Novelist and social activist Isabel Allende – the author of 17 books including The House of the Spirits and Daughter of Fortune (an Oprah pick) – comes to Bellevue on Tuesday, March 17, as keynote speaker for the YWCA Eastside Inspire Luncheon.

The event takes place at the Meydenbauer Center from Noon to 1:30 p.m. with all proceeds benefiting the work of the YWCA of Seattle-King-Snohomish to advance the lives of women and families.

A native of Peru who spent much of her childhood in Bolivia and Lebanon, Allende moved to Chile as a teenager only to be forced into exile at age 30 following the assassination of her cousin and godfather, President Salvador Allende. Before becoming a novelist, she worked as a journalist for 10 years for magazines, television shows and movie documentaries. During her years in Chile, she became active in women’s issues.

“When I was young, I often felt desperate: so much pain in the world and so little I could do to alleviate it,” Allende said in an interview on a women artists Web site. “But now I look back at my life and feel satisfied because few days went by without at least trying. A day at a time, a person at time; in the end it adds up.”

She was 38 years old when she began her literary career with The House of the Spirits, which was an American bestseller and was recognized as the best novel of the year in Chile, Germany and Switzerland. She has since sold more than 51 million books in 32 languages worldwide.

The author founded the Isabel Allende Foundation to advance social and economic justice with a vision of empowering women and girls and protecting women and children.

“Each of us must act without delay to empower girls to take control of their lives, even if they stumble and fall a hundred times. With our help, they can succeed,” she said.

To register for the March 17 YWCA Eastside Inspire Luncheon or to learn more, visit the Web site at www.ywcaworks.org or call 206.490.4378. A minimum donation of $150 will be requested at the event.