News Release

10/23/08
Fact or Fiction: Writing an Historical Novel with Jan Shapin

Come hear from Rhode Island novelist and playwright Jan Shapin

Rhode Island novelist and playwright Jan Shapin will present “Fact or Fiction: Writing an Historical Novel” on Saturday, November 22 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm at Providence Public Library’s Rochambeau Branch, 708 Hope Street, Providence.

Rhode Island author Jan Shapin will discuss her novel A Snug Life Somewhere using examples from her novels and plays to illustrate the choices a writer makes — braiding historical events, historical characters and historical background with fictional characters and events — to shape plots into dramatically satisfying narratives.

The program is free and open to the public. Copies of A Snug Life Somewhere will be available for purchase and signing. For more information, contact Tom O’Donnell: todonnell@provlib.org or 401-455-8198.

About JAN SHAPIN and her work
Jan Shapin has been writing plays and screenplays for more than 20 years. More recently she has turned her attention to fiction. She has studied playwriting at Catholic University in Washington, DC, screenwriting at the Film and Television Workshop and University of Southern California, and fiction writing at a variety of locations including Brown University, Barnard’s Writers on Writing seminar, Sewanee Writers’ Conference and Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. She has two grown children and lives in Newport with her husband, a photographer. She can be reached via email at jshapin.writer@verizon.net. A Snug Life Somewhere (Publish America, 2006) is a coming of age novel set amid Seattle’s labor unrest and radical politics, 1916-1920.

Providence Public Library is committed to providing quality programming on a variety of educational topics. The views and opinions expressed therein are those of the individual presenters and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the Library. We welcome community members to work with us to provide free, thought-provoking events of interest.

A 130-year-old private, not-for-profit institution, Providence Public Library is dedicated to providing free educational, lifelong learning and enrichment opportunities for all, regardless of background, age or income.