French Canadians have been a strong presence in Western Massachusetts, but, historically, their communities and cultures here seem under-acknowledged. Elise Bernier-Feeley, local history and geneology librarian at Forbes, will speak. Novelist Sally Bellerose, author of the THE GIRLS CLUB and poet Ellen LaFleche, author of OVARIAN, will read from their work. All three are passionately engaged in the subject in very different
...ways, which promises to make for an entertaining and enlightening evening.
Elise Bernier-Feeley is Local History and Geneology Librarian for Forbes Library.
Ellen LaFleche has worked as a journalist and womens' health educator in western Massachusetts. She has published poems in Many Mountains Moving, Harpur Palate, Juked, Alligator Juniper, among many others. Her chapbook, Ovarian, is forthcoming from Dallas Poets Community. She won the Poets on Parnassus Prize for poetry about the medical experience.
Sally Bellerose’s awards include an NEA award, The Barbara Deming Prize, and The Rick DeMartinis Award. Her work appears in a call to nursing, Crab Orchard Review, The Sun, Naugatuck River Review, Cutthroat, Per Contra, and dozens of other publications. Her novel, The Girls Club recently won the Bywater Prize and will be published by Bywater Books in April 2011.
The event is part of the Local History/Local Novelists series being held at Forbes Library through May. For more information, visit www.forbeslibrary.org or call 413-587-1017. All events are free and open to all.
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