Writers Who Read LIVE! Birnam Wood - Eleanor Catton

March's meeting--IN PERSON at the Boulder Library Main Branch 2nd floor Flatirons Meeting Room & ONLINE (see link when you register)--is Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton (NZ, 2023) on Sunday starting at 2:30 pm (for 2 hours). Facilities information here.

Eco-ravaging for profit and the technology of the surveillance state are a few of the mechanisms that keep the ultra-rich in control. A multi-billionaire buys a plot of land in New Zealand and builds a bunker so he can survive the end times, which he has brought on himself. How much power does a fledgling group of environmentalists have against this combination of wealth and influence, especially when the billionaire himself starts funding their work?

We are Writers Who Read. We use Literary Forensics to dissect a recent novel (published within the past 18 months) with the goal of uncovering how the author has utilized their skills for effect. Storytelling is an art, but it's not a mystery. Every writer must address the following:

• Structure, Timeline, Pacing, Suspense, Omission
• Point of View, including Voice, Character, Place
• Language, Tense, Imagery, Metaphor, Symbols
• Motivation: Making a story pop - generating a thrill
• Why this story? And why now? Industry considerations

We ask that all attendees read the entire book in advance of the meeting, and come bearing their discoveries of how the author has addressed each of the five points above.

What is Literary Forensics? Find out here: https://www.garyalanmcbride.com/literary-forensics/