BATESVILLE, Arkansas – Lyon College will host a book launch for “Covered Buttons,” the debut novel by Dr. Stephanie Saunders, associate professor of Spanish and director of the Lyon College Honors Fellows Program, at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 30, in the Bevens Music Room of the Brown Fine Arts Building on the Batesville campus, 2300 Highland Rd. The free event is open to the public.
Released this month by Mercer University Press, “Covered Buttons” is set in the foothills of the Ozarks in 1939 and follows 17-year-old Thea as she navigates grief, constrained expectations, and the possibility of a different future. After the loss of her mother and best friend, Thea forms an unexpected connection with her unconventional stepmother and notorious grandmother. Through books, embroidery, and the quiet strength of women’s care networks, she begins to imagine a life beyond the limitations imposed on her.
The novel explores themes of friendship, resistance and resilience, drawing inspiration from the grassroots birth control movement in Arkansas. As Thea confronts betrayal and tragedy, she must decide whether to remain bound by grief or forge a path of her own making.
“I wanted to tell a story about the quiet, often unseen ways women have supported one another and pushed for change, even in the most constrained circumstances,” Dr. Saunders said. “Thea’s journey is about finding agency and imagining a life beyond what society expects of her.”
Dr. Saunders is a native of Fulton County, Arkansas, and a 2002 alumna of Lyon College. “I am so happy to be back in the Ozarks, enjoying the beautiful landscape and culture of our community,” she said.
The April 30 event will include a reading, a question-and-answer session and a book signing. The college will have copies of the novel available for purchase, and attendees may also bring their own copies to be signed.
About Lyon College
Lyon College, a private, liberal arts institution founded in 1872, is the oldest college in the state with its original charter. Ranked by US News & World Report as a 2025 “Best College,” Lyon currently enrolls 781 students from more than 33 states and 14 countries. Students can tailor their education, selecting from 32 majors, as well as pre-professional, individualized options and select graduate programs. Learn more at lyon.edu.