No Experience Necessary Memoirist Nancy Murray, November 15
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening with memoirist Nancy Murray, author of No Experience Necessary, on Friday, November 15, at 5:00 p.m., at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort). Free and open to the public. Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited; please call in advance to reserve: 843-379-7025.
About the Book and Author:
In No Experience Necessary, Nancy Murray shares the insights, pitfalls, and strategies that she gleaned along her journey toward meaningful employment. Her stories prove that even so-called nowhere jobs can be crucial steps to not only establishing a career, but to discovering ourselves. Nancy’s workplace tales span a colorful spectrum, from selling speakers from a seedy van to driving a posh limo; from performing as a professional clown to financial advisor. With each job, she profited in ways beyond a traditional paycheck. Some might consider this a cautionary tale, but it’s also a field guide for anyone preparing to fill out their first job application, not to mention a humorous flashback for those who recall the trials and tribulations of the workplace all too well.
“Through the many jobs—both ordinary and extraordinary— in this memoir of working, Nancy Murray shows not only how willing she is to take a chance and fail, but to grow from those failures with her trademark blend of humor and humility. What really stands out, however, is her prose—like a long lunch with a good friend, there is never a dull moment.”—Jen Michalski, author of The Company of Strangers
“No Experience Necessary is an extraordinary account of what it means to work. In vivid and engaging prose, the book illuminates the struggles and triumphs of insisting on a creative life. A tightly-focused and engaging memoir, this is an amazing read!” —Kathy Flann, award-winning author of Smoky Ordinary and Write On: Secrets to Crafting Better Stories
Nancy Murray is a poet, playwright, and storyteller. Her first memoir, One Child for Another, was published by 11th Hour Press, and was recognized by Baltimore Magazine as one of the Ten Best Reads in 2015. Her storytelling was showcased by the Women of the World Festival in Baltimore, Maryland. Nancy’s plays and poetry have been produced and published in various venues and presses including, Ireland’s HCE Review, The Maryland State Poetry and Literary Society, and in multiple anthologies. Her most recent publication, a poetry collection called The Colors of Fear, was published by Cyberwit Press. She teaches compositional writing at the Community College of Baltimore County and hosts a series of poetry workshops at the Arts Lab of South County, Maryland.
To learn more about the year-round educational programming of the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, please visit www.patconroyliterarycenter.org. The Conroy Center is located at 601 Bladen Street in historic downtown Beaufort and open to the public for guided tours on Thursday through Sunday, noon to 4:00 p.m. (or other times by appointment).
