by Linda Hubbard on August 18, 2025
We first met Menlo Park resident Pamela Gullard a decade ago when she wrote a book about Menlo College, where she teaches literature. She’s also written histories of Palo Alto, Portola Valley, and Atherton.
But our recent conversation focused on her latest work of fiction, a book of short stories — Lake Crescent and Other Spirits.
“While I’ve written both fiction and non-fiction, fiction will always be my first passion,” she says. “Fiction is an exploration of some difficulty that the characters encounter. I love that.
“Also, the short form interests me because it’s compact — every word counts. It’s powerful in a way I can’t put my finger on.”
The eleven stories in her latest book are set in the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle. The characters are seeking love and talk about their fears and desires. But things go wrong. Conversations break off. People leave or make outrageous demands.
You can learn more about her stories on Wednesday, August 27, when Pamela will be at Kepler’s in Menlo Park. She’ll will talk about her book from 6:00 to 6:45 pm with a wine reception following from 6:45 to 7:30 pm. Get tickets online.