Join us to celebrate the launch of Sign of a Loon, the debut novel of local author and dear friend of The Mount, Betsy Smith. For this special event, Smith will be joined by Tom Hoffman of the Washington Historic Commission and Amy Lafave, the Lenox Library’s Local History Librarian.
During the COVID lockdown, Smith was granted a rare opportunity to write at The Mount. The mansion was shuttered and empty—the perfect setting for inspiration. Wearing her great-grandmother’s wedding ring around her neck as a talisman, Smith wandered the halls of what felt like a giant dollhouse, drawing on Wharton’s surroundings, writings, and the spirits said to inhabit The Mount. The result was Sign of a Loon, a literary exploration of her ancestral history—both real and imagined—ultimately, the story she sought to find.
“A beautiful, evocative, and deeply personal account of love, loss, and forgiveness. By interweaving her family’s fascinating history with her own memories and experiences, M. Betsy Smith takes us along her fantastic journey of searching for answers, creating connections, and—ultimately—finding peace.” – Nynke Dorhout
IMPORTANT EVENT INFORMATION:
- This event takes place in The Mount’s Stable Auditorium, a 140-seat, climate-controlled, indoor venue adjacent to the parking lot.
- Seating for all programs at The Mount is first-come, first-served. If you have seating preferences, we recommend arriving fifteen minutes early.
- Accessible seating is available. To discuss arrangements, please contact us by phone: 413-551-5111 x5; or email: programs@edithwharton.org. For more information about accessibility, review The Mount’s accessibility webpage.
- A book signing will follow this talk.
- Questions? Email: programs@edithwharton.org; or phone: 413-551-5111 x2
M. Betsy Smith was born and raised in Berkshire County. After retiring from her career in insurance in 2016, she started writing. It was a long-held dream she fully embraced. Her creative nonfiction essays and poetry share emotional and often universal stories. Her work has been published by Refinery29, The Write Launch, Entropy, Brevity, Chaleur Magazine, and the WriteAngles Journal. Sign of a Loon is her first book.
Tom Hoffman is a resident of the town of Washington and a member of the Washington Historic Commission. He has always had a fascination with the William Whitney Estate in Washington, and with exploring October Mountain. He has collected historical information and documentation from multiple sources. Tom also enjoys fishing and hiking out-of-the-way locations.
Amy Lafave is the Local History Librarian at the Lenox Library, which has an extensive repository of materials on Lenox history. She enjoys working with and assisting historians like Tom. She is a lifelong resident of Lenox, and currently lives in historic workers’ housing for the old Lenox Glassworks.
