Amy interviews fellow Minnesota author Terrance Newby on his historical fiction novel, Dangerfield's Promise. This is the first of three episodes in which we explore writing about real people and events in fiction (Terry) vs. creative nonfiction (Amy).
From Amy: Terry Newby and I met in the spring of 2023 and found resonance between our writing that led us to trade books. We wanted to explore what it was to write about real people related to us, Terry in historical fiction and plays, me in creative nonfiction, specifically memoir. This is the first of three episodes that resulted from that conversation. In Terry's case, the relative was Dangerfield Newby, a newly-emancipated black Virginian determined to buy his wife and children out of slavery, and the first of John Brown's men to be killed in the ill-fated raid on Harper's Ferry. Dangerfield's modern counterpoint is fictitious surgeon Michael Turner, who becomes a surrogate for Terry in tracking his ancestor Dangerfield's path. Through this novel, Terry brought historical circumstances to life for me on many levels, and I'm excited to share our discussion.
Terrance C. Newby is an attorney, novelist, and playwright based in St. Paul, Minnesota. His plays The Cage, The Body Politic, Reunion Forever, and The Piano Teacher have been professionally staged in Twin Cities theaters.
Terry's novel, Dangerfield's Promise, was published in April 2022, and has received five-star reviews from the Seattle Book Review, Manhattan Book Review, Chicago Book Review, and the Midwest Book Review, among others. Terry is currently working on a sequel to Dangerfield's Promise.
Terry has two upcoming plays being staged. See you there?
Little Rock 1942: The true story of a civil rights lawsuit that brought Thurgood Marshall to St. Paul, and led to the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision
October 3 & 4, 7 pm | October 5, 2 pm, 2024. Landmark Center, St. Paul, MN.
https://www.landmarkcenter.org/history-play/
Our Dearest Friends (the second play of the night)
Thu, Nov 21, 2024 7:00 PM Sun, Nov 24, 2024 2:00 PM. The Hive Collaborative, St. Paul, MN.
https://www.thehivecollaborativemn.com/events/a-woman-over-forty