Authors! with Susan Zurenda

Join Authors! for a moving and profound evening with Susan Zurenda as she discusses her transformative third novel, No Way Out but Through. Drawing from her extensive background in literature and a life-changing interview with a survivor of child marriage, Zurenda explores the resilience of the human spirit and the power of vulnerability. This event offers a rare look into the meticulous research and deep empathy required to bring such a sensitive and important subject to the page. The evening features a 45-minute presentation followed by an audience Q&A session. Each ticket includes a first-edition hardcover copy of this hauntingly beautiful new work.

Set against the evocative backdrop of Pawley’s Island, South Carolina, and the stark landscapes of 1990s rural Oklahoma, No Way Out but Through is a dual-narrative "frame story" centered on an unlikely bond. When Shannon Irwin, an author grappling with her own family burdens, meets Grace Ferrall, she agrees to chronicle the younger woman’s shocking truth. Grace's story reveals a harrowing past of being manipulated into an abusive marriage at just fifteen years old. As these two women from different generations sequester themselves to complete the book, they must confront their inner demons and the untold stories of their pasts. It is a lyrical tale of survival, trust, and the redemption that occurs when we are brave enough to let ourselves be truly seen.