Carol Van Klompenburg, author and retired Write Place owner, and Sarah Purdy, our book editor and publishing consultant, will be featured presenters for an event at the Pella Public Library Meeting Room on September 11 at 7 p.m.
The evening kicks off with a short movie of Van Klompenburg’s extensive perennial gardens. The author will then read selections from her book Tending Beauty: Forty Moments in My Gardens, which was published by the Write Place in June. Attendees will experience gardening with her as she marvels at a butterfly, makes war on chipmunks, and crams 179 plants into her sun porch.
Van Klompenburg, who has a master’s degree in theater arts, has performed across Iowa under the sponsorship of the Iowa Humanities Board. “I enjoy using my voice, face, and body to let the words on the page come alive,” said Van Klompenburg. “And as audiences respond, I continue to discover new dimensions in the stories from my gardens.”
Following Van Klompenburg’s Tending Beauty performance at Fairhaven East in July, Lifestyle Coordinator Connie Boat said, “The Fairhaven residents thoroughly enjoyed the movie and Carol’s performance. Many told me what a wonderful morning it had been, and they asked me if she could come back again.”
At 7:30, Purdy will join Van Klompenburg, and the two will discuss the process of writing and publishing books. Van Klompenburg will talk about how she created Tending Beauty, software options for writers, and the different ways in which her eight books have made it to print. Purdy will explain the self-publishing process and services offered by the Write Place, including editing, cover design, interior layout, and distribution. Purdy will also poll the audience to determine interest in future writing seminars or classes.
The evening concludes with a Q&A session, as well as an opportunity to purchase Tending Beauty and have one-on-one conversations with Van Klompenburg and Purdy.
We hope to see you there!
