Bettejane Synott Wesson Releases BOLD AS BRASS

From Bettejane Synott Wesson, recipient of Waterbury's Spirit Award and author of The View from Cracker Hill, a memoir of 1950s Waterbury told from the point of a young girl, comes more stories revolving around the once "Brass Capital of the World." Knowing there were still many more stories that readers would learn from, she publishes her second book, titled Bold As Brass.

"I do not think that there are other books like mine, set in the past but with characters so fresh and believable and timely in their aspirations," states Wesson. "I think my readers will identify with my characters, that my stories will be springboards for the readers to their own pasts, to the good times they remember with their own families. In my opinion, [it] is a feel good collection of stories that we all could use in these troubled times."

Wesson's latest work is a collection of two dozen stories that present an intimate and tender look back into the lives of the working class of Waterbury, Conn. when Brass City was still a busy factory town. History with a personal twist, this glimpse into past lives imagined by the author rings as true today as it did way back when. Its recurring theme revolves around ordinary people finding their way in the world, making lives and also making sense of them, something every person does.

Its stories span several years. The first story is set in 1932. The last stories are in the Eisenhower years. The main characters are an extended Irish Catholic family consisting of parents, four grandparents, and two young girls. Betty is the main protagonist in many of the stories, including the first story "Buckingham Palace." It is a remark her aunt makes to Betty, that she is as "bold as brass," that gives the book its title.

An easy read, and filled with characters that not only exemplify the American dream of moving up in the world and bettering one's lives, but also exude sympathy and at times quite funny, Bold As Brass is a book easy to identify with. Readers will see something of themselves in the characters' experiences, in their ambitions and dreams.

Wesson shares the "Saturday Night Swells" line at the end of the story where Betty has seen the factory works all dressed up for the Saturday night dance is a good one: "This notion of Betty's is perhaps just wishful thinking. But still, knowing that ordinary people can have extraordinary moments is a wonderful discovery."

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About the Author
Bettejane Synott Wesson was born in Waterbury, Conn. in the shadow of Waterbury's famous clock tower. She spent her childhood years observing the city around her. Her education from kindergarten through high school took place downtown at Notre Dame Academy. She graduated summa cum laude from Albertus Magnus and holds a MALS from Wesleyan University. Her reverse migration from the suburbs back to her hometown was chronicled in the Republican-American's Urban Pioneers series. She makes her home in the historic Overlook section of Waterbury and is deeply involved as a volunteer in the life of her city. In 2012 she was the first recipient of Waterbury's Spirit award, given to citizens who "through their quiet efforts make Waterbury a great place to live."

Bold As Brass * by Bettejane Synott Wesson
Publication Date: May 8, 2013
Trade Paperback; $19.99; 206 pages; 978-1-4836-3589-7
Trade Hardback; $29.99; 206 pages; 978-1-4836-3590-3
eBook; $9.99; 978-1-4836-3591-0

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