Shenendehowa High School East was buzzing on Tuesday evening, April 28, as 1,200 attendees gathered to hear Liz Moore—award‑winning novelist, professor, screenwriter, and author of CPH Friends 2026 Two Towns One Book selection God of the Woods—share stories from her childhood, her affection for the Adirondacks, and the highs and lows of her writing career. She noted that this was one of the most knowledgeable audiences she has encountered while discussing God of the Woods, thanks to the community’s close proximity to the Adirondacks, Union College, and Saratoga, all settings found in the novel.
When Assistant Library Director Jim Foster asked about her inspiration for the book, Moore immediately pointed to her residency at Yaddo. Although she was captivated by the estate’s beauty, she was equally moved by the tragic history of its former owners, Spencer and Katrina Trask. Despite their wealth, the Trasks suffered repeated heartbreak—from the destruction of their home to the loss of all four of their children. Their story, she explained, is echoed in the fictional Van Laar family, whose privilege similarly fails to shield them from sorrow.
Moore also walked the audience through her writing process. Each novel begins with a place she knows intimately, followed by the era, and then the people who inhabit that world. She discovers her characters as she writes, shaping them around a central problem that drives the story forward. Alice, she admitted, was the most challenging character to craft for God of the Woods—abrasive, unkind, and difficult to sympathize with. But as Moore explored Alice’s past, including the limited rights of women in her time, an arranged marriage, and profound personal losses, her complexity came into focus.
In the end, Moore’s visit offered attendees not only a deeper understanding of God of the Woods but also a powerful reminder of how place, history, and human vulnerability intertwine to shape unforgettable stories.