Join the Caetani Cultural Centre in celebrating Mary Kelly’s new book, On Mockingbird Hill, Nov. 16 from 7-9 p.m.
On Mockingbird Hill is an account of the idealized lookout lifestyle made popular by Jack Karouac.
It is also the story of a woman’s search for meaningful work. Kelly’s reflections look humorously on gender, and how sometimes, our lives mysteriously and briefly intersect with others, leaving an imprint and forcing us to look inward.
“Kelly lives in the North Okanagan, a newcomer from Vancouver,” said the centre in a release.”She writes narrative nonfiction and works as a part-time consultant in health and gender research. Her work has appeared in diverse publications from Event to The Journal of Integral Theory & Practice to The Dance Current.”
On Mockingbird Hill, published by Caitlin Press, is her first book.
Kelly’s book launch will be accompanied by a reading by Kalamalka Press guest author Anne DeGrace. DeGrace is a writer, illustrator and librarian who lives near Nelson. She is the author of four novels, all published by McArthur & Company. She is now represented by Cormorant Books.
DeGrace has appeared at select libraries in the West Kootenay region through the Kootenay Library Federation. She appeared at the Vancouver International Writers Festival, Ottawa International Writers Festival, and the International Festival of Authors in Toronto; she appeared at Word on the Street Vancouver and VIWF’s Incite Series at Vancouver Public Library. Other appearances include readings on the Sunshine Coast and in the Okanagan, and in Whitehorse, Halifax, Fredericton, and Kingston. In 2011, she was named Cultural Ambassador for Nelson.
The Caetani Cultural Centre is partnering with Kalamalka Press and Okanagan College to offer this redesigned writer-in-residence program. This collaboration is intended to serve as a conduit between regional and national literary cultures by welcoming authors of any genre from across Canada to the North Okanagan to live and write and commune.