Lara Wilson, curator of the Concord Festival of Authors and founder of Be Well Be Here, devotes her life to exploring the intersection of personal narrative and mindful wellBEing. Her short stories have been published in The Kenyon Review, StoryQuarterly, American Fiction, and Confrontation, among others. She received a 2010 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellowship in Fiction, and scholarships from the Sewanee and BreadLoaf Writers’ Conferences.

Concord Festival of Authors

September 15, 2023

Lara Wilson

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Concord’s literary legacy and natural beauty have inspired countless writers and readers to explore the art of storytelling. The 31st annual Concord Festival of Authors (CFA) celebrates the written and spoken word this fall with dozens of literary events throughout town on October 20 – 30. Managed by the Friends of the Concord Free Public Library, this year’s CFA also honors the library’s 150th anniversary as a community home for readers of all ages.

Cozy Books for a Winter Day

December 15, 2019

Lara Wilson

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Curl up with a good book this winter.

The Summer Issue is Here!

As our nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this issue explores the people, ideas, and stories that continue to shape its legacy. Inside, Professor Robert A. Gross offers fresh perspective in “A Referendum on Independence,” while a special foldout guide, “Following in Thoreau’s Footsteps,” invites you to explore the landscapes that inspired him. Discover an unexpected connection in “A Tale of Two Authors,” revisit the moving story of “A Hawthorne Homecoming,” and enjoy summer events, arts, and ways to experience Concord firsthand.

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The Robbins House: Fifteen Years of History, Heritage, and Hope

For the last fifteen years, The Robbins House has proudly told the stories of Black Concord through the lens of the Robbins and Garrison families. Originally located on an isolated farm overlooking the Great Meadows along the Concord River, the house is one of the only known historic sites commemorating the legacy of a previously enslaved Revolutionary War veteran named Caesar Robbins.

A Tale of Two Authors: Charles Dickens’ Influence on Louisa May Alcott

Imagine admiring an author while you are growing up and then ending up in the same stratosphere of success as them. That is what happened to Louisa May Alcott, who was described by contemporaries as an ardent and enthusiastic admirer of Charles Dickens—a writer two decades her senior. Both Dickens and Alcott wrote novels, short stories, and essays; both loved the stage and pursued amateur acting; both integrated social issues into their writings; both went from using pen names to real names; and both became household names. By 1893, only Dickens’ novels were more circulated than Alcott’s in United States public libraries.

Lara Wilson

ARTICLES

Concord Festival of Authors

Cozy Books for a Winter Day