Sena Jeter Naslund and the Fountain

Sena Jeter Naslund and the St. James Court fountain

In my soggy post of yesterday, I failed to mention the fact that author Sena Jeter Naslund lives in the historic neighborhood that hosts the St. James Court Art Fair. Her newest book takes the fountain at the heart of the court (that depicts "Venus Rising from the Sea") for her title: The Fountain of St. James Court; or Portrait of an Artist as an Old Woman. It is a novel within a novel and looks at the lives of both a fictional contemporary writer, who happens to live on SJC, and the real French artist Élisabeth Vigée-LeBrun.

Ms. Naslund, a former poet laureate of Kentucky, is the author of Ahab's Wife, Four Spirits, and Abundance, a novel of Marie Antoinette.

Although I have yet to read any of Ms. Naslund's books (they tend to be very long), I have met her several times. Once was at a private evening reception held in the home of a mutual friend who lives on St. James Court. This was for the publication in 2010 of Adam and Eve.  There was a meet-and-greet portion to the evening and then Ms. Naslund was to read from her book. I was sitting in the dining room and she was in the living room reading aloud. I couldn't see her so there was just this disembodied voice filling the air. A memorable experience and just a tad weird 

But I  can tell you for sure that the fountain at night is a wonder to behold!