Events Calendar
Explore family friendly events, theatres, galleries, concerts, nightlife, things to do, and more in the Greenville, SC and Upstate areas.
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Grady Hendrix is in Spartanburg! The author will be at Hub City Bookshop on Sunday, November 12th from 3pm-4pm for a Q&A and book signing. Books are limited so grab your copy here or head to hubcity.org
Can’t make it? Consider attending Grady’s talk at Wofford on November 13th — 6PM, McMillan Theater — where he’ll discuss his new book. The South Carolina native and New York Times-bestselling author will discuss his book These Fists Break Bricks: How Kung Fu Movies Swept America and Changed the World. Hendrix will show how kung fu films introduced some of America’s first and most important non-white action heroes, helped to shape hip hop culture, and transformed American action movies.
Join us at Hub City Bookshop for a book signing, or catch Grady Hendrix’s talk at Wofford. You won’t want to miss these events!
About the author
Grady Hendrix is an award-winning novelist and screenwriter living in New York City. He is the author of Horrorstör, My Best Friend’s Exorcism (which was adapted into a feature film by Amazon Studios), We Sold Our Souls, and the New York Times bestseller The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires (currently being adapted into a TV series). Grady also authored the Bram Stoker Award–winning nonfiction book Paperbacks from Hell, a history of the horror paperback boom of the seventies and eighties, and his latest non-fiction book is These Fists Break Bricks: How Kung Fu Movies Swept America and Changed the World.
Join Hub City Bookshop in welcoming John Lane for his latest book Gullies of My People: An Excavation of Family and Landscape! Buy your book on Eventbrite for 10% off and to be sure you snag a copy!
About the Book
While scouting sites for geology field trips, poet and naturalist John Lane encountered deep gullies created between the Civil War and the 1930s contributed to by his mother’s tenant farming family and their rural neighbors in Piedmont South Carolina. This brush with the poor farming practices of the past leads Lane into an exploration of his own family’s complicated history and of the larger environmental forces that have shaped the region where he chooses to live. With his sister as guide, Lane descends into the gully of his own childhood to uncover memories of a loving but alcoholic mother and a suicidal father.
Back and forth, the narrative progresses from depictions of the land—particularly the overgrown and neglected places that hold stories and mysteries of the region—to Lane’s ever-deepening search.He wonders how he, a college professor and husband settled into middle-class life, has emerged from the chaos of his family’s past. Along the way, we meet heroic Depression-era geologists, fascinating colleagues, and troubled ancestors. Lane’s extraordinary ability to weave personal history together with explorations of the natural world will remind readers of the works of Loren Eiseley and Terry Tempest Williams.
About the Author
John Lane is Emeritus Professor of environmental studies at Wofford College and was founding director of the college’s Goodall Environmental Studies Center. He is the author of a dozen books of poetry and prose, COYOTE SETTLES THE SOUTH was one of four finalists for the John Burroughs Medal and was named by the Burroughs Society one of the year’s “Nature Books of Uncommon Merit.”
As an environmentalist in 2013 Lane was named Upstate Forever’s “Clean Water Champion,” and “Water Conservationist of the Year” by The South Carolina Wildlife Federation. In 2014 he was inducted into the SC Academy of Authors. He, with his wife Betsy Teter, is one of the co-founders of Spartanburg’s Hub City Writers Project.
“Looking Back, Looking Forward” is perfect for the holiday time of year. This is the season when many of us consider the events of the past year and look forward to what a new year might bring. In this writing workshop, we will use this transitional time as a focus for creating a new piece of writing which will allow us to set 2023 aside and move forward toward 2024. For writers at all levels. The workshop is led by Rick Mulkey, author of six books and director of Creative Writing at Converse University. Hosted by Truphae and Converse Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing.
This event is FREE and open to the public – just bring pen and paper! Seating is limited to only 18. Please sign up on our website.
Join author Ryan Gray for an in-store signing at Fiction Addiction on Saturday, December 9th from 1-3pm to celebrate his new book, Twilight in York.
This event is free and open to the public, or you can purchase a $16.91 ticket that includes a copy of Twilight in York. Additional books can be ordered on our website or purchased at the event while supplies last.
If you’re unable to attend, signed copies of the author’s book can be purchased on our website.
Tickets can be purchased online through Friday, December 8th at 2:30pm. Refunds can be requested up until the ticket cutoff. At-the-door tickets and books will be available as space allows.
Dive into the explosive, raw, and vulnerable story of a man’s search for sanity amid his increasing dependence on DXM (dextromethorphan), the active ingredient in Robitussin and other cough suppressant medications. In Volume One, you’ll enter the underbelly of York, PA as the narrator navigates the streets and his new normal.
Halfway through 2007, Ryan Gray started to come to grips with his reality: the point where an addict senses his own futility, his own demise, but remains powerless to his own craving for a drug. As things get worse and he sees his own doomed fate, it opens the door to full and complete morbidity–Hell on earth.
Before this point, Ryan begins his life on the street like many others. He was introduced to the lifestyle by a native of York and knows which drugs can be bought from whom. As he freely shares his wealth of knowledge with Ryan, the men become like brothers–always found side by side.
Still, Ryan was staring down the barrel of a loaded gun and knew it. Will he come to terms?
Twilight in York: Volume One encompasses a narrative about immense suffering of a variety known only to the addict, the junky, or the dope fiend. It is raw, real, and relatable.
About the Author:
Ryan Gray attended the University of North Carolina Asheville (UNCA) to study literature and graduated in 2016. He is currently pursuing a career in behavioral health as a peer support specialist.
He is self-supporting (financially and otherwise) despite severe schizophrenia, depression, ADHD, and anxiety. Ryan has been unusually close to his family ever since he got clean 15 years ago. He credits his recovery to the encouragement of many people along the way, including nurses, social workers, counselors, and doctors, sponsors, and fellow AA members.
Refund Policy:
- You may request a full refund prior to the ticket cutoff.
Writing is a solitary task and many writers benefit from having peers to get feedback and support. Join us for the monthly meeting of our writers group and the chance to meet other writers.
Homecoming by Kate Morton
Adelaide Hills, Christmas Eve, 1959: At the end of a scorching hot day, beside a creek on the grounds of the grand and mysterious mansion, a local delivery man makes a terrible discovery. A police investigation is called and the small town of Tambilla becomes embroiled in one of the most shocking and perplexing murder cases in the history of South Australia.
Sixty years later, Jess is a journalist in search of a story. Having lived and worked in London for almost twenty years, she now finds herself laid off from her full-time job and struggling to make ends meet. A phone call out of nowhere summons her back to Sydney, where her beloved grandmother, Nora, who raised Jess when her mother could not, has suffered a fall and been raced to the hospital.
Nora has always been a vibrant and strong presence: decisive, encouraging, young despite her years. When Jess visits her in the hospital, she is alarmed to find her grandmother frail and confused. It’s even more alarming to hear from Nora’s housekeeper that Nora had been distracted in the weeks before her accident and had fallen on the steps to the attic—the one place Jess was forbidden from playing in when she was small.
At loose ends in Nora’s house, Jess does some digging of her own. In Nora’s bedroom, she discovers a true crime book, chronicling the police investigation into a long-buried tragedy: the Turner Family Tragedy of Christmas Eve, 1959. It is only when Jess skims through the book that she finds a shocking connection between her own family and this once-infamous crime—a crime that has never been resolved satisfactorily. And for a journalist without a story, a cold case might be the best distraction she can find…
An epic novel that spans generations, Homecoming asks what we would do for those we love, and how we protect the lies we tell. It explores the power of motherhood, the corrosive effects of tightly held secrets, and the healing nature of truth. Above all, it is a beguiling and immensely satisfying novel from one of the finest writers working today.
Fee
A $2.50 fee is required to assist the organizer with costs related to A Novel Bunch.
Nourishment
We always go to a restaurant to dine after the discussion so plan to join us for this. We will eat at Cantina 76.
Is it actually good though? That is the question. Join us as we discuss books that have gone viral on TikTok. This month we will be reading “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” by V.E. Schwab. Copies will be available behind the desk at the Cyrill-Westside Library. All adults are welcome.
Writers of all genres, formats, and skill levels are welcome to attend the writing group. Those who attend may share and discuss their work with others, participate in writing exercises, and access helpful writing resources.
Darren Todd, will lead a virtual writing workshop titled “What if you fly? Weaving speculative elements into fiction.”
The term speculative fiction has grown in usage, but what does it mean? Simply, it’s fiction that speculates or forecasts what might happen. The “if” in that scenario is up to the writer. Spec-fic (as it’s often called) isn’t beholden to a single genre. Certainly, dystopian novels fall under this category, but so could alternate history, science fiction, horror, or even drama. Many ideas can greatly benefit from introducing speculative elements, which give readers a heightened sense of curiosity, wonder, and even engages them to be a part of how the writer’s “what if” develops. Humans are natural problem solvers, and few things kick off that need to find answers like a solid “what if.”
For this workshop, we’ll delve into the rise of spec-fic, how it crosses genre, as well as flexing our speculative muscles with breakout exercises to be reviewed during the workshop.
This workshop is open to writers of all skill levels and is a fun way to find inspiration from a new prompt or revise current work. It is hosted by the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara and will use Microsoft Teams for the virtual connection. Sign up to attend the workshop here!
Darren is a freelance book editor for Evolved Publications, and his short fiction has appeared in fifty publications over the years, including Chilling Tales for Dark Nights, Cosmic Horror Monthly, and The Stoneslide Corrective. His short story collection, The Ugly Mug and Other Stories, launched on Amazon and Audible in 2023.
While some of his works fall under the literary umbrella, he often returns to speculative and horror fiction. His style and preferences tend toward the psychological, as he enjoys stories that linger in the imagination long after he’s closed the book on them.
He lives in Hendersonville, NC with his son and girlfriend. See what he’s up to at darrentodd.net.
Join us to discuss “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry” by Gabrielle Zevin. A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died; his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history; and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore.
Join us for an informal writing workshop.
Registration required. Call 864-963-9031.
December’s book is Zoulfa Katouh’s “As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow.” A love letter to Syria and its people, “Lemon Trees” is a speculative novel set amid the Syrian Revolution, burning with the fires of hope, love, and possibility.
Join us for a discussion of “Fingersmith” by Sarah Waters. Copies of the book will be available for checkout at the AV Desk prior to the discussion.
Read and discuss Silver Alert by Lee Smith.
Registration required. Click the register button or call 864-234-4904 to register.
Part of the event series: Book Clubs
Start the New Year off with a First Day Hike at Paris Mountain State Park. This hike is one of three being offered on the day and will proceed our Hobo Stew Lunch at Noon.
We will form carpools this year at the intersection of State Park and East Mountain Creek Roads:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/34.7519272,-82.2981903/34.9145049,-82.3702707/@34.9145475,-82.3685746,18z/data=!4m5!4m4!1m1!4e1!1m0!3e0
The parking attendant will collect everyone’s can vegetables prior to hike departure and get your food to the chef. The start times from the carpooling site are shown below. Please arrive 15 minutes early to get into a carpool. State Park admission fee required; therefore, consider carpooling with drivers who have an annual State Park pass. We are carpooling into the park because of capacity limitations with other state park events. This is a condition of our club’s use of Shelters 5 and 6 on this date.
Hikes will start from different trailheads along State Park Road and will NOT start from Sulphur Springs Shelter as we have done in the past.
Start Time: 8:30 AM
Going counter-clockwise from the Archer Range parking lot we’ll head up Sulphur Springs and then take the Brissy Ridge and Pipsissewa Trails to North Lake. At North Lake, we’ll take a user trail over Piney Spur for decent winter views before descending to Firetower. We’ll then take Firetower to Sulphur Springs to descend to the shelters for the Hobo Stew.
M: 6 EG: 1200. R: S
Leader: Mark Parsons
Leave at 9:00 a.m. sharp.
Mandatory: Whistle, water, lunch
Moderate to strenuous.
Information: 7-8 miles
Crowders trail to the Tower trail with a view of Charlotte if it’s clear. This is a North Carolina State Park off I 85.
Other: If this is your first hike with me, please contact me via the Meetup site to discuss your capabilities before you come on your first hike with me. You are also responsible for the capabilities of any guest you bring so please make sure they can do the event.
Emergency contact information: Please have an emergency information sheet in your pack in case of an emergency. Information on it should include your full name, address, and phone number, medical conditions, allergies, blood type (if known), and emergency contact name and telephone number. This information is for emergency medical personnel. We will not ask you for this information. No dogs please. Children under 14: Please check with me before you bring a child under 14. Fee: no fee.
Carpool Gas $5-8
We will meet at the visitor center. Hike around Lake Placid which is 1.3 miles with 82 feet of elevation.
We will continue the hike over to the Sassafras trail which is 2.2 miles with 489 gradual feet of elevation.
Total hike is around 6.1 miles less than 500 feet of elevation and we will go to lunch after.
This is a pet friendly hike please bring plenty of water and hiking poles aren’t really necessary
This will be rain or shine hike.
Join our Novel Tea Book Club. We will be discussing books written by South Carolina authors that we have chosen to read. It’s up to you. Choose yours and bring it to share. No spoilers, please.
This month we will discuss “The Last Chance Library” by Freya Sampson. All adult patrons are invited to join us for a lively discussion.
Some of the best times we have at M. Judson come from our collaborations with Mission Grape and Camilla Kitchen, where we let the food and wine do the storytelling. One afternoon amongst the bottles, Chef Teryi got to talking about her not-so-distant tradition of Runaway Fridays, where a person might sneak off for a midday margarita and be all the better for it. And we figured we can do better than that.
So join us for our favorite getaway in The Gallery at M.Judson: Runaway Friday Wine Lunch. We’ll pair three wines from the same producer with three small plates from Camilla Kitchen, get some delicious education from Danny Baker and Chef Teryi, as well as a sweet little treat to go.
Wines will be for sale, tickets will be limited!