We’re excited to bring two debut authors to our stage: Kate Brandt (Hope for the Worst) and Marcia Bradley (The Home for Wayward Girls). During our time together, Marcia and Kate will interview each other about their books, and each author will read excerpts that help answer the questions. They will also talk about the writing-to-publishing process, balancing writing with their "other lives," and end with a Q&A with the audience.
Both books will be available for purchase and signing. Author profits from the sale of Hope for the Worst will be donated to a scholarship fund for adult literacy students who attend the City University of New York (CUNY).
This event is free, but we ask you to RSVP here for planning purposes.
Hope for the Worst
Ellie is twenty-four years old, stuck in a dead-end job, and questioning the meaning of life when she meets the much older Calvin. When she becomes the center of his attention, it's almost pure bliss... until it becomes clear that Calvin expects sex as part of the bargain. Calvin's lectures stress the Buddhist concept of non-attachment, but that doesn't salve her wounds when he abandons her. Suddenly alone, Ellie must find a way to heal from her loss-but not before devotion to her teacher takes her halfway across the world to Tibet, and puts her life in real danger.
Kate Brandt
Kate Brandt is a writer, adult literacy teacher, traveler, and student of Buddhism. She is a graduate of the MFA Writing program at Sarah Lawrence College, and her work has appeared in literary anthologies and a number of publications, including Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, Literary Mama, and Redivider. Hope for the Worst is her first novel.
The Home for Wayward Girls: “On Goodreads 105 of the buzziest novels of 2023 list!”
Growing up in the 1990s, a young girl escapes her abusive parents–and the “ranch” they run for “bad” girls - becoming an advocate for teen runaways and a foe of today’s Troubled Teen Industry where teens are sent to programs in isolated locales and wilderness camps. This heartfelt novel offers hope despite harrowing circumstances, pays homage to the difference a teacher can make in a student’s life, and will appeal to fans of Joanna Goodman and Lisa Wingate.
Marcia Bradley
Marcia Bradley began her second life, earning an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College in 2017 after receiving her BA from Antioch University LA. She received a Bronx Council on the Arts/New York City BRIO Award for Fiction. Marcia believes many people face untenable life situations causing life altering choices to be made. Her novel and published pieces focus on such stories. A native of Chicago, Marcia teaches at the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence and lives in the Bronx. Visit www.marciabradley.com for more info.