Those were the themes at a library talk
“When we have children’s events, we tend to talk a lot about imagination,” Highland Falls Library Director Leslie Rose told the 50 or so people gathered downstairs in the library Sunday evening. “When we have adults with us, we tend to talk about community. That’s what this afternoon is, a gathering of friends, family and community.”
The event she was welcoming people to was a panel discussion by authors Allison Pataki, Owen Pataki and Bea Copeland. The Pataki siblings have coauthored a book, and Alison has also written three of her own historical fiction novels, memoir and — to be released this month — children’s book. Owen is working on another book right now, and Copeland is working on — “the fourth draft of” — Allison’s memoir, Beauty in Broken Places.
The three discussed their writing styles and projects, and it was Allison Pataki that said the word ‘community’ is what inspired them to participate in the panel discussion. The three grew up next to each other in Garrison, and have participated in other projects before, as teenagers, they said. All three spoke about how they not only enjoyed growing up in this area of the country, and now, as adults, find themselves returning here for inspiration when it comes to new projects.
“The inspiration for my first book, The Traitor’s Wife, came from when I was out for a walk with my mom and dad and our dogs one day,” Allison said. Her mother and father, former New York State Governor George and Libby Pataki, were in the audience at the library on Sunday.
Owen Pataki, too, talked about how their family’s background — “we have Hungarian peasants in our family history” — led to some of his work, as did an inspiring French teacher at the Garrison School, Carol Swetz. Owen, who also is interested in and working on filmmaking, said growing up in the 1990s was inspiring to him too; he called that the “Golden Age of film making”.
Both Patakis said they delight in bringing history to life for their readers — “it’s very rewarding,” Owen said.
Copeland, who showed the audience her first-ever short film, Evergreen, talked about how she never felt she was “the best writer out there”, but is able to “craft together stories” with her filmmaking. She recalled shooting a film in the Pataki’s pool as a teenager, an “autobiographical film about the summer my oldest sister left for college”.
The three all had family in the audience, in addition to the senior Patakis, including Alison’s small children. She threw out thanks to not only the Highland Falls Library for hosting the event, but to Library Board member Regina Kopald and her son Adam for making the connection. Because of the close proximity to Garrison, all three have ties to Highland Falls and Fort Montgomery, including time at O’Neill High School and friends here.
