CATF Playwright Kara Lee Corthron Set for Signing at Four Seasons Books

By: Jun. 19, 2017
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Four Seasons Books in Shepherdstown will host a book signing by award-winning playwright and author Kara Lee Corthron on June 24th at 1pm. Corthron is the playwright of Welcome to Fear City¸ receiving its world premiere at the Contemporary American Theater Festival this July.

Corthron will read sections and autograph copies of her recently published young adult novel, The Truth of Right Now. The book will be available for purchase at Four Seasons Books the day of the event.

Kirkus Reviews declared The Truth of Right Now "a powerhouse of storytelling that feels timely and timeless." Corthron chronicles the journey of two teenagers exploring tough issues, such as navigating high school social circles and family dynamics, and more unsettling topics such as mental health and suicide.

Although Corthron is primary a playwright, she knew this story was meant to be told in another form. "I always wanted to write a novel and I've always wanted to write for this age group... The Truth of Right Now isn't meant to be a play." She goes on to emphasize the difference between experiencing a story on stage; with sets, lights, costumes, actors, and other audience members, versus the intimacy and solitude of reading. "Some of the most important moments in the book come from the characters' interior narratives... I wanted this story to live in the world in a quieter, more intimate way."

The inspiration for The Truth of Right Now came from another book, Basquiat: A Quick Killing in Art by Phoebe Hoban, based on the life of Neo-Expressionist Jean-Michel Basquiat. After running away from home, Basquiat lived in a series of temporary homes. "I was struck by one of these [living] situations... a middle class co-dependent white mother and daughter and a young black man with his own baggage-it stayed with me because it didn't feel cliché." Corthron eventually realized her protagonist was also a visual artists and the rest of the story started to fall into place. She confesses "The climax of the book literally came to me in a dream, but I don't tell anyone about that until after they've read it."

Kara Lee Cothron's writing awards include: the Princess Grace Award, the Helen Merrill Award, and the Theodore Ward Prize. In addition to Welcome to Fear City, her plays include: AliceGraceAnon, Holly Down in Heaven, and Listen for Light.

For more information about Kara Lee Corthron's book signing, contact Four Seasons Books at 304-876-3486 or 4seasons@citlink.net. Four Seasons Books is located at 116 W. German Street, Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

For more information about Welcome to Fear City and the Contemporary American Theater Festival, visit catf.org or call 304-876-3473.

 

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