the highly anticipated sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale

Reading and Discussion with authors Julie Berry & Catherine Linka in recognition of the release of MARGARET ATWOOD’s sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale

When the van door slammed on Offred’s future at the end of The Handmaid’s Tale, readers had no way of telling what lay ahead for her – freedom, prison or death.

With The Testaments, the wait is over. Atwood’s sequel picks up the story fifteen years after Offred stepped into the unknown, with the explosive testaments of three female narrators from Gilead.

Berry and Linka read from Atwood’s books as well as their own and discuss themes relevant to contemporary social issues.

JULIE BERRY is the author of the 2017 Printz Honor and Los Angeles Times Book Prize shortlisted novel The Passion of Dolssa, the Carnegie and Edgar shortlisted All the Truth That’s in Me (2013, Viking), the Odyssey Honor title The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place (2014, Roaring Brook), and many others. Her latest middle grade novel, The Emperor’s Ostrich, released in 2017 from Roaring Brook. Her new young adult novel, Lovely War, published by Viking Children’s Books, has received seven starred reviews to date, and been called “Poignant” by The Horn Book, “Mesmerizing” by Booklist, and “Virtuoso” by the New York Times. Her first picture books will release in fall 2019: Long Ago, On a Silent Night (Orchard Books/Scholastic); Don’t Let the Beasties Escape This Book (Getty Publications/Abrams Kids); and Happy Right Now (Sounds True).  She holds a BS from Rensselaer in communication and an MFA in creative writing for children and young adults from Vermont College. She lives in Southern California with her family.

CATHERINE LINKA is the author of the dystopian duology A Girl Called Fearless and A Girl Undone. Published by St. Martin’s Griffin of Macmillan, A Girl Called Fearless was honored with the 2014 Southern California Independent Bookseller Association’s Best YA Fiction award. Her upcoming young adult novel What I Want You to See (Disney Hyperion) is coming in 2020. Catherine lives in Southern California and watches hawks and hummingbirds when she should be writing.

BOTH AUTHORS are multiple award-winners and accomplished speakers. Both received their MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts.