Bestselling Author Unveils Murder, Mystery and Intrigue at the Science Museum of Virginia
Richmond, VA (PRWEB) April 09, 2015 -- The Science Museum of Virginia welcomes New York Times bestselling author, Amy Stewart, on Saturday, April 18 at 1 pm. The renowned writer will share her wicked sense of humor and delve into the book that inspired Wicked Plants, the macabre botanical exhibition currently featured at the Museum.
In the 2010 book, Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities, Amy Stewart takes on Mother Nature's most appalling creations. It's an A to Z of plants that kill, maim, intoxicate and otherwise offend.
“When I started to write Wicked Plants, I was interested in the stories about who had been affected by these plants, and when, and how. So really, the book is like a collection of little murder mysteries,” says Amy Stewart. “It sounds a little dark, but that's just what interested me – the dark side of the plant world.”
Find out which plant killed Abraham Lincoln's mother, which shrub ignited a global war and what plant has killed 90 million people. From carnivorous plants to weeds that spontaneously combust, Stewart introduces unforgettable characters that are brought to life on the page and in the Wicked Plants gallery experience.
“It is a delightfully creepy experience to walk through the exhibit, peeking through windows and scrutinizing the contents of a very deadly dinner,” explains Stewart. “I'll talk about some of the same plants that are in the exhibit, but I've got different stories to go with them. It's a lot of fun, with just a little bit of danger thrown in.”
Guests are invited to venture through Wicked Plants, a chilling world that unearths 75 diabolical plants inside of a dilapidated, Victorian home, before digging into the inspiration behind it all with Amy Stewart. The presentation will be followed by a book signing, with books available for purchase.
About Amy Stewart
Amy Stewart is the award-winning author of six books on the perils and pleasures of the natural world, including four New York Times bestsellers, The Drunken Botanist, Wicked Bugs, Wicked Plants, and Flower Confidential. She is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship, the American Horticulture Society’s Book Award and an International Association of Culinary Professionals Food Writing Award. In 2012, she was invited to be the first Tin House Writer-in-Residence, a partnership with Portland State University, where she taught in the MFA program.
Wicked Plants is featured at the Science Museum of Virginia through May 17, 2015. Wicked Plants is sponsored by Dominion.
Amy Stewart’s presentation and Wicked Plants are included in general admission. Tickets are $11 with $1 discounts for ages 4-12 and 60+. Pre-registration is recommended. Visit http://www.smv.org or call 804.864.1400 for details.
Chrissy Caldwell, Science Museum of Virginia, http://www.smv.org, +1 (804) 864-1401, [email protected]
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