Paris, California tells a tale familiar to many people who have watched their community transformed—by those who move in and then work to change the very characteristics that attracted them there in the first place—and what happens when that phenomenon goes completely off the rails. Ashin Asilomar is a retired dentist, living in the same California mid-coastal town where he was raised, practiced, married, and widowed. A troubled young family moves in next door, and Ashin befriends their 12-year-old son, Mateo Funk. Together, Ashin and Mateo watch as more and more outsiders move in, calling the town perfect just as it is… And then working so very hard to transform Paris into the place they recently escaped. It begins with fences, signs, and dog leashes, but soon progresses to hostility, absurdity, and then madness.
Join us, as journalist, essayist, educator, Pushcart-nominated author, and Cape Elizabeth resident Kevin St. Jarre reads from and discusses his most recent book, Paris, California. Kevin will speak about researching and writing his new book, the art and craft of creating a novel, and how he navigates switching between such disparate forms of the written word. Whether you’re a reader looking for your next great read, or a writer in search of practical insights and a peek into the process of a working novelist, you won’t want to miss this very special evening with the talented (and all around lovely) Kevin St. Jarre. This program will take place in the library’s Community Room. All are welcome!
About Kevin St. Jarre
Kevin St. Jarre has worked in the corporate world, his teaching and consulting have taken him around the globe, and he’s a combat veteran. He is a journalist, a teacher, and has an MFA in Creative Writing from the Stonecoast MFA program. His first three novels were published by Berkley Books. His latest novels, The Book of Emmaus (2022), Absence of Grace (2022), The Twin (2021), Celestine (2021), and Aliens, Drywall, and a Unicycle (2020), have all been published by Encircle Publications. His essays and poetry have appeared in various publications, and his Pushcart-nominated short fiction has appeared in journals such as Story and Solstice Literary Magazine. He recently contributed an essay to the anthology Breaking Bread: Essays on New England Food, Hunger and Family, which you may have heard him read at the library last fall as part of a Breaking Bread author’s panel. Kevin’s next novel, Paris, California, will be published in May of 2023. He grew up in Madawaska, Maine and now lives on Maine’s coast.
