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New York Times bestselling author Ariel Lawhon will discuss her latest work of historical fiction, The Pirate Queen, on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at Vanderbilt University. Lawhon will be in conversation with author J.T. Ellison beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Commodore Ballroom at the Student Life Center, 310 25th Ave. S. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.
The event is hosted by the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries and Dialogue Vanderbilt in collaboration with Parnassus Books.
Tickets for the talk are $35.25 each (plus Eventbrite fees) and include one general admission seat and a signed copy of The Pirate Queen, to be published by Penguin Random House on Sept. 8. A signing line for book personalizations will take place following the conversation on stage.
About the book
The latest from Lawhon, the bestselling author of The Frozen River and I Was Anastasia, is a sweeping historical adventure inspired by the life of a legendary Irish folk heroine who risked everything to defend her people.
Grace O’Malley was born to be a sea captain. But despite her natural skill on the water, she learns early that her dreams of a life at ship’s helm are not compatible with the expectations of her noble family. As the only daughter of a powerful chieftain, her role is to secure a strong alliance and bear children. However, when she’s sent to foster with a nearby clan, Grace falls for a clever and open-minded second son—a man she cannot have.
Married off against her will to a brutal warrior, Grace performs her duty while gathering followers loyal to her and consolidating her husband’s power, only to be ousted from his lands. This betrayal offers Grace the opportunity to return to sea, finally leading Clan O’Malley’s mighty fleet. Just as she finds true independence, Queen Elizabeth’s incursions into Ireland grow bolder and Grace must fight to defend her land, her ships and the people she loves most against the cruel and power-hungry English deputies, who will stop at nothing to check her influence.
Keenly observed and fiercely written, Lawhon’s new action-packed novel channels the untamed beauty and harsh realities of 16th-century Ireland as seen through the eyes of an unforgettable heroine who rightly became “the Pirate Queen of Ireland.”
About the author
Lawhon is an award-winning, critically acclaimed author of historical fiction. Her books have been translated into more than 40 languages and have served as Good Morning America and One Book, One County selections. She lives outside Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and four sons.
About the moderator
Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 30 novels of psychological suspense, including the Lt. Taylor Jackson series, the Dr. Samantha Owens series, and numerous acclaimed stand-alone books. She also serves as the Emmy Award-winning cohost of A Word on Words, a literary television series on PBS.