Bestselling author Brunonia Barry to speak at The Gables

News Release For more information, please contact: Julie Arrison-Bishop jarrison@7gables.org 978-744-0991, ext. 152 Writing about Salem Bestselling Salem author Brunonia Barry speaks at The Gables Nov. 25 SALEM — On Saturday, November 25, international bestselling author and Salem resident Brunonia Barry greets her favorite audience — Salem’s enthusiastic and informed readers — when she speaks at The House of the Seven Gables at 1 p.m. Her latest novel, “The Fifth Petal,” has just come out in paperback and she’s wrapping up her book tour with a celebratory post-Thanksgiving presentation. She will discuss her new book, her writing process and the challenges she encounters when writing about a city that is both mythical and legendary. “As a Salemite, I make sure that I present Salem as a real place,” she says. “I write about contemporary Salem but you can’t do that without acknowledging the history. My Salem audience is my toughest and my favorite, and The Gables is one of my favorite places anywhere.” Salem’s readers have expertise in its history, architecture, geography and lore. Barry says they keep her on her toes. Her overall topic for her Gables’ presentation, “Writing in the Question,” probes the writer’s responsibilities to the story. “What are the questions writers have to pose, and which questions do they have to answer? Some are philosophical. For instance, the times we’re living in. The truth is, we’re living in a question right now.” Because Barry writes about Salem, she has some special challenges. “Outside of Salem, Salem’s depiction is very fictional. It’s colored by the ages-old dramatic tension. It annoys me as someone trying to be accurate. Yes, there’s drama in our history and when I go on tour, I take a slideshow of Salem and talk about what’s it’s like to live here now. I explain Salem. Here, it’s different. It’s like speaking in shorthand to a friend who’s known you forever. We’re finishing each other’s sentences.” Barry will also read excerpts from “The Fifth Petal” as part of her presentation. The book is broadly acclaimed for its engaging plot and characters, some of whom will be familiar to Barry’s readers. After her presentation, she will sign books in the Museum Store. Admission is free for members and $7 for nonmembers. She is the New York Times and international best-selling author of “The Lace Reader” and “The Map of True Places.” Her work has been translated into more than 30 languages. She was the first American author to win the International Women’s Fiction Festival’s Baccante Award and was a past recipient of Ragdale Artists’ Colony’s Strand Fellowship as well as the winner of New England Book Festival’s award for Best Fiction and Amazon’s Best of the Month. Her reviews and articles on writing have appeared in The London Times and The Washington Post. She co-chairs the Salem Athenaeum’s Writers’ Committee. She lives in Salem with her husband Gary Ward and their dog, Angel. For online reservations to Barry’s presentation, those interested may visit www.7gables.org, email jarrison@7gables.org or call 978-744-0991, ext. 152. About The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association The mission of The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association is to preserve The Gables’ National Historic Landmark and leverage its power as an icon of American culture to engage diverse audiences and provide education opportunities for the local immigrant community. For more information visit www.7gables.org. In 2017 The House of the Seven Gables explores life and labor over four centuries on the historic museum campus. Special programming includes an interactive exhibition, lectures, conversations and family programming. All programs are designed to share the history of work using The House of the Seven Gables as a model for both ordinary and extraordinary jobs. Website: https://7gables.org/event/the-fifth-petal/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/118574328658252/ Caption: Brunonia Barry is the international best-selling author of “The Lace Reader.” She will discuss her newest novel, “The Fifth Petal,” at The Gables on Saturday, November 25.