Nathaniel Hawthorne’s cousin Kate Blair will offer an entertaining and informative presentation describing and illustrating how she discovered her Hawthorne ancestry, her subsequent research in libraries and historical houses, her historical fiction writing process, the challenging publishing world, and suggestions for aspiring writers. Through this presentation, the audience will learn more about the lesser-known family members of Hawthorne’s, including his sister and her tragic death. After the presentation, she would be happy to sign books.

 

Tickets are $25 for the general public and $20 for Gables members.

 

About the Author

Kate Dike Blair is a cousin by marriage of Nathaniel Hawthorne, and a direct descendant of several of the principal characters in her historical novel, The Hawthorne Inheritance. She was born and raised in Middlebury Vermont, where her father founded The Vermont Book Shop. She earned her Diploma in Theater Arts from the Wykeham Rise School, and her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Boston University. After clerking in bookstores in Cambridge and Boston, she received her Certificate of Medical Assisting from the Bryman School of Boston, and with two women partners, created the medical data collection firm Health Research Associates. After qualifying for her Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists union cards, Kate worked in over thirty films and television series in the New England area. She now divides her time between writing her next book, a non-fiction account of her experiences as a film extra, and acting on stage and screen. She resides with her husband in Wayland, Massachusetts.