Audio Spotlight: In Sight of the Mountain by Jamie McGillen
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Author: Jamie McGillen
Narrator: Sarah Brands
Length: 9 hours 34 minutes
Publisher: The Evergreen Bookshelf⎮2020
Genre: Young Adult; Historical Fiction
Release date: Apr. 24, 2020
Synopsis:
In the devastating aftermath of the 1889 Great Seattle Fire, 19-year-old Anna Gallagher faces considerable pressure to marry well and soon. But she has no intention of giving up her freedom to keep house. She wants to be the first woman to summit Mount Rainier.
Anna's grandfather couldn't disapprove more. And after he discovers that she's befriended a Duwamish woman in the forest, he threatens to disown her completely.
Still, her resolve to summit doesn't waver until she meets a fisherman who seems to love adventure as much as she does. He's not the kind of high society gentleman who could save their family's finances after the fire, but he adores her and treats her like an equal.
Mountaineering through glaciers, avalanches, and frozen temperatures might cause Anna's family to disown her forever. It might even ruin any future marriage prospects. But if she succeeds in reaching the icy peak, she could pioneer the way for women mountaineers, and create a new identify for herself, something she's been longing for her whole life.
Inspired by the trailblazing women of the 19th century who dared to summit Mount Rainier, In Sight of the Mountain is a charming coming-of-age story, but it also casts the reader's gaze upon issues of colonialism, class, and women's far-too-narrow options.
About the Author: Jamie McGillen
Jamie McGillen lives in the shadow of Mount Rainier, and no matter how many times she moves away, it draws her home. Everything about large evergreen trees delights her, except how poky they are, and the sap. Her poems and essays have been published in numerous literary journals, and she teaches English Composition at Highline College. When she's not teaching or cutting strawberries for her starving children, she enjoys writing rhyming poetry, but it's simply not as popular as it used to be. You can find out more about her at www.jamiemcgillen.com.
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About the Narrator: Sarah Brands
Sarah's mid-range voice is warm, relatable, and fresh and is well-suited for YA, memoirs, and self-help genres while she remains versatile and open. She is professionally trained in audiobook narration and is always adding new skills to her repertoire with coaching and self-guided study. She is an actor with a general American accent and a quick study when it comes to new accents. She has lived in Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Washington, New York, and Virginia near Washington, D.C. Her background includes literacy specialist, marketing, sales, and professional learning facilitator. Fun fact: She once held a forklift driver's license!
As an avid consumer of audiobooks, she is a frequent study of the craft and understands the importance of a good narrator.
