Orange County author Randy Kraft to launch Off Season, her new novel set in Laguna Beach, with April

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif., March 22, 2023 –– Former journalist Randy Kraft will launch her third novel, Off Season, at a reading and book talk on Sunday, April 2, at 4 p.m. at the Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center, 235 Forest Avenue. Admission is $20 and includes a copy of the book. Net proceeds will go to the Center to support literary events. 

The novel explores the question of what we owe each other in the name of love. Set in Laguna Beach in the winter months leading up to the pandemic, the story follows three couples at different stages of their relationships – steadfast, dependent, and divorced. Off season annually offers a breather for the landscape and locals but may also present an opportunity to forge an entirely new path. 

Kraft says the novel is for readers who enjoy fiction about intimacy, the passing of time, and unexpected obstacles on the way.

Kraft has been writing fiction for nearly 20 years. She also writes book reviews and coaches aspiring writers. She holds a master’s degree in writing and an MBA. As a journalist, she wrote for regional and national magazines and local newsweeklies, including the Laguna Beach Independent. As a communications and fundraising strategist, she has worked with several local nonprofit organizations, including Friendship Shelter, the Laguna Food Pantry, and Laguna Beach Seniors, Inc. Since migrating west from Connecticut 17 years ago, she has published two novels and a collection of short stories. Several of her stories have appeared in literary magazines. Her book reviews and literary blog can be found at randykraft.substack.com.

The painting on the book cover is by Laguna Beach artist Tracey Moscaritolo.

Doors open at 3:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance at lbculturalartscenter.org. 

The Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center’s mission is to harness the power of the arts to benefit the community. The Center is just off Coast Highway at 235 Forest Avenue, upstairs above the Promenade in Laguna Beach, the heart of Southern California’s premier art colony.