Learn novel ideas about how to write the book on writing books at two programs this fall at Medford Leas, featuring authors Douglas Brunt and Elizabeth LaBan. Both will host a meet and greet, as well as a discussion of their work.
New York Times bestselling author Brunt was CEO of Authentium, Inc., until 2011, but now is a full-time author, currently working on his third novel. His first book, Ghosts of Manhattan, is a comic novel offering a withering view of life on Wall Street from the perspective of an unhappy insider who is too hooked on the money to find a way out, even as his career is ruining his marriage and corroding his soul. In his second novel, The Means, Brunt follows two complicated presidential candidates and the equally ambitious rising star journalist who is learning what it takes to get the story right.
“The intention with my books is to tell a story within a social topic — politics, Wall Street, etc. — that explores tensions and human relationships,” said Brunt, who is a Philadelphia native. “My program will be a talk about my previous two books and a preview of my upcoming book, which will be published in May 2017, followed by a question and answer session.”
LaBan also is a novelist, but she acknowledges that her real life as the spouse of Philadelphia Inquirer restaurant critic Craig LaBan, cannot be overlooked.
“This book would not exist without my husband, who brings excitement, adventure, love, and great food into our lives every day, and always has been open to my writing a novel about a woman who is married to a wacky restaurant critic,” LaBan said.
The novel is a charming portrait of the complexities of life that many women face when dealing with their marriages, children, friendships, careers, and of course, exquisite food. LaBan, who also teaches fiction writing at the University of Pennsylvania, lives in Philadelphia with her husband and two children.
Brunt will speak on Thursday, Oct. 27, and LaBan on Thursday, Nov. 17. Both will be in the Medford Campus’ Holly Room from 11 a.m. until noon.
“New York Times Bestselling Author Douglas Brunt” and “The Restaurant Critic’s Wife” are part of a series of programs being offered by Medford Leas this fall. There is no fee for either program; however, participants should register by October 21 and November 11, respectively, to secure their seats. For a full listing of Pathways to Learning at Medford Leas programs, or to register for a program, visit www.medfordleas.org or call (609) 654–3588.
