Dive into the artistry of Claire Keegan’s short fiction and discover the techniques that make her stories resonate long after you finish reading.

Claire Keegan is widely celebrated as a master of the contemporary short story, known for her unmatched precision, atmospheric depth, and profound emotional resonance.

In this course, we will pull back the curtain on her brilliant craft by diving deep into two of her finest works: Walk the Blue Fieldsand The Forester’s Daughter. Together, we will examine her unique narrative techniques, exploring how she builds indelible characters, captures the haunting beauty of the Irish landscape, and compresses a novel’s worth of tension into just a few pages.

Whether you are an aspiring writer looking to sharpen your technique or an avid reader who loves brilliant fiction, this session will give you a fresh appreciation for what makes a short story truly unforgettable.

What to expect:

We will discuss each story individually to uncover the techniques that make Keegan such an effective and powerful storyteller.

Feedback from Sam and Suzanne’s past book courses:

“Highly interactive double session. Really enjoyed the book selected for the discussion. The facilitators were well prepared, with questions and content designed to draw people into deep discussion. Everyone loved it.”

“I loved the format of this class. I work during the day so evening classes are ideal for my schedule, and a two-week commitment is about the most my calendar can manage. This set-up was perfect. The structure with textual analysis during week 1 and critical analysis during week 2 —built a deeper understanding of the text through guided conversation. I would love to do another two-week evening course next season!”

“It was a rich discussion not only about the written narrative but also about the underlying themes. Sam and Suzanne led a very thoughtful discussion about the impact of the characters and their underlying lives. Thank you for the opportunity.”

2 Wednesdays | Nov 4, 11 | 6-7:30pm | IN PERSON (Talbot County Chamber of Commerce near Bagery, 101 Marlboro Ave, Easton) | $40

Sam VanNest is a Maryland native and has called the Eastern Shore home since 1998. He graduated from St. Mary’s College of Maryland in 2009, studied at Washington College as a graduate student, and went on to get a master’s degree in English from University of Oregon where he wrote a thesis on the representation of physical disability in American Literature. After his adventures out west, he came back to the Shore in 2014 to write and teach. Sam lives in Easton with his family and his dog Wicker.

Suzanne Sanders earned a B.A. in Humanities from Johns Hopkins because, hey, somebody has to balance out all those pre-med students. She has worked as a journalist, bartender, metaphysical manager, poet, full-tilt mom, and Russian translator. She has taught the occasional class at Chesapeake College and volunteers at the library. She and her husband are currently sadly lacking in the kitten department.

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