(WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.) –  Award-winning author Roland Merullo will speak about his convoluted path to becoming an acclaimed and prolific author at The Clark on Sunday, June 10, 2012, at 3 p.m. Merullo has published many essays and more than a dozen books of fiction and nonfiction, ranging from his Revere Beach trilogy, set in his hometown of Revere, Mass., to his most recent novel, The Talk-Funny Girl. A book signing will follow the event, which is free and open to the public.

Roland Merullo’s essays have appeared in the New York Times, Yankee Magazine, Newsweek and the Boston Globe, among many other publications. Of his latest book, The Talk-Funny Girl (winner of the Alex Award from the American Library Association), the Boston Globe writes, “[Merullo] is adept at creating suspense, planting credible red herrings, and finally spilling the truth at just the right moment.” Among numerous awards and honors, his 2003 book In Revere, In Those Days was a winner of the Maria Thomas Fiction Award; American Savior won a 2008 Honor Award in fiction from the Massachusetts Center for the Book; and Leaving Losapas (1991) is currently being optioned for film rights by John Turturro.

Born in Boston and raised in Revere, Mass., Merullo graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy and Brown University. At various points in his life, he has been a Peace Corps volunteer in Micronesia, worked with the U.S. Government in the former Soviet Union, driven a cab in Boston, worked as a carpenter for seven years, and taught for ten years at Bennington and Amherst Colleges, as well as at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and Berkshire Community College. Since 1999 he has made his living solely from his writing.

“The Profession of Words” Author Series at The Clark features writers who have tackled the difficult business of putting words on the page to launch successful writing careers.

Set amidst 140 acres in the Berkshires, The Clark is one of the few major art museums that also serves as a leading international center for research and scholarship. The Clark presents public and education programs and organizes groundbreaking exhibitions that advance new scholarship. The Clark’s research and academic programs include an international fellowship program and conferences. Together with Williams College, The Clark sponsors one of the nation’s leading master’s programs in art history.

The Clark is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (daily in July and August). Admission is free November through May. For more information, call 413-458-2303 or visit The Clark.