Join New York Times bestselling writer (and former Keene resident) JOYCE MAYNARD (Labor Day, To Die For) in conversation with longtime New York singer/songwriter AMY RIGBY (“Dancing With Joey Ramone”, “The President Can’t Read”) exploring stories, where creative inspiration comes from, and the need in all our lives—never greater—for good music and honest stories. They’ll share their most recent books: Joyce’s novel, Count the Ways, and Amy’s memoir of early days in the downtown New York rock scene, Girl to City. One of them will sing and play. (And it won’t be Joyce.)

A native of New Hampshire, Joyce Maynard began publishing her stories in magazines when she was thirteen years old.  She first came to national attention with the publication of her New York Times cover story, “An Eighteen Year Old Looks Back on Life”, in 1972, when she was a freshman at Yale. Since then, she has been a reporter and columnist for The New York Times, a syndicated newspaper columnist whose “Domestic Affairs” column appeared in over fifty papers nationwide, a regular contributor to NPR and national magazines including Vogue, The New York Times Magazine, and many more. She is a longtime performer with The Moth. 

Joyce Maynard is the author of eighteen books, including the New York Times bestselling novel, Labor Day and To Die For (both adapted for film), Under the Influence and the memoirs, At Home in the World  and The Best of Us. 

Her latest novel, Count the Ways —the story of a marriage and a divorce, and the children who survived it— was published by William Morrow in July, 2021. 

She is currently at work on a book about her return to Yale University two and a half years ago as an undergraduate, forty-eight years after dropping out at age 18. 

Maynard is a fellow of the MacDowell Colony and Yaddo. She is the founder of Write by the Lake, a week-long workshop on the art and craft of memoir, held every year since 2001 at Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. 

Amy Rigby has been writing, performing and recording her transcendent songs about everyday life for over thirty years.  A teenage denizen of CBGB who fell in love with country songwriting, she started bands Last Roundup and the Shams in NYC’s East Village before launching a solo career with album Diary Of A Mod Housewife. Her song "Don't Break The Heart" was recorded by Laura Cantrell, and “All I Want” was recorded by Ronnie Spector and included on The Very Best Of Ronnie Spector. Amy continues to tour and release new music including 2018 album The Old Guys, single “The President Can’t Read,” and “Vote That Fucker Out” (2020, with husband and sometime duo partner Wreckless Eric). Her first book, Girl To City: A Memoir was published in 2019.

You can buy a ticket that comes with a paperback copy of Joyce Maynard’s book, or a paperback copy of Amy Rigby’s book, or make a "pay what you want" donation to ensure a seat.

Doors are 7pm, kitchen is open until 8, and we'll start the event once folks are settled in.