A Man’s World? — New Book Contests That Viewpoint
Debut Novel Loosely Based on Dartmouth College
Fiction writer and Canterbury, NH, resident Sarah McCraw Crow recently released her debut novel The Wrong Kind of Woman (Mira/HarperCollins). The novel’s setting is loosely based on Dartmouth College, and at the center of the book is Virginia, a woman who finds her way through grief when she helps bring the women’s movement to an all-male college campus, Clarendon College. The Wrong Kind of Woman takes place in 1970-1971, a time of opposition to the Vietnam War, student protests, and the second wave of the women’s movement. As the rest of the world explodes in angry protests, the little campus town acts as though it will be forever preserved from the reality of the change brewing. Virginia discovers a small group of brave, bold women working tirelessly for change. She feels a kinship with these women, but can her family withstand the changes in and around her?
The Wrong Kind of Woman is the culmination of two of the author’s longtime obsessions. “One is the women of my mom’s generation, women who’d be in their 80s-90s today; I wondered how they managed the choices that were (and weren’t) open to them when they were young, like where they could go to college and what sorts of jobs they could aspire to,” said Crow. “The other is my interest in colleges like Dartmouth College, and what those colleges were like before they started admitting women.” Crow questions why it took so long for women and minorities to be admitted to these institutions. “I wondered what it was like for the few women who worked there, and for the first women exchange students.”
“After finishing the book, I hope the reader will feel they have read a good story about three very different characters, how these characters worked their way through grief, and how their identities changed for the better under pressure,” said Crow. “I also hope readers will consider how much has changed for women in 50 years, and how far we still have to go. Perhaps they will draw some parallels between 1970-1971 and now, two eras with a lot of political protest, violence, and division,” she said.
The author has resided in New Hampshire for 20 years. She attended Dartmouth College, and lived in New York City and Virginia before settling in the Granite State. She began her writing career as a writer and editor for women’s magazines. She has published award-winning short stories, and her essays and book reviews have appeared in BookPage, The Christian Science Monitor, and Prime Number.
When not absorbed in her craft, Crow enjoys reading, particularly debut novels. She likes to snowshoe, garden and hike. She and her husband live on an old farm that lends itself to her gardening. Like many other households during the pandemic, her three young adult children were all home, but have recently returned to their own lives. Crow is a member of the New Hampshire Writers Project.
The Wrong Kind of Woman is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart and Indie bookstores. Learn more about Crow at her website: https://sarahmccrawcrow.com/
