Kay Hardy Campbell will be the featured author at The Sounding Board, on Thursday, June 6, at the Merry Barn. A life-long student of Arabic language, culture, history, and music, author Kay Hardy Campbell majored in Arabic at the University of Minnesota, earned a Master’s at Harvard in Middle Eastern Studies, and lived in Saudi Arabia for several years.

Campbell’’s first novel, “A Caravan of Brides: A Novel of Saudi Arabia,” received a ‘starred’ review from Kirkus, which called it “a mesmerizing Middle Eastern tale to be savored from beginning to end.” 

While visiting Morocco in 2005, Campbell felt instantly drawn to the historic city of Fez, the inspiration and setting for her second novel, The Sons of Fez. A time-travel adventure, The Sons of Fez was a Maine Literary Award Finalist in 2022 in the speculative fiction category. Today Kay writes for AramcoWorld Magazine, and is at work on a sequel to The Sons of Fez. Learn more at www.kayhardycampbell.com.

The Sounding Board is a monthly forum for Midcoast writers of all abilities to share brief pieces, receive supportive feedback, and hear new work from a published author. Writers wishing to read on June 6, should submit a piece of up to 750 words for approval to merrybarnwritersretreat@gmail.com.

The Merry Barn is located at 417 River Road, Edgecomb. Gathering and light refreshments at 5:30 p.m. Readings begin at 6, This event is free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated. The Merry Barn Writers’ Retreat is a 501c3 public charity. More information at www.merrybarn.com.