Wendy Thornton Discussed Her Latest Book: Sounding the Depths

Author Wendy Thornton discussed her latest book, Sounding The Depths, as part of the ongoing Local Author Series at the Alachua County Library headquarters on Saturday, March 17.

“Music creates memories,” Thornton said, “even for those who are on the verge of losing theirs forever. You hear an old song and it transports you back into the past.”

Through humorous essays and remembrances in Sounding the Depths, Thornton has explored the past fifty years of music, the way it has changed, and the many ways it has remained the same.

Near the end of her talk, Thornton said her all-time favorite musician is Gainesville’s beloved Tom Petty, who died on October 2, 2017, at age 66. She mentioned the city’s plan to honor Petty and the possible options: rename a city street, park, or facility; add a statue to a city park or facility; host an annual concert or music festival; proclaim his birthday, Oct. 20, as Tom Petty Day; dedicate the month of October to his legacy. Want to vote? Go to www.surveymonkey.com/r/TomPettyMemorial. The survey ends April 16.

A book signing followed Thornton’s talk and included her other books: Dear Oprah Or How I Beat Cancer and Learned to Love Daytime TV (2013) and a  mystery, Bear-Trapped: In a Trashy Hollywood Novel (2015). She also had a number of journals on exhibit to show the opportunities that exist for writers.

Thornton’s stories and essays have been published in a variety of journals and books including Riverteeth, Epiphany, and MacGuffin. She was nominated for a Pushcart Prize, has been Editor’s Pick on Salon.com multiple times, and has received numerous awards. Her works have been published in England, Ireland, Scotland, Australia and India.