Book Reading & Signing with Judy Benson at Garde Arts Center

The Garde Arts Center will host local author and journalist Judy Benson on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 6:00 pm for a special book reading and signing event. Benson will share The Book of Todd, a unique collaborative work written posthumously with her late husband, Thomas K. Clark—founder of the New London Community Orchestra and the Music City Strings program.

Blending fiction and memoir, The Book of Todd tells a story within a story. At the end of his life, Clark asked Benson to complete a novella he had begun, centered on a complex childhood friendship. Benson honors that request while reflecting on their 38-year marriage and the emotional journey of grief, memory, and understanding.

The evening will include a reading by the author, followed by a book signing, hors d’oeuvres, and a cash bar. Proceeds from book sales will benefit the New London Homeless Hospitality Center and the New London Community Orchestra, including its Music City Strings program.

The Garde Arts Center is located at 325 State Street, New London, CT 06320. For more information, visit gardearts.org.