to ensure that every child in the nation receives new books to add to their home library.

Any spoiler alerts for 2025’s Lunch with An Author? 

Former El Encanto General Manager Janis Clapoff and I created the “Lunch with An Author Literary Series” together. The purpose of creating this Literary Series was to build community through literature and introduce authors and books I feel need to be shared with the Santa Barbara community. El Encanto’s new General Manager Pedro Dias and I are meeting over the next few weeks to explore the literary series for 2025 and beyond. As for spoiler alerts? Mum’s the word! I also hope to continue working with the marketing and events team at El Encanto to develop themed panel events similar to the Gen Z panel we held in 2023, which was a tremendous success.

A caveat you wish to share?

I recently turned 65. I have boundless energy and more creative ideas than I know what to do with. My mantra on my office wall reads, “I believe in creativity, not marred by conformity.” When T. C. Boyle was our guest at the “Lunch with Author Literary Series” at the El Encanto, I mentioned this to him, and he agreed, saying, “That’s pretty much what I’ve done and believed all my life.”  

Watch out, world. There’s a whole bunch of female baby boomers reaching maturity, and we’re just getting started!

411: https://mandyjacksonbeverly.com

www.sevenrooms.com/experiences/elencantothediningroom/literary-lunches-10693785905