L. Dickerman, C. Mathis, B. Schaefer

The 34^th Edition of the Book Festival of the MJCCA Presents

A Three-Author Debut Fiction Panel Featuring:

Laura Dickerman, Catherine Mathis, & Brian Schaefer

In conversation with Mara Davis, Atlanta Media Personality

Author Talk, Q & A & Book Signing

Laura Dickerman, Hot Desk: A Novel

Younger meets Writers & Lovers in this rollicking, sparkling, and funny novel that spans decades and generations of a family in the publishing industry.

In the post-pandemic publishing industry, two rival editors are forced to share a “hot desk” on different days of the week, much to their chagrin. Having never set eyes on each other, Rebecca Blume and Ben Heath begin leaving passive-aggressive Post-it notes on the pot of their shared cactus. But when revered literary legend Edward David Adams (known as “the Lion”) dies, leaving his estate up for grabs, their banter escalates as both work feverishly to land this career-making opportunity. Their fierce rivalry ultimately forces each to decide how far they’ll go to get ahead, what role they want to play in the Lion’s legacy, and what they mean to each other.

As their battle for the estate gets more heated, Rebecca learns of a connection between her mother, Jane, and the Lion. The story travels back four decades earlier to when Jane arrives in Manhattan and meets Rose, soon her best friend. Jane and Rose are two strong, talented young women trying to make their mark in the publishing world at a time when art, the written word, and creative expression were at their height. But one fateful day during the April blizzard of 1982 will change the course of Jane’s life, and of their friendship, forever...

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura Dickerman has an MA in fiction from NYU and an MA in English from Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English. She has taught high school English at the Hopkins School, the Collegiate School, and Germantown Friends. She was an intern at The Paris Review many, many years ago. At her lowest point, she spent a month temping for her youngest brother who was critical of her photocopying skills. She’s been a book club leader, tutor, and recipient of an NEH grant. She lives in Atlanta with her husband. They have two grown daughters. Hot Desk is her first novel.

Catherine Mathis, Ines: Queens of Portugal: A Novel

When author Catherine Mathis and her husband took a spontaneous trip to Portugal, inspiration struck unexpectedly. In the historic Abbey of Alcobaça, she discovered the tombs of Pedro and Inês—often called Iberia’s Romeo and Juliet. This discovery sparked a fascination with medieval legends, leading her to explore further tales of the next generation, including the remarkable Queen Philippa, daughter of John of Gaunt. 

In this engrossing launch to the Queens of Portugal trilogy, Mathis gives a fresh take on the tale of Pedro and Inês, Portugal’s real-life Romeo and Juliet. Pedro’s father would not have been king if not for his trusted advisor, Gonçalves. Once king, he wants no part in neighboring Castile’s royal convulsions though his son, Pedro, befriends powerful Castilians. The all-consuming drive of the king is to ensure his line rules Portugal for centuries to come. He needs legitimate, strong heirs. The Infante Pedro loves a woman not deemed worthy to wear the crown as queen. Between father and son is Gonçalves, the king’s powerful, unquestioned counselor who is mentor to the son. Both Gonçalves and Pedro seek the attention of Inês. There is a horrific cost to winning the love of Inês. She will not release her grip on Pedro until he keeps the two sworn oaths he made to her. Can Pedro do the impossible to satisfy Inês?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born in Berlin as the eldest child of a spy and his secretary-turned-wife, Catherine Mathis grew up in the Washington, D.C. area. She earned a degree in history from Sewanee | The University of the South. Her extensive career in international banking provided opportunities to travel throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Now, she resides in Atlanta, where she writes full-time, close to her son and his family.

Brian Schaefer, Town & Country: A Novel

Spanning six months from Memorial Day to Election Day, Town & Country paints a kaleidoscopic portrait of a community in flux. For readers of Fredrick Backman and Jen Beagin, this “powerful and extremely well-written book” (Colum McCann, National Book Award winner) asks the essential and timeless questions: What makes a home, and what do we owe our neighbors? Town and Country is a “big hearted” debut novel set in a small rural town amid a congressional race that forces the candidates, their families, and a clique of gay second homeowners to confront lies, betrayals and shifting allegiances.

The trendy rural town of Griffin has become a popular destination for weekenders and the city’s second homeowners, but now a congressional race in this swing district is highlighting tensions between life-long residents and new arrivals. The campaign pits local pub owner and town supervisor Chip Riley against the wealthy young carpetbagger Paul Banks, challenging the social and political loyalties of their families and friends with lasting repercussions.

Diane Riley, Chip’s wife, is a religiously devout real estate agent who feels conflicted about selling second homes—including to Paul and his much older husband, Stan. What follows makes for a page-turning, ultra-compelling read!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brian Schaefer contributes regularly to The New York Times and has written for The New Yorker, New York magazine, and more. He received his master’s degree in creative writing from Bar Ilan University in Tel Aviv, where he also worked as a writer and editor for Haaretz. He and his husband live in New York City and the Hudson Valley. Town & Country is his first book.

Books will be available for purchase on the day of the event from our partner bookseller, A Cappella Books!

All sales are final. Tickets and books are non-refundable.