Could Hemingway have been saved?

SHARON — In a town full of people with interesting lives, Bettie Snyder’s life might just be one of the most interesting people — in part because, as a playwright and actress (and, at one time, professional piano player) she spends so much time  “inhabiting†the lives of other people.

Her writing has been published locally and in national magazines, newspapers and on the Internet. She has appeared in numerous plays throughout the Northeast since the 1970s.

Avid readers of the Playbill might know this charismatic woman by her pen name, “B.L. Walker.â€

“It was a family name,†explains Snyder. “I tried for years to sell my books under my real name, but no one would pick them up. When I changed to B.L. Walker, people started buying.â€

Snyder compares her particular situation with that of another author, J.K. Rowling, who also writes under a variation of her real name.

“J.K. Rowling started out as Joanne Rowling but she couldn’t sell her books that way either,†said Snyder. “When she changed it to ‘J.K’ just as I changed mine to ‘B.L.’ people wanted to buy her writing.â€

She has published two books. One is “Veedor the Condor,†the story of the only free-flying yet captive Andean condor in the world. This book was followed by “Quickies from Romeos and Other Lovers,†a collection of recipes from 101 men who live across the United States. The Romeos in question are, by the way, “retired old men eating out.â€

Most recently, Snyder has written a play called “Demons,†that will be read by acting pros as a benefit for  the Sharon Historical Society.

The play is about Ernest Hemingway’s last battle: his own death.

When asked what inspired her to write a play about this topic, Snyder said,  “I was just so moved when I read Hemingway’s novel, ‘A Moveable Feast.’ Especially the line that reads, ‘Hadley was the love of my life.’ â€

Snyder explained that she wondered, after reading those words, if something more could have been done to save Hemingway, who shot himself in July 2, 1961, weeks before his 61st birthday.

“I wondered if something could have prevented his death,†Snyder said.

The reading of this play will come just a few days after the anniversary of Hemingway’s death, on Sunday, July 6, at 3 p.m.

Snyder’s play was originally conceived, for a playwriting competition, as two characters onstage for 10 minutes.

Through the years and after dozens of readings, the show has grown to a cast of nine and a running time of 90 minutes.

“Demons†will have its latest reading on Sunday, July 6, at 3 p.m. in the library of the Sharon Historical Society. Call the Historical Society for reservations at 860-364-5688 or e-mail  sharonhistoricalsociety@yahoo.com. Admission to this event is free.