Susan Signe Morrison Book Launch

When:
October 22, 2015 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
2015-10-22T19:00:00-05:00
2015-10-22T20:00:00-05:00
Cost:
Free

Join us in celebrating the release of Susan Signe Morrison’s new novel, Grendel’s Mother: The Saga of the Wyrd-Wife. We’ll also enjoy live music from award-winning musician Sarah McSweeney.

Susan

Living in Austin, Texas, Susan Signe Morrison writes on topics lurking in the margins of history, ranging from recently uncovered diaries of a teenaged girl in World War II to medieval women pilgrims, excrement in the Middle Ages, and waste. Susan Morrison is Professor of English at Texas State University. She grew up in New Jersey by the Great Swamp, a National Wildlife Refuge with terrain not unlike that of Grendel’s Mother’s mere in Beowulf.

Grendel’s Mother: The Saga of the Wyrd-Wife is a feminist revision of the Old English epic, Beowulf. In it, we see the many passages of her life: the brine-baby who floated mysteriously to shore; the hall-queen presiding over the triumphant building of the golden hall Heorot and victim of sexual and political betrayal; the exiled mere-wife, who ekes out a marginal life by an uncanny bog as a healer and contends with the menacing Beowulf; and the seer, who prophesizes what will occur to her adopted people. We learn how the invasion by brutal men is not a fairy tale, but a disaster doomed to cycle relentlessly through human history. Only the surviving women can sing poignant laments, preserve a glittering culture, and provide hope for the future.


Sarah McSweeney grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, performing on stage in many venues and in various ensembles, and winning statewide competitions at the age of 14. She has opened for popular artists like Colbie Caillat, Michelle Branch, and BB King, as well as recorded original material with Grammy award-winning producer Ruslan Sirota (known for his work with Dianne Warren, Josh Groban, and Ne-yo ) and Brian Standefer, cellist for well-known Austin recording artist and musician Alexandro Escovedo. Sarah travels and sings internationally but can also be heard in local venues in Austin and the Hill Country area. She most recently has created her own genre of music, OPERA MANTRA, combining her extensive background in classical music with a love for mantras.

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