Virtual book club returns with discussion on opioid epidemic

By Waterbury Roundabout 

Author Brett Ann Stanciu. Courtesy photo

The Children’s Literacy Foundation virtual book club returns on Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. to discuss the new memoir, “Unstitched: My Journey to Understand Opioid Addiction and How People and Communities Can Heal,” with Northeast Kingdom author Brett Ann Stanciu attending via Zoom. 

A graduate of Marlboro College, Stanciu is a recipient of a 2020 Vermont Arts Council Creation Grant and her latest title follows her first book, “Hidden View,” a novel about sugaring and marriage. 

Stanciu is a librarian who worked with the foundation in 2018 when the Woodbury Community Library received a CLiF Rural Libraries grant.

The Children's Literacy Foundation's online Book Club for Grownups hosts author Brett Ann Stanciu Oct. 15 to discuss her new memoir. Courtesy photo

The book description of “Unstitched” reveals how her real-life experience informed her writing: “A stranger, rumored to be a heroin addict, repeatedly breaks into the small-town library Brett Ann Stanciu runs. After she tries to get law enforcement to take meaningful action against him…he dies by suicide. When she realizes how little she knows about opioid misuse, she sets out on a mission, seeking insight from others, such as people in recovery, treatment providers, the town police chief, and Vermont's US attorney.”

Erika Nichols-Frazer, the foundation’s communications manager, said the book focuses on an important issue to many communities in the region. “We believe it’s crucial to learn more about the [opioid] crisis and how we can help. We need to learn about people’s experiences, which is something CLiF tries to promote in general, learning about others’ perspectives and experiences through books,” she said. “I expect that ‘Unstitched’ will spark a conversation and build awareness around this complicated issue that impacts so many of the children and families we work with.” 

The virtual book club was created during the COVID-19 pandemic to support regional authors and connect readers. It’s been successful in attracting attendees from Vermont and New Hampshire as well as readers from other states and countries including Iraq, Mexico, Ireland and India. 

The series also has raised the foundation’s profile as more people have learned of its work to promote literacy among low-income, at-risk, and rural children in Vermont and New Hampshire with grants and book giveaways. 

Readers can purchase “Unstitched” from Bridgeside Books in Waterbury for a 15% discount (mention the CLiF book club). Sign up to attend the book club session under Events on the Children’s Literacy Foundation website clifonline.org.