Join us for an engaging evening with Rachel Beanland, author of The House Is On Fire, a gripping historical novel that reimagines the devastating Richmond Theater Fire of 1811. Through the perspectives of four vividly drawn characters, Beanland masterfully explores survival, resilience, and the unexpected choices made in moments of crisis. Don’t miss this chance to hear from a critically acclaimed writer whose work has been recognized by NPR, The New Yorker, and The Washington Post.

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• A “GMA Buzz Pick” by Good Morning America
• An April 2023 Indie Next pick by the American Booksellers Association
• One of the Washington Post’s most anticipated books of April
• One of 12 Books to Add to Your Reading List for April by E! News
• One of NPR’s Best Books of 2023
• One of The New Yorker’s Best Books of 2023

About the Author

Rachel Beanland is the author of two novels, The House Is On Fire (Simon & Schuster, 2023) and Florence Adler Swims Forever. Beanland’s essays have appeared in Lit Hub, Business Insider, Creative Nonfiction, and Broad Street, among other places. She has benefitted from a fellowship at the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and residencies at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Key West Literary Seminar, Hambidge Center, and Eastern Frontier Educational Foundation. Beanland attended the University of South Carolina and earned her MFA in creative writing from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has taught at the College of William & Mary, Virginia Commonwealth University, and the University of Richmond, where she was the 2023-24 Writer-in-Residence. Beanland lives in Richmond, Virginia with her family.