Photo courtesy of the Savannah Book Festival
Rita Mae Brown is a woman of many crafts: fiction, non-fiction, mystery, poetry, screenwriting, hunting, farming and activism. The 71-year-old bestselling author is not one to limit herself. Brown is also one of the esteemed guests making their way to Savannah for the fourth annual Book Festival.
She began her literary journey more than 40 years ago, with her novel, “Ruby Fruit Jungle” and will be sharing her most recently published work, “Tail Gait” at this years’ Savannah Book Festival.
Brown –in collaboration with her co-author and cat, Sneaky Pie Brown– has graced her readers with yet another edition to the Mrs. Murphy mystery series. Published in May 2015, “Tail Gait” is the 24th novel in the series. The series tells the story of “Mary Minor: Harry Haristeen,” her crime-solving feline companions Mrs. Murphy and Pewter as well as corgi, Tee Tucker and their various investigative adventures.
In “Tail Gait” University of Virginia professor –and friend of Harry and her husband– Greg McConnell, is murdered. After a alumna confesses to the crime –one who Harry believes to be innocent– it’s up to Harry and the gang to find the true killer.
In regards to Browns’ co-author and feline companion, the New York Times Book Review said “as feline collaborators go, you couldn’t ask for better than Sneaky Pie Brown.”
Brown is a winner of Lee Lynch Classic Book Award, the Lambda Literary Pioneer Award, the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Variety Show and has been nominated for two Emmy Awards for her screenwriting.
Brown will be speaking at the Gutstein Gallery on Saturday Feb. 12 at 1 p.m. The event is free and open to all SCAD students. She will also be at the Jepson-Neises Auditorium on Saturday Feb. 13 from 2:50 to 3:45 p.m., and will be signing copies of “Tail Gait” after the presentation.
The annual Savannah Book Festival will take place in Forsyth Park, and will run from Feb. 11 to Feb. 14. The festival is free and open to the public.
Written by Asli Shebe.
Asli Shebe is a senior writing major from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. She began working for District in 2014 as a staff writer, then copy editor, A&E editor, Chief Assignment editor and finally, Editor-in-Chief in 2017. Asli currently holds the record for obtaining the most job titles during her time at District. When she’s not writing for District you can find her biking around the Historic District of Savannah at odd hours of the day.
