By Devonne Tourre, Asst. Digital Media Editor
The Seavey Reading Series will continue with author Kim van Alkemade reading at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 9 in Isaacs Auditorium in Seibert Hall.
Catherine Zobal Dent, associate professor of creative writing, invited van Alkemade to speak at Susquehanna.
“[My husband] Silas and I thought that Kim’s novels would be exciting for creative writing students, especially fiction writers who want to try their hands at writing popular books,” Dent said.
“Both of Kim’s novels are works of historical fiction, page-turners with surprising, well-plotted turns,” Dent continued.
Dent added that van Alkemade will also use personal experiences to give advice to students.
“Kim will be able to talk to our aspiring young writers about how to find a great idea for a book, how to conduct meticulous research, how to pitch your book and how to work with agents and editors,” Dent said.
Van Alkemade’s work focuses on historical events. She has written two novels: “Orphan #8” and “Bachelor Girl.”
According to van Alkemade’s website, “Orphan #8” was inspired by her personal family history.
Van Alkemade expressed interest in the Hebrew Orphan Asylum of New York, where her grandfather and his brothers grew up and his great-grandmother worked.
“Bachelor Girl” focuses on Jazz Age New York and is inspired by the true story of a millionaire and his bequest to an obscure actress.
Van Alkemade is also known for featuring LGBT characters in her work.
In an interview with the LGBTQ Writers Caucus, van Alkemade said, “I am a historical fiction writer whose characters are gay or lesbian.”
“It’s what I wanted to read growing up, it’s what I want to read today and it’s my project as a writer to situate queer people in the historical past because it is true and because we are underrepresented,” van Alkemade said.
“I don’t think a writer needs to identify as LGBTQ to write convincing queer characters and I don’t think queer writers should feel compelled to focus on queer characters in their writing, but for me my writing and my identity do intersect,” van Alkemade added.