Former Lockportian Megan Cassidy-Hall will discuss her new novel, "Sutherland," at the Niagara History Center (215 Niagara St., Lockport), at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13.
Cassidy-Hall's historical fiction novel tells the tale of Lockport's famous Sutherland sisters. Known for their long hair, they were one of the most celebrated acts in Barnum and Bailey's "Greatest Show on Earth." The sisters were known for their erratic behavior and excessive spending of the fortune they made selling their hair products.
Only a few servants and friends knew the darkness that lay behind the Sutherland fame. The novel follows Anna Louise Roberts, who takes a position as the Sutherland's governess and tutor. She begins to fear the ghosts that haunt the Sutherland mansion, the madness that plagues their youngest sister, and the family curses that slowly contaminates their fame.
The book will be published in two parts and, while fictitious, Cassidy-Hall will touch on real events that happened to the sisters during their lifetimes.
Cassidy-Hall is a Lockport-born author. Aside from "Sutherland," she has written a mystery called "Smothered." Cassidy-Hall also published the young adult novel, "Always Jessie"; the middle-grade novel "The Misadventures of Marvin Miller"; and a number of picture books under the name Megan E. Cassidy. Her short fiction and poetry have appeared in more than a dozen literary magazines, including Pilcrow & Dagger, Bête Noire and Dying Dahlia Review.
In addition to writing, Cassidy-Hall works as a full-time English professor in New York's Capital District. Megan and her husband, Stephen Hall III, started their publishing company, 50/50 Press, in 2017. Since then, the pair has published 15 titles by authors from across the country.
Her interest in the Sutherland sisters, stems from her childhood fascination with the infamous sisters. Much of Cassidy-Hall's research was conducted at the Niagara County Historical Society. For this piece of historical fiction, she used archives to discover the story behind the sisters.
"Sutherland" will be available for purchase at this event.
