Sunshine O'Donnell

Thu., June 28, 7 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 835 Old York Rd., Jenkintown

by Mickey Jou

reading/signing

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In her debut novel Open Me (Macadam/Cage, $23), local writer and educator Sunshine O'Donnell imagines a cultish underground community of "Wailers"�professional mourners�thriving in Bucks County. This idea originally caught O'Donnell's fancy when she noticed a passing reference to the profession in Tom Lutz's historical study of crying. "[These women] still exist in Asia and Africa," says the Germantown-based writer, who initially wondered about the kind of lives the women led. "They were huge at one point, [but] they were also considered worse than whores," adds O'Donnell. "What kind of life would they lead today?" Centered on the experiences of Mem, the top "Wailer" in the industry, and her relationship with her devoted-but-sadistic mother, O'Donnell says Open Me is "the Gypsy Rose Lee story of professional mourners. The kind of intrigues and twists and turns that come from unhealthy enmeshment between mothers and daughters is rife with possibilities." The novel also offers subtle criticism on contemporary American life, interweaving fictional narrative with pseudo-historical documents. "Our contemporary American culture has such a bizarre relationship with death and emotions," says O'Donnell. "What happens when you throw a professional mourner into the mix?"

Thu., June 28, 7 p.m., free, Barnes & Noble, 835 Old York Rd., Jenkintown, 215-886-5366, www.sunshineodonnell.com.