Whitelam Books Presents New Novel, QUEEN BESS: A Tudor Comes to Save America
October 29 @ 7:00 pm
In-conversation event with novelist Maria Vetrano explores political fantasy that blends historical fiction, time travel, and humor
Why can’t politics be more like fantasy football?
Massachusetts author Maria Vetrano’s debut novel, QUEEN BESS: A Tudor Comes to Save America (Regalo Press), answers the question with a time-traveling Elizabeth Tudor brought to 2027 Massachusetts in preparation for a run at the 2028 presidential election.
Whitelam Books will bring Vetrano and in-conversation partner Maura K. Phelan, principal of Green Light Literary + Media, to Whitelam Books on October 29, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. for a lively author event exploring the political bona fides of a modern-day Queen Elizabeth I.
The catalyst for the event, Whitelam bookseller and event manager Jeanne Dennehy, appreciated Vetrano’s unique approach to combining political satire and historical fiction in the new novel.
“The US presidential campaign process is long, expensive, and anxiety-provoking,” said Dennehy. “What if politics were more like fantasy football? Take a brilliant, experienced leader from the past, a person without a high-profile history that would make her a target for negative media exposure and put her in a position to run for the presidency. QUEEN BESS is the anecdote we need as we navigate this presidential election season, and the months that will follow.”
QUEEN BESS isn’t just for political buffs. It’s also for fans of the Tudors.
“I’ve loved Elizabeth Tudor since I first saw Glenda Jackson portray her in the Masterpiece Theatre miniseries Elizabeth R, a show that I watched with my family when I was a child,” said Vetrano. “While I could have selected a different historical figure who might rescue American democracy, I chose Elizabeth Tudor because she was a brilliant, battle-tested ruler who secured England’s shores, restored the treasury, and ushered in the Renaissance. She did all that while retaining her power in a world dominated by men. Just imagine how she would handle other world leaders. Or Congress.”
