Religious of the Assumption Convent

Award-winning author Janice Deal brings her new novel, The Blue Door, to West Philly. The novel grapples with the effects of trauma on identity. The protagonist, Flo, has to learn how to relate to her daughter, who has committed a horrific crime that upended both of their lives. Now Flo must find a new way of being in the world, a new spiritual equilibrium. In its “braided” narrative, the novel also incorporates a folktale, passed down through Flo’s family, that intersects with and deepens the real-life story.

“When you step through The Blue Door,” says novelist Julie E. Justicz, “Janice Deal invites you into a world both ordinary and extraordinary, where magic weaves through the fabric of daily life. At its heart is Flo, a wandering spirit and unconventional seeker, whose quest to unravel a shattering family tragedy leaves her estranged, misunderstood, yet fiercely resilient.… Deal masterfully blends the mundane with the mythical, creating a tale that lingers long after the final page.”

Sponsored by the Faithfull Book Club, this event is open to the public, with a reception afterward. Location: Religious of the Assumption Convent, 1001 S. 47th Street, Philadelphia, PA.