Author Aimee Bender will visit the Academic Resource Center (ARC) on Friday, Jan. 13 during lunch to discuss her writing process and read from her newest novel and fourth book, The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake.
Bender was approached by Carol Rosner, mother of Isabella ’13 and ARC volunteer, while at a speaking event at the Studio City Library last year and asked if she was willing to speak at Marlborough. After that, Librarian Nichole Gomez contacted Bender.
“I have heard so many good things about Marlborough that I’m glad we were able to find the time,” Bender said in an e-mail.
Bender’s visit is part of the “Authors in the ARC” series established last year by Gomez, who continues to reach out to local writers for afternoon visits. Gomez said she plans to have at least one more author speak during lunch before the year is over. However, because there is constant competition with other programs and events that are put on at lunch, the author events have struggled to maintain high attendance.
“We have such amazing authors that come, but it’s hard to bring in a large group of students,” Gomez said. “Attendance isn’t very high, but the girls who come really get a lot out of it.”
Gomez hopes to increase student attendance for Bender’s visit by encouraging students to bring in copies of their books to get them signed and allowing them to bring in their lunches to eat during the event, especially since the book itself is about one girl’s ability to taste the emotions of the person who made her meal.
“[The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake] is really relatable in its exploration of human relationships and the emotional power of meals and the families who sit around to eat them,” Andie’12 said. “Girls who are interested in reading might get a cool insight into how their favorite books are created.”
As an English Professor at USC, Bender said she is excited to share her advice with the girls who attend and hopes that anyone interested in writing is able to see her in the ARC.
“I hope that girls read what grabs their interest and explore what intrigues them. My advice would be that [young writers] find readers that support what they’re doing and can be honest, helpful critics who try to cultivate what writers loved about writing in the first place.”
