Emily Heebner
Writer, Actor, Professor
Author photograph by Oliver C. Young.
Editorial Review
"I really love historical fiction that takes place outside the big cities (NYC, London, San Francisco). I was also excited to read a YA WWII area novel (particularly because Meg would have been the same age as one of my grandmothers at the time-who was also from upstate NY)...the snippets into daily life at the time and the bits of pop culture sprinkled in. I loved Arthur and his Native American culture...All in all a wonderful story."
Seneca Lake is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Scribd, Nook, and Audible.
It's 1944 in rural upstate New York. High school senior Meg lives with her grandparents above a small town saloon overlooking Seneca Lake. Born during the stock market crash of 1929, Meg was one too many pregnancies for her emotionally fragile mother. Meg aims to break free from her family's cycle of poverty by attending Cornell University in the fall. Her grandparents hope she'll nab a ring from wealthy Hank Wickham before he deploys for Europe. But Meg finds secret romance with handsome, enigmatic Arthur, a 19-year-old Seneca Indian farm worker who shares life lessons with Meg, telling her stories from Iroquois Indian lore. Locals look down on "injuns" and resent the fact that Arthur's farm job exempts him from fighting in the war. While the war rages in Europe, neither Meg nor Arthur sense the violence brewing in their own home town.
Reader Review
"Emily pulled me right in from the very beginning and never let me go. Even after I was finished reading, I found myself thinking of Meg and Arthur and all they went through..."
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Site of Seneca Indian village.
General Clinton and General Sullivan of the infamous Sullivan-Clinton campaign.
Sunset on Seneca Lake in Lodi, New York.
Seneca Union Cemetery. Valois, New York.
Cornell University Class Reunion, 2019. Arts Quad.
Work Experience
PROFESSOR
Emily has been fortunate to work as a college professor for 11 years, teaching in both English and Theatre Arts departments. Currently she teaches at Chapman University, as well as in the Adult Conservatory at South Coast Repertory. Her teaching has taken her to diverse and amazing campuses; from Mt. San Jacinto Community College to University of Redlands, from Los Angeles Trade Technical College to California State University Northridge, and more.
WRITER
For 8 years she worked for Sparkhill DVD as a writer of special feature documentaries on such projects as Tuck Everlasting, The Hours, The Passion, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Hemingway Collection, and more.
ACTOR
After earning her MFA in Acting, she worked as an actor on Broadway, in regional theatre and commercials. Major theatre companies she's worked with: Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Huntington, South Coast Repertory, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Company, A Noise Within. Member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA.
EDUCATOR
Having taught at community colleges and universities for 12 years, she currently teaches at Chapman University.
Education
California State University Northridge, MA Creative Writing
Cornell University, BA English
American Conservatory Theatre, MFA Acting