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Author Event with Hazel Gaynor/Before Dorothy

Anderson's Bookshop Naperville

location_on 123 West Jefferson Avenue, Naperville, IL, USA
schedule 6/23/2025 7:00 PM
Registration Closed
Author Event with Hazel Gaynor/Before Dorothy

Join Anderson’s Bookshop for an author event with Hazel Gaynor, to celebrate the release of her newest book, Before Dorothy, on Monday, June 23rd at 7:00 pm in our Naperville store. Gaynor will be in conversation with author Renée Rosen.


Event Format

We will begin checking you in approximately 30 minutes before the start time. After a presentation and Q&A with the author, the line will form in numbered order with the following guidelines:


  • Posed photo with your camera taken by our staff

  • There is a limit of 2 books from home to be signed (unless otherwise stated)

  • There is a limit of 1 personalization of the new book only (unless otherwise stated)


All events have open seating. The “Order Line Number” on your pdf ticket is your reserved place in the signing line. You will line up to meet the author based on that number.


If you cannot attend, you must pick up your book (if included with ticket) at the hosting store within 30 days of the event.  We can ship that book to you for an additional charge of $9.99; please call the store to arrange that.


Pre-registration is required for this event because space is limited.


More about Before Dorothy:

Long before Dorothy visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own grand adventure, leaving gritty Chicago behind for Kansas and a life that will utterly change her, in this transporting novel from New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor.

Chicago, 1924: Emily and her new husband, Henry, yearn to leave the bustle of Chicago for the promise of their own American dream among the harsh beauty of the prairie. But leaving the city means leaving Emily’s beloved sister, Annie, who was once closer to her than anyone in the world.

Kansas, 1932: Emily and Henry have established their new home among the warmth of the farming community in Kansas. Aligned to the fickle fortunes of nature, their lives hold a precarious and hopeful purpose, until tragedy strikes and their orphaned niece, Dorothy, lands on their doorstep.

The wide-eyed child isn’t the only thing to disrupt Emily’s world. Drought and devastating dust storms threaten to destroy everything, and her much-loved home becomes a place of uncertainty and danger. When the past catches up with the present and old secrets are exposed, Emily fears she will lose the most cherished thing of all: Dorothy.

Bursting with courage and heart, Before Dorothy tells the story of the woman who raised a beloved heroine, and ponders the question: what is the true meaning of home?


About the Author

Hazel Gaynor is an award-winning, New York TimesUSA TodayIrish Times, and internationally bestselling author known for her deeply moving historical novels which explore the defining events of the 20th century. Her most recent novel, The Last Lifeboat, was a Times historical novel of the month, an Audie award winner, and was short-listed for the Irish Book Awards. Her work is published in twenty-seven territories to date. She lives in Ireland with her family.


About the Conversation Partner

Renée Rosen is the USA Today bestselling author of nine novels, including Let’s Call Her Barbie, Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl, The Social Graces, and Park Avenue Summer. Her novels tend to feature strong, enterprising women such as Ruth Handler, Estée Lauder, Alva Vanderbilt, and Helen Gurley Brown.  Renée lives in Chicago and is currently working on a new novel expected in 2027.


Please read these Event Policies carefully:

Anderson’s Bookshop reserves the right to change the format of this event at any time in coordination with the author and publisher. Anderson’s Bookshop assumes no responsibility or liability for any personal injury or other loss you may incur as a result of your decision to attend an event, including the transmission of Covid-19 or related illnesses. 

Failure to treat all participants and staff with courtesy and respect may result in your expulsion from the event.  



Accessibility:

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, after purchasing your ticket(s), please contact us at andersons@andersonsbookshop.com.


Refund Policy
Please note that tickets are non-refundable. Once your payment has been submitted, your purchase is final. This includes changes to the status of signed books and instances where you cannot attend an event at the scheduled time.
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