By Katrina Penaflor Campus Life Editor
Hamersly Library will host a book signing and reading of Kate Ristau’s young adult novel “Shadowgirl,” Wednesday, May 27, from 4-6 p.m. in room 107.
Ristau is a former writing instructor at Western who has always harbored passions for teaching and writing.
Some of her former works include a collaboration with multiple professors from the English and writing department on the coffee-themed anthology Coarse Grounds, and the book Commas: An Irreverent Primer, which she wrote with literature and writing instructor Maren Anderson.
Ristau said she enjoys writing young adult and middle grade fiction and loves incorporating her background in folklore into her work.
“Shadowgirl” was originally published by Lycaon Press and later by Parenthetical publishing. It was released May 21.
The novel is a young adult fantasy with incorporated elements of Irish folklore, and tells the story of a fey named Áine, whom Ristau said “crossed over from the fairy world to our world.” The book follows Áine’s journey to finding the truth about her family and past.
“It’s not a light fairy tale,” Ristau said and adding that the novel’s tagline is “this is not a fairy tale.”
Ristau said the novel raises the question: “if a fairy came to our world what would it really be like?”
Ristau’s “stories are tight and have a forward momentum that makes them fast, exciting reads,” Anderson said.
“Shadowgirl” is already raking in rave reviews on Amazon. One reader, Pam Killebrew, wrote in her review, “I inhaled this book — from the first chapter I was hooked; I couldn’t put it down. Interesting setting, intriguing characters, and a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat.”
Aside from the upcoming signing in Hamersly Library, Ristau will also be at Annie Bloom’s Books in Portland May 28 from 7-8 p.m.
Ristau’s advice for students and writers is to continually write.
“Get a draft and get something out on the page,” she said. The next step is “you have to revise and edit,” and then: “you have to send it out.”
She added: “after you send something out, keep writing more.”
Ristau is currently drafting a sequel to “Shadowgirl,” and has two other novels in submission.
For more information about Ristau’s work, go to her website http://kateristau.com/
