Debut historical novelist Teresa H. Janssen will discuss the inspiration behind her book The Ways of Water, which was shortlisted for the CIBA Goethe Award in Historical Fiction.

Her novel tells the tale of Josie Belle Gore – daughter of a Louisiana train engineer and Texas seamstress – who journeys with her itinerant family through the deserts of the boom-and-bust American West and revolutionary Mexico. “As Papa ran the steam locomotives across the great deserts of the West, Mama followed him,” Josie says in the opening lines of the novel. “Steam engines always follow water, and we did too.”

Janssen writes creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry, exploring themes pertaining to the web of family, nature and the environment, travel and migration, education and language, and spiritual topics.

Complimentary light refreshments will be provided by HNS-AZ.

Books will be available for purchase at the event through Bookman’s Entertainment Exchange, a generous and active participant in literacy- and community-based events in the Phoenix and Tucson communities.

SEEDs for Autism provides a path from “learning to earning” for young adults with autism through education, vocational training, and social development. The organization hosts events throughout the year to foster community-building and raise autism awareness.

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11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Author presentation, followed by Q&A and book signing

The Arizona Chapter of the Historical Novel Society hosts free public events for readers, writers, and authors. Like the founding international organization, we aim to open the door to historical fiction for anyone who loves exploring the past. Our four yearly events alternate between Phoenix and Tucson.

Award-winning novelist Jessica McCann will discuss the relevance of neurodiverse characters in historical fiction. Her novel Peculiar Savage Beauty was named 2018 Arizona Book of the Year and shortlisted for the international 2020 Rubery Book Award. Publishers Weekly called it a “gripping, atmospheric novel [that] meshes a seminal event in American history with a suspenseful plot and insightfully etched characters.” Set in 1930s Kansas, the book’s main characters include Woody, an autistic savant born in an era long before any medical diagnosis would explain his peculiar ways and unique talents.

Complimentary light refreshments will be provided by HNS-AZ.

McCann’s novel will be available for purchase at the event, and 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit SEEDs for Autism.

SEEDs for Autism provides a path from “learning to earning” for young adults with autism through education, vocational training, and social development. The organization hosts events throughout the year to foster community and raise autism awareness.

Admission is free, though attendance is limited, and reservations are appreciated.

Please visit the Eventbrite link for more details and to RSVP.
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