Phoebe Stone and Francois Clemmons:
Reading and Conversation

Presented by the New England Review

Tuesday, March 12, 2019
7-9 p.m.

Town Hall Theater
Middlebury, Vermont

Two accomplished Middlebury artists, Phoebe Stone and Francois Scarborough Clemmons, will read from and discuss their memoirs-in-progress on Tuesday, March 12, at 7 pm, at Town Hall Theater. Readings from their work will be followed by an audience Q&A and a reception in the Jackson Gallery. Presented by New England Review, where both writers have recently published excerpts from their new work, and Town Hall Theater. Free and open to the public.

Stone has published numerous books for children and young adults, as well as having a long career as a painter. Her memoir has just begun to take shape in the form of brief vignettes. “When I was writing these memoir pieces,” she says, “I really took to the structure of it. I liked working in the solid realm of real memory. It was a kind of relief from the constraints of invention! But then I think, that all creative writing in a way is memoir, contorted, altered and transformed . . . but the base is always memoir. How can it be otherwise?”

Scenes from Childhood: In My Cradling Arms by Phoebe Stone, published in the New England Review

Behind the Byline: A Talk with Phoebe Stone, published in the New England Review

Teapot in Turquoise, by Phoebe Stone published in the New England Review

You can also listen to a podcast on NER Out Loud, Episode 7, of Teapot in Turquoise

Clemmons, who has recently been touring in connection with his role in the film Won’t You Be My Neighbor, where he talks about his transformational time as Officer Clemmons on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, has been at work on his own memoir for many years. Titled DivaMan: My Life in Song, his autobiography starts at the beginning, chronicling his early days in rural Alabama to singing with the Metropolitan Opera Studio, directing the Harlem Spiritual Ensemble, and beyond. The writing of this memoir has been a journey of its own. “The initial feeling was that I would write it but no one would ever read it,” he says. “I began to write and lo and behold the truth started coming out.”

From the Beginning, by François Clemmons published in the New England Review

Behind the Byline: A Talk with Francois Clemmons, published in the New England Review

Other News and Events (of note...)

Paris for Two
Phoebe Stone's book Paris for Two was published in 2016. Read some reviews here.

Felicity and Derek are back! Take a look at the praise and STARRED REVIEW from Booklist for Romeo Blue. And the STARRED REVIEW from Hornbook.

Phoebe’s novel The Boy on Cinnamon Street was named to the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award Master List 2013-2014.

Take a look at the praise and STARRED REVIEWS that Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews and Booklist gave The Boy on Cinnamon Street.

July 10, 2016, 1-3 p.m.
SCHOLASTIC ROAD TRIP AT THE FLYING PIG BOOKSTORE,.

Flying Pig Bookstore
5427 Shelburne Road, Shelburne, VT 05482
802-985-3999 | FlyingPigBooks@gmail.com
www.flyingpigbooks.com

MAY 21, 2016;
PARIS FOR TWO: BOOK LAUNCH AND ART OPENING
Sponsored by the Vermont Book Shop
Event to be held at Phoebe's Studio, 52 N. Pleasant St., Middlebury 2-5 p.m. with a Reading at 3 p.m.

April 30, 2016;
INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE DAY
Vermont Book Shop
Middlebury 2 p.m.

April 28, 2016;
Blast Off with Books to Benefit the Stern Center
Burlington International Airport

A selection of past school visits and events:

February 27, 2019
Bridport Central School -- Bridport, VT

November 30, 2018
Castleton Free Library and Castleton Elementary School
-- As part of the wonderful CLiF reading program, Castleton, VT

June 13, 2018
Alburgh Elementary School
-- As part of the wonderful CLiF reading program, Alburgh, VT

April 17, 2017
Salisbury Elementary School
-- As part of the wonderful CLiF probram, Alburgh, VT

May 11, 2016
Groton Free Library & Wells River Elementary School
-- As part of the wonderful CLiF probram, Groton & Wells River, VT

March 1, 2016
Christ the King School -- Burlington, VT

November 19, 2013
Ripton Elementary School -- Ripton, VT

May 10, 2013
Highgate Elementary School -- Highgate Center, VT

April 25, 2013
NEIBA (New England Independent Booksellers)
All About Books -- Cambridge, MA

April 3, 2013
Robinson Elementary School -- Starksboro, VT

March 7, 2013
AWP Conference 2013 (Association of Writers and Writing Programs -- Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA

February 11, 2013
Bingham Memorial School -- Cornwall, VT

October 10, 2012
Boston Book Festival -- Boston, MA-- www.bostonbookfest.org

April 17-19, 2012
Lincoln Community School
Lincoln, VT -- www.lincolncs.org

March 10, 2012
Books of Wonder -- 18 West 18th Street, New York, NY
www.booksofwonder.com

February 27, 2012
Vermont Book Shop Author Series at the Town Hall Theater
68 South Pleasant St., Middlebury, VT -- www.vermontbookshop.com

Take a look at the praise and STARRED REVIEWS
that Publishers Weekly and Horn Book gave The Romeo and Juliet Code.

Also see how The Boston Globe was equally enthusiastic.

And a special thanks to all the readers of Deep Down Popular.