Susan Carpenter at Author's Night

The Friends of the Greenville Public Library's final Author's Night of the 2012 season will be held Friday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. Montage on Broadway is the perfect venue for these fun and interesting events. Delicious food & drink are available for purchase so come for supper or a snack – and enjoy not only the literary program but also the festive atmosphere created by musicians J.R. Price and Bill Westfall.

Our special author will be Susan Carpenter who will share readings from her first novel Riders on the Storm. As Harold Wright of the Yellow Springs News writes in his review, “It is through the pages of her extremely well-researched and vivid book that I relived that pivotal year of 1968, of which she writes with such authority.” Susan grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and chronicles the student uprisings of that time and place.

Wright continues, “Her characters, all those idealistic youth, who wanted to make the world a better place, were willing to risk life and freedom for those beliefs.... It was those passionate young people I found myself caring about deeply.... I highly recommend Riders on the Storm to all who may be old enough to remember the 1960's or to those who are curious enough to learn more about the political history of our country.”

Susan Streeter Carpenter graduated from Case Western Reserve then settled in Yellow Springs, Ohio, working as an alternative school teacher, anti-poverty worker, home health care administrator, independent radio producer, freelance writer, and teacher of writing. For almost 20 years she was involved with the Antioch Writers' Workshop as director, board member, and faculty. Now she is assistant professor of English at Bluffton University, specializing in fiction writing.

For her fiction Susan has received an Ohio Arts Council Fellowship, a Pushcart Prize nomination, and two first-place Westheimer awards from the University of Cincinnati. She has published essays, poems, and short stories in journals such as The Long Story, The Beloit Fiction Journal, Snake Nation Review, Kalliope, and Crab Orchard.

One story appears in The Best of The West 2009 edited by James Thomas and Seth Horton, published by University of Texas Press. Susan has also published essays and poetry. Riders on the Storm was published by Bottom Dog Press is 2010.

Susan says when she's not teaching, she's working on the next novel! Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to meet and hear from Susan on the 23rd.