A sweeping historical adventure inspired by the life of Grace O’Malley, the legendary Irish folk heroine who risked everything to defend her people. Venture onto the high seas with the thrilling latest from the New York Times bestselling author of The Frozen River and I Was Anastasia.

Grace O’Malley was born to be a sea captain. But despite her natural skill on the water, Grace learns early that her dreams of a life at the helm are not compatible with the expectations of her noble family. As the only daughter of a powerful chieftain, her role is to secure a strong alliance and bear children. But when she’s sent to foster with a nearby clan, Grace falls for a clever and open-minded second son—a man she cannot have.

Married off against her will to a brutal warrior, Grace performs her duty, all the while gathering followers loyal to her, and consolidating her husband’s power, only to be ousted from his lands. But this betrayal offers Grace the opportunity to return to sea, finally leading clan O’Malley’s mighty fleet. Just as she finds true independence, Queen Elizabeth’s incursions into Ireland grow bolder and Grace must fight to defend her land, her ships, and the people she loves most against the cruel and power-hungry English deputies, who will stop at nothing to check her power.

Keenly observed and fiercely written, Ariel Lawhon’s new action-packed novel channels the untamed beauty and harsh realities of sixteenth-century Ireland, as seen through the eyes of an unforgettable heroine who rightly became “the Pirate Queen of Ireland.”

ARIEL LAWHON is an award-winning, critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages and have been Good Morning America, LibraryReads, and One Book One County selections. She lives in the rolling hills outside Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and four sons. Ariel splits her time between the grocery store and the baseball field.

Lawhon will be joined in conversation with NWS host Audrey Irontree. Irontree is a fiction writer, developmental editor, ghostwriter and educator. She received her Master of Fine Arts in Fiction degree from Northwestern University, her Bachelor of Arts from Brown University and her Associate Degree from The Bard College at Simon’s Rock. Her short story, "Alligator," was recently announced as a runner-up in the 2025 Adrift Short Story Contest and will appear in the 2027 Driftwood Anthology. Other works have appeared in the Portland Review, Meridian, and other publications.

Event Details

The livestream will begin with a slideshow at 6:50 p.m. Please note this slideshow will have no audio. The programming will begin at 7:00 p.m., a great time to test your audio. If you have any problems please double check the troubleshooting tips in your confirmation email. If that still doesn't help email marketing@nwstc.org.

Virtual attendees may participate in the Q&A via moderated chat. You must be logged into YouTube via a Google account to chat, or email questions to marketing@nwstc.org.

Virtual Ticket Pricing
Virtual Ticket (No Book): $14
Virtual Ticket + Book: $41
Virtual Ticket + Book Shipped: $49
Student / Educator Ticket (No Book): $10

Sponsors

Fall Season Sponsors: Green Brick Foundation
Livestreaming Underwriter: Nancy Davy