"Nanny Diaries" Authors to Appear at Centenary College

HACKETTSTOWN -- The authors of the New York Times best-selling novel, "The Nanny Diaries," will be sharing their expertise at a writing workshop at Centenary College next week.

On Tuesday, Oct. 23, Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus will facilitate a public writing workshop open to Centenary students and community members.
The college established a relationship with the writers in the summer of 2009 when McLaughlin and Kraus contacted the school to promote their first young adult novel, "The Real Real." The two women spoke to more than 100 high school students enrolled in Centenary's Summer Scholars Creative Writing program. In 2010, McLaughlin and Kraus revisited the college for a reading and book signing of "Nanny Returns," the sequel to "The Nanny Diaries," a novel that satirizes upperclass Manhattan society through the eyes of their childgiver. The novel was a New York Times best-seller in 2002 and the longest running hardcover novel printed that same year. The reading attracted about 70 attendees.

The authors will return to Centenary's campus for their first writing workshop, which will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the Writing Collaboratory in the Edward W. Seay Administration Building. The workshop, which is limited to about 20 participants, has about a half dozen seats left open, said English Department Chair Christopher Adamo.

"This is their first time doing a workshop," said Annamaria Lalevee, director of public relations at Centenary College. "It's a really unique opportunity for people to partake in. I think (McLaughlin and Krause) have an interesting story and I think anyone can really benefit from coming to this."

Centenary College has been running a creative writing speaker series since 2007, which has attracted renowned authors such as Gina B. Nahai, Mark Doty, Aryn Kyle and Daniel Nester to conduct workshops in tandem with a reading and book-signing event. The events are partially funded by the Warren County Cultural and Heritage Commission, he said.

"It allows the college to provide a unique opportunity for residents of Warren and the surrounding counties," Adamo said. "It is definitely a benefit to Centenary English majors and creative writing students to be able to meet and get advice from successful creative writers."

Light refreshments will be served at 7 p.m. in the front parlours of the Edward W. Seay Administration Building shortly before McLaughlin and Krause's readings of their two newest young adult novels, "Between You and Mean" and "Over You" at 7:30 p.m.

McLaughlin and Krause will also cover their journey with writing and publishing and discuss how they came to write "The Nanny Diaries," which was declared a "phenomenon" by Newsweek.

Lalevee said a Centenary College psychology class and audio production class will attend the readings as part of an assignment.

A book signing will follow the readings.

"I have attended a reading and book signing by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus before and I definitely expect they will inspire the participants," Adamo said.