News at St. Catherine's
Upper School Teacher Honored by James River Writers
Upper School teacher Derek Kannemeyer recognized by James River Writers and Richmond Magazine for his novel, "The Memory Addicts."
First period in the Upper School lasts for about 45 minutes. During the 2012-2013 school year Upper School French and creative writing teacher Derek Kannemeyer spent that time writing his first novel entitled, “The Memory Addicts.”
Earlier this month, the James River Writers recognized Kannemeyer as a finalist for The Best Unpublished Novel Contest. For the competition, writers submitted the first 50 pages of their novel in December. Once selected, Kannemeyer sent the entirety of his novel in mid-February.
An interview with Kannemeyer and an excerpt of his winning manuscript will be featured in the July issue of Richmond Magazine.
“The Memory Addicts is told from the point of view of a dozen or so unreliable narrators, a group of survivors of a memory loss contagion, afflicting 95 percent of the global population, which has brought civilization to its knees but not quite destroyed it,” Kannemeyer said.
“A miracle drug has enabled some of the afflicted, including my characters, to survive and still function, by restoring chunks of their impaired memory and shoring up their short term memory. Unfortunately, the drug heavily spackles what it revives with equally persuasive false memories.“
For more information about Kanneymeyer and “The Memory Addicts,” grab a copy of the July issue of Richmond Magazine, which hits stands July 1.
Located in the heart of Richmond, Virginia, St. Catherine’s School is a private, all-girls pre-K, kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school. We provide a well-rounded educational experience for girls from communities across Richmond, Chesterfield, Henrico and all of central Virginia. St.Catherine’s all-girls educational experience is rooted in more than a century of history and tradition. From our revolutionary past to our dynamic present, St. Catherine’s has always focused on preparing students for a boundless future.
