Rachel Slade Presents Her New Book At WRITERS IN THE LOFT, 11/5

On Tuesday, November 5, bestselling author and journalist Rachel Slade comes to The Music Hall Loft. She will discuss her book, INTO THE RAGING SEA, a narrative on the mystery of El Faro's tragic fate and the hidden truth about modern shipping.

The 7pm event includes an author presentation and interview with Mel Allen, Editor at Yankee Magazine, followed by a Q&A and post-event book signing and meet-and-greet. It will be held at The Music Hall Loft at 131 Congress St., in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

"Rachel Slade's work reflects her dedication to research and her commitment to the truth," said Mel Allen, Editor of Yankee Magazine and the evening's moderator. "It is a privilege to share a stage with Rachel, one of the most industrious and creative writers whose work I've shared with readers."

Rachel Slade's book INTO THE RAGING SEA, unravels the disastrous and mysterious circumstances that lead to the worst American shipping disaster in recent years. On October 1, 2015, Hurricane Joaquin barreled into the Bermuda Triangle and swallowed the container ship El Faro whole. No one could fathom how a vessel equipped with satellite communications, a sophisticated navigation system, and cutting-edge weather forecasting could suddenly vanish-until now.

Relying on hundreds of exclusive interviews with family members and maritime experts, as well as the words of the crew members themselves-whose conversations were captured by the ship's data recorder-Slade unravels the mystery of the sinking of El Faro. As she recounts the final twenty-four hours onboard, Slade vividly depicts the officers' anguish and fear as they struggled to carry out Captain Michael Davidson's increasingly bizarre commands, which, they knew, would steer them straight into the eye of the storm. Taking a hard look at America's aging merchant marine fleet, Slade also reveals the truth about modern shipping-a cut-throat industry plagued by razor-thin profits and ever more violent hurricanes fueled by global warming. INTO THE RAGING SEA takes us into the heart of an age-old American industry, casting new light on the hardworking men and women who paid the ultimate price in the name of profit.

Rachel Slade began her journalism career as the Design Editor at Boston magazine and progressed to the position of Executive Editor. Her magazine work has earned considerable national recognition, including a National Civic Journalism award for an investigative story on the Boston Redevelopment Authority. Slade attended Barnard College for her Bachelor's Degree and received her Masters Degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She splits her time between Brookline, Massachusetts and Rockport, Maine.

Mel Allen is the fifth editor of Yankee Magazine since its beginning in 1935. His first byline in Yankee appeared in 1977 and he joined the staff in 1979 as a senior editor. Eventually, he became executive editor and in the summer of 2006 became editor. During his career, he has edited and written for every section of the magazine, including home, food, and travel, while his pursuit of long-form storytelling has always been vital to his mission as well. Mel taught fourth grade in Maine for three years and believes that his education as a writer began when he had to hold the attention of 29 children through months of Maine winters. He learned you had to grab their attention and hold it. After 12 years teaching magazine writing at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, he now teaches in the MFA creative nonfiction program at Bay Path University in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Like all editors, his greatest joy is finding new talent and bringing their work to light.

The ticket package for Innovation + Leadership: Rachel Slade with Into the Raging Sea, on Tuesday, November 5, at 7pm is $32. In addition to a reserved seat, the package includes a copy of INTO THE RAGING SEA ($18, paperback), a bar beverage, author discussion, Q+A, and book signing meet-and-greet. Packages can be purchased online at TheMusicHall.org, over the phone at 603.436.2400, or in person at the B2W Box Office at the Historic Theater, 28 Chestnut Street.

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