Longtime Geneva resident and educator Ellen Jo Ljung is set to debut “Caught in the Crossfire,” a new novel inspired by real-life issues at the intersection of school and politics in Texas.

“Although this novel is fiction, it’s grounded in what happened to teachers in Texas during the 2022-2023 school year, interference and micromanagement that continue to this day,” Ljung said in a release. “The realities drew me in, and I hope they draw my readers in, too.”

An experienced storyteller, Ljung is the author of two textbooks about teaching writing and a teaching memoir, along with an ongoing blog, Dare to Teach and Learn. This is her first foray into fiction. The research for her blog propelled Ljung’s interest in the plight of teachers in states like Texas.

Local book signing event: Ljung will discuss and sign copies of her memoir on Saturday, June 28, from 1-3PM at the Harvey’s Tales, 216 James St., Geneva, with a rain date of Sunday, June 29. Learn more here.

“Claire’s story is fiction, but the stakes are very real,” Ljung said. “Teachers all over the country are being silenced or pushed out, not for doing anything wrong, but for standing up for what’s right.”

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