Join us as we celebrate the release of Vermont author Joy Cohen's debut novel, 37.
If small-town reporter Polly Stern has to cover one more manure runoff story, she's going to lose her already unmindful mind. Polly thought she'd end up as a serious photojournalist, traveling the world, meeting important people, and documenting significant environmental and social events. Life didn't turn out as expected. With her career at a standstill, her marriage over, her nest empty, her spiritual foundation precarious, and her family keeping a vital secret from her, Polly is desperate for answers. And change. She sets out on an unintended journey, stumbling upon story after story that for some reason--coincidence, fate?--all occurred in 1937. Polly's path leads her to: a troubled teen on a stone bridge high in the Green Mountains of Vermont, a political refugee on a kosher farm carved out of the Dominican Republic jungle, a tribal chief near a remote hut in uncharted Papua New Guinea, a volunteer soldier in a foggy olive grove in Spain, an artistic Italian savant in a tenement on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, and to a Tibetan boy and his snow-white mastiff as they begin their trek across the Himalayas. Each person’s story of struggle and resilience is more remarkable than the next.As the lines blur between reality and fantasy, between truth and fiction, between present and past, Polly writes about these inspiring characters, and others, in nine short stories--all set in 1937--embedded throughout the novel. Her compelling international literary voyage reveals clues that allow Polly to uncover the truth about her own history, opening a new path for understanding, forgiveness, and love.
Joy Cohen has had a varied career as an award-winning writer and educator. Her plays include Anna’s Journal, Respite, and Of the Better Kind, and she is the author of three published works of non-fiction. Her primary focus has been on the arts, wellness, the environment, and social justice. In addition to writing, Joy taught k-12 Art and k-12 Science in public schools, and was an adjunct at the University of Vermont, developing graduate courses on The Creative Process, Art-driven Curriculum Development, Multicultural Arts, and Teaching for Social Justice and Equity. Born in Brooklyn and back often, Joy now lives in rural Vermont, along the shores of beautiful Lake Champlain.
How to register: Registration is free, but book purchases are welcomed and appreciated--thank you for supporting our author! You must register on this page to attend the event. The event will stream on Zoom. You will receive an email with the Zoom link after registering. If you don't receive a confirmation email after registering today, contact us right away so we can check for problems.
Purchase a signed, personalized copy of 37 from our website HERE. Copies will be available a few days after event. If you ordered a book for store pick up, we will contact you as soon as it's ready. If you ordered a book with shipping, please allow an additional 7-10 days for delivery via USPS Media Mail.
If you have signed up for the event and are having difficulty accessing it via Zoom, please contact us via email at tickets@phoenixbooks.biz throughout the event & will do our best to provide technical support as needed.