Lee Martin in Conversation with Thao Thai

The Friends are excited to host Lee Martin, the author of eight novels, including The Bright Forever, a finalist for the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction at Board and Brush Creative Studio in Powell, OH.

On Thursday, June 19th in this intimate conversation with Thao Thai, Lee will discuss his latest novel, The Evening Shades, which tells the small town story of two lonely people, a widow and a traveler in 1972 rural Illinois and their understanding of truth and sacrifice. While The Evening Shades is a standalone novel, fans of The Bright Forever may recognize some familiar characters and settings!

One afternoon in the autumn of 1972, a lonely widow in Mt. Gilead, Illinois, makes the impromptu decision to rent out a room in her house to a stranger who has come to town. It is risky—she doesn’t know anything about him. But Edith Green can no longer bear a life lived alone. And Henry Dees is haunted by the past he carries with him from another small town, particularly by the death of a little girl that some people think was his fault. And slowly, Henry and Edith’s suspenseful dance between secrets and trust leads them to start revealing things to each other — and themselves.

Lee Martin's writing has appeared in numerous publications including Harper’s, Ms Magazine, The Georgia Review, and The Kenyon Review, and his work has been anthologized in The Best American Essays, and The Best American Mystery Stories. His books have been widely translated, and won numerous awards, including a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers award. He is the winner of the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Ohio Arts Council. A native Midwesterner, he teaches in the MFA program at The Ohio State University.

The cost for this event is $28 and includes a paperback copy of The Evening Shades and light refreshments. Beer and wine may be purchased separately at the event. Doors will open at 6pm and the book discussion will begin at 6:30pm. After the presentation, Lee will sign copies of his book. Copies of his other books will also be available for purchase that evening, along with copies of Thao Thai's Banyon Moon from Beanbag Books.

Info: Check-in at registration and enjoy some light refreshments while mingling with other book lovers.

Also check out other Arts events in Powell, Literary Art events in Powell.