CORVALLIS - "I always say that we are one of the best kept secrets in Corvallis, because we have such a national reputation," CALYX director and co-founder Margarita Donnelly said. "We've published a lot of writers first or early in their careers."

Those authors include Barbara Kingsolver, Molly Gloss, Natalie Goldberg, Sharon Olds, Chitra Divakaruni, Susan Vreeland, Linda Hogan, Julia Alvarez, Eleanor Wilner (a MacArthur Fellow), Frieda Kahlo (CALYX was first to publish her art in color in the U.S.) and Wislawa Szymborska (the 1996 Nobel Laureate; CALYX was first to publish her work in English in the U.S.).

"This is not a quick process; it is time consuming, yet this long and caring process brings readers the diverse voices of women from many walks of life and is at the heart of CALYX's mission," Donnelly wrote in an essay titled "The CALYX Tradition" in the summer 2009 journal.

"It's partially the process - because we have a collective process and make decisions based on consensus," Donnelly said. "We've never just published something because of a name."

CALYX will celebrate its 33rd anniversary with the 2009 CALYX Glitterati, "Twice the Spice," from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, at the Adair Village Clubhouse.

The annual fundraiser supports the publications of CALYX, A Journal of Art and Literature by Women and CALYX Books.

Cuban salsa dancing by Rumbanana and middle-eastern music by Ala Nar (Arabic for "on fire") will add to the "Twice the Spice" theme this year, as will a selection of savory and sweet hors d'oeuvres by main sponsor Valley Catering. Wine and other beverages will also be served.

A silent auction will include a variety of items including a rare signed broadsheet of a 1986 poem "For CALYX" by Ursula K. LeGuin.

Gift certificates for Browser's Bookstore, First Alternative Co-op, Great Harvest Bread, Many Hands Trading, Nichols Garden Nursery, Sunnyside Up Cafe, Evergreen Indian Restaurant, FireWorks, American Dream Pizza, Darkside Cinema and for acupuncture and massage treatments are up for grabs.

There are also tickets to Corvallis Knights baseball, Beaver basketball, Corvallis Repertory Singers, Chamber Music Corvallis, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, daVinci Days Film Festival and more.

Among many pieces of fine art and jewelry in the auction, a trio of framed illustrations by artist Diana Cone for best-selling author Julie Powell's new book "Cleaving" will be open for bids, as will a prepared dinner in the theme of Powell's book/film "Julie and Julia."

Short readings by poets C. Lill Ahrens, Jennifer Richter, Kelly Terwilliger and Mary Zelinka will also be presented.

"We're also lucky to live in a small town where we have volunteers to read and to have grant support from federal and state private foundations and more than 600 donors across the country," Donnelly said.