Join us for the Launch Lunch for Lynn Seldon and his new novel Carolina’s Ring!

This is a modern coming-of-age story between Carolina Stone and childhood friends, twin brothers Ben and Alf Marshall. With unexpected life-or-death events shaping their futures, Carolina’s Ring follows these three friends from the foothills of South Carolina to the campuses of the Virginia Military Institute and The Citadel, and ultimately to the Global War on Terrorism in Iraq and beyond.

Join us on February 28th for an incredible lunch at Soby’s! Lynn will be on hand to talk, answer questions and sign books. Get your ticket today!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Graduate of Virginia Military Institute and Army veteran Lynn Seldon is a longtime writer with more than 500 magazine and newspaper credits, including USA Today, The Atlanta Journal- Constitution, TrailBlazer, airline inflights, several AAA publications, and dozens more. He is the author or coauthor of six nonfiction books, and his first novel, Virginia’s Ring, was hailed by Pat Conroy as “a triumph and a tour de force.” Lynn lives in Beaufort, South Carolina, with fellow writer and wife Cele Seldon.

BOOK REVIEWS

“. . . from Chapel Hill to Charleston all the way to the furnace of Iraq, Carolina’s Ring digs deeply into what it means to live with honor in a world lacking such.”

-Mark Powell, Citadel Class of 1998, author of Small Treasons and Lioness

“. . . a deeply moving account of ways that duty, honor, and love merge. Bravo!”

-Ron Rash, prize-winning and New York Times bestselling author

“A protégé of the late Pat Conroy, Seldon does his mentor proud with this lyrical novel of love, loss, and loyalty.”

-Margaret Shinn Evans, editor, Lowcountry Weekly

In life, moments arise when you have to decide your next move. When choosing whether to accept a new job, purchase a house, attend a school, or start a relationship, how do you settle on which direction to take? Trey Gowdy has found that most consequential decisions boil down to three simple options: start, stay, or leave.

Gowdy first developed this decision-making tool in the courtroom during a federal murder trial, and it has guided his life ever since. The practical framework has helped him decide where to raise his family, when to leave his dream job, whether to run for Congress, and when to step away from political life.

Over the years, Gowdy has made some great decisions and some lousy ones (and he admits to both). In Start, Stay, or Leave, he shares his hard-earned wisdom. Filled with surprising insights and questions, this personal playbook teaches you how to

• craft your unique vision of success

• consult your dreams with wisdom (and know when to revise them)

• assess the price worth paying to achieve your goals

• balance logic, emotion, and fear when facing a new challenge

• take the right advice, from the right people (and block out everyone else)

• chart the course of your life with the end goal in mind

Reading Start, Stay, or Leave is like sitting on the back porch of a farmhouse chatting with a wise friend. Filled with humor, heartbreak, practical advice, and a lifetime’s worth of storytelling, this book will teach you how to approach trajectory-changing decisions with confidence and the knowledge that, whatever happens, you’ve made the best choice you could.

About the Author

Trey Gowdy is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Doesn’t Hurt to Ask and co-author of Unified, with Senator Tim Scott. He’s the host of Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy on Fox News and The Trey Gowdy Podcast. Gowdy served as a four-term congressman from South Carolina. Before running for Congress, he served as a federal prosecutor in his home state and a district attorney in Spartanburg and Cherokee counties. Trey Gowdy is married to Terri Dillard Gowdy, a former first-grade schoolteacher in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

We are so excited to spend an evening with NYT and USA Today bestselling author J.T. Ellison! With more than 20 novels, this EMMY-award winning co-host of Nashville’s premier literary show A WORD ON WORDS, has millions of books in print, critical acclaim, and several prestigious awards. We can’t wait to hear all about her writing process, especially on this newest novel It’s One of Us! This twisting, emotionally layered thriller explores the lies we tell to keep a marriage together—or break each other apart . . . and we’re pairing it with a killer cocktail. Join us for a night of convo and cocktails!

Your ticket includes admission, a cocktail, and a copy of the book.

BOOK SUMMARY

Everybody lies. Even the ones you think you know best of all . . .

Olivia Bender designs exquisite home interiors that satisfy the most demanding clients. But her own deepest desire can’t be fulfilled by marble counters or the perfect rug. She desperately wants to be a mother. Fertility treatments and IVF keep failing. And just when she feels she’s at her lowest point, the police deliver shocking news to Olivia and her husband, Park.

DNA results show that the prime suspect in a murder investigation is Park’s son. Olivia is relieved, knowing this is a mistake. Despite their desire, the Benders don’t have any children. Then comes the confession. Many years ago, Park donated sperm to a clinic. He has no idea how many times it was sold—or how many children he has sired.

As the murder investigation goes deeper, more terrible truths come to light. With every revelation, Olivia must face the unthinkable. The man she married has fathered a killer. But can she hold that against him when she keeps such dark secrets of her own?

This twisting, emotionally layered thriller explores the lies we tell to keep a marriage together—or break each other apart . . .

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

J.T. Ellison is the NYT and USA Today bestselling author of more than 20 novels, and the EMMY-award winning co-host of A WORD ON WORDS, Nashville’s premier literary show. With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim, prestigious awards, and has been published in 26 countries. Ellison lives in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens.

REVIEWS

“J.T. Ellison is one of my favorite authors. I eagerly await everything she writes. And in IT’S ONE OF US she is at the very top of her formidable game. Don’t miss this layered, emotional, and twisting thrill ride.”
— Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of SECLUDED CABIN SLEEPS SIX

“One of the most compelling psychological suspense stories I’ve read in years.” –Jacquelyn Mitchard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean

“It’s One of Us is an emotional and thrilling psychological journey through the shadows of the human heart. Just when you think you know what’s coming, prepare to gasp with each new revelation. Through multiple fascinating points of view, layers of secrets, lies, love and loss are revealed. I did not put this book down until the last unexpected and breathless page. Unpredictable, intense and riveting, J. T. Ellison is at her heart-stopping best.” —Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Once Upon A Wardrobe

“The perfect mix of edge-of-your-seat tension, deep emotion, and impeccably developed characters, J.T. Ellison’s latest is a masterclass in storytelling. Secrets and lies, love and loss mix flawlessly to create a novel that touches every single emotion. Fans of Lisa Jewell and Ruth Ware will flock to IT’S ONE OF US, and book clubs won’t be able to stop talking about it. Five dazzling stars.” —Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Veil

“This gripping, breathless thriller, adds an incredibly unique premise and delivers a novel that’s also a deeply poignant story about our deepest desire for love, family and happiness.” –Hannah Mary McKinnon, internationally bestselling author of Never Coming Home

“An extraordinary, unpredictable, absolutely riveting thriller and a fiercely insightful, emotional journey, this is psychological suspense at its most enthralling and intense.” –Jayne Ann Krentz

“Secrets and lies abound, relationships are tested, and the twists keep coming. Ellison outdid herself, a master storyteller. This is a must read, especially the author’s note at the end, which gutted me.” –Kerry Lonsdale, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post & Amazon Charts Bestselling Author

In the mid-1990s, fresh out of high school, Nic Brown was living his childhood dream as a rock and roll drummer. Signing a major label record deal, playing big shows, hitting the charts, giving interviews in Rolling Stone, appearing on The Tonight Show—what could be better for a young artist? But contrary to expectations, getting a shot at his artistic dream early in life was a destabilizing shock. The more he achieved, the more accolades that came his way, the less sure Brown became about his path.

Only a few years into a promising musical career, he discovered the crux of his discontent: he was never meant to remain behind the drums. In fact, his true artistic path lay in a radically different direction entirely: he decided to become a writer, embarking on a journey leading him to attend the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, publish novels and short stories, and teach literature to college students across the country.

Bang Bang Crash tells the story of Nic Brown’s unusual journey to gain new strength, presence of mind, and sense of perspective, enabling him to discover an even greater life of artistic fulfillment.

About the Author

Nic Brown is the author of the novels In Every Way, Doubles, and Floodmarkers, which was selected as an Editors’ Choice by The New York Times Book Review. He is the fiction editor of the South Carolina Review, and his writing has appeared in The New York Times and the Harvard Review, among many other publications. As a drummer, he has worked with Athenaeum, Ben Lee, Longwave, Skeleton Key, and Eszter Balint. A graduate of Columbia University and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, he has served as the Grisham Writer in Residence at the University of Mississippi and is now an associate professor of creative writing at Clemson University.

About the Conversation Partner

George Singleton has published eight collections of stories, two novels, and a book of writing advice. Over 200 of his stories have appeared in magazines such as the Atlantic Monthly, Harper’s, Playboy, the Georgia Review, the Southern Review, the Cincinnati Review, and elsewhere. He is the recipient of a Pushcart Prize, a Guggenheim fellowship, the Hillsdale Award from the Fellowship of Southern Writers, and the Corrington Award for Literary Excellence. He lives in Spartanburg, SC.

For our first Sunday Sit-Down Supper of the year, we are delighted to host New York Times bestselling author Jill Santopolo in honor of her beautiful new novel, Stars in an Italian Sky. Weaving between a blossoming relationship in contemporary New York and two star-crossed lovers in post-World War II Italy, this is moving, emotional storytelling about secrets revealed, love lost and found, and the power of second chances.

We loved Jill’s runaway bestseller The Light We Lost and we’re super-excited for her first visit to M. Judson. So join us for a very special night in the bookstore— after hours, long tables set with vintage china, and a gorgeous Italian meal designed by Chef Teryi Youngblood Musolf of Camilla Kitchen that you’ll be dreaming about for weeks to come. Your ticket includes a welcome cocktail, a four-course dinner with thoughtful wine pairings (courtesy of our friends at Mission Grape), a copy of the book and the evening to hear the story behind the story with Jill herself.

Menu:

To Start:
Negronis
Cheese Focaccia

First Course:
Chickpea Pancakes with Fancy Toppings: Avocado, Spicy Calabrian Tuna, Herbed Summer Squash

Second Course:
Citrus Salad with Walnut Sauce

Main Course:
Ravioli Genovese al Forno with Pesto

Dessert:
Strawberry Semifreddo

BOOK SUMMARY:

Genoa, Italy, 1946. Vincenzo and Giovanna fall in love at twenty-one the moment they set eyes on each other. The son of a count and the daughter of a tailor, they belong to opposing worlds. Despite this, the undeniable spark between them quickly burns into a deep and passionate relationship spent exploring each other’s minds, bodies and their city, as well as Vincenzo’s family’s sprawling vineyard, Villa Della Rosa—until shifts in political power force them each to choose a side and commit what the other believes is a betrayal, shattering the bright future they dreamed of together.

New York, 2017. Cassandra and Luca are in love. Although neither quite fits with the other’s family, Cass and Luca have always felt like a perfect match for each other. But when Luca, an artist, convinces his grandfather and Cass’s grandmother to pose for a painting, past and present collide and reveal a secret that changes everything.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jill Santopolo is the internationally best-selling author of Everything After, More Than Words and theThe Light We Lost, which was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick and has been optioned for film. Her books have been translated into more than 35 languages, and have been named to the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Apple, and Indie Bound bestseller list.

REVIEWS:

“A gorgeous, epic novel about star-crossed lovers and a choice that reverberates through generations. Jill Santopolo writes heartbreak like no other, and Stars in an Italian Sky is both masterful and unforgettable.” —Emily Giffin, author of Meant to Be

“The superb Jill Santopolo has written a shimmering love story for the ages. Giovanna and Vincenzo fall in love in 1946 in Italy, decades later, Cassandra and Luca fall in love in New York City. Soon, they discover the roots of their families lie deep in the vineyards of northern Italy. The yield of the harvest will be the truth. But first, there’s a mystery to be solved and a secret to be revealed. Stars in an Italian Sky is about the course of fate, the meaning of family and the power of love. Bellissima!” –Adriana Trigiani, author of The Good Left Undone

“A moving tale of two young people—one the daughter of a tailor, the other the son of a count—who fall in love in post-WW2 Italy and are torn apart by politics and misunderstanding, only to see the decisions they make reverberate in startling ways through the generations. Woven together as intricately as the fine fabrics of the Genoese tailor shop where the star-crossed lovers meet, the storyline moves between past and present, as a heartbreaking love story unfolds, set against the story of a second couple in 21st century New York. A poignant tale of love, loss, class, and fate, brimming with the colorful spirit of Italy and infused with the hopefulness of true love written in the stars.” —Kristin Harmel, author of The Book of Lost Names and The Winemaker’s Wife

Join us on Tuesday, March 7th at 5:30 pm for an In Conversation event with Dr. Terry Barr! He’ll be chatting about his newest essay collection The American Crisis Playlist: 2020 – 2021 alongside Dr. Phillip Perdue, assistant professor of communications at Presbyterian College.

This collection features ten songs per week that are based off a collection of essays that Barr wrote for The Riff during “that crisis year leading up to and in the aftermath of the 2020 election.” Come by and hear more about Barr’s journey in making this book and compiling these playlists.

So don’t miss out on this free event!

SUMMARY

Barr has been writing for over thirty years. He believes American Crisis Playlist (2020-2021) will appeal to readers interested in rock, soul, country, and hip-hop music in its “golden oldie” past as well as today’s top artists. Barr states, “The American Crisis Playlist will also appeal to anyone who has followed the political news over the past few years, while having their
lives impacted by the COVID-19 virus. I hope the readers will appreciate my effort to keep myself sane and in good health during the trauma of these past few years.”
Barr comments, “This is the most political book I’ve ever written. Others I have written have included stories about Race and Religion, and though Secrets I’m Dying to Tell You had several stories focused on the #MeToo movement, The American Crisis Playlist addresses my fears related to the 2020 election, attempts by the former President to overturn our republic, and the continuous violence against people of color. But in the process, I also use one of my great loves—popular music—to help me and, hopefully my readers, cope with our ongoing political upheaval. Music, as Don McLean once said, can “save our mortal souls.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Terry Barr’s The American Crisis Playlist (2020-2021) is his fourth essay collection, along with Don’t Date Baptists and Other Warnings From My Alabama Mother (2016); We Might As Well Eat: How To Survive Tornadoes, Alabama Football, and Your Southern Family (2018); and Secrets I’m Dying To Tell You (2020). He is a three-time Pushcart nominee, and his essays have been widely published in national literary journals. His most recent work, “Greyhound Seats,” won first place in Tell Your Story’s Spring 2022 Nonfiction contest. He writes regularly about music and culture at medium.com/@terrybarr, and teaches Creative Nonfiction at Presbyterian College. Barr lives in Greenville, SC, with his family.

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

Dr. Phillip Perdue, is an Assistant Professor of Communications at Presbyterian College. He got his doctorate from Indiana University and has been teaching full time at PC since 2019.

REVIEWS

“2021 is perhaps a year best forgotten. From a pandemic to political strife, we were a nation at war-with an unseen virus and with ourselves. We were, in short, a nation in crisis. Terry Barr chronicled it all with his weekly American Crisis dispatches. Weaving together playlists with his heartfelt writing, this was more than simple reporting. Each of these posts served as a light guiding the way, helping us remember that even in the darkest hour, there is always hope. Terry Barr’s heartfelt writing beautifully meshes current events with the healing power of music. In an era many of us spent in isolation, Barr’s American Crisis series reminded us that our story is one written collectively. In an era where music consumption is fueled by soulless algorithms, and bots pour fuel on the fire of social discourse, Terry Barr offers a refreshing antidote; writing that is straight from the heart. Weaving remarkable music playlists with his weekly take on the day’s issues, he’s not afraid to share his fears, rage, and joy. He cuts through white noise, reminding us that in the end, all we have is each other.”

-Kevin Alexander, author, Managing Editor of the online music publication, The Riff

“As both a music lover and a human being who was deeply affected by the various American crises in 2020 and 2021, I found a lot to enjoy and relate to in this excellent book by Terry Barr. Not only does Terry share his own experiences and feelings from those challenging times, but he also shares music that helped him, and I’m sure many others, through those very dark days. It’s often been said that the music each person listens to is the personal soundtrack for their own life. If this is true, and I believe it is, Terry Barr’s music playlists in this book have provided each of us with hundreds of wonderful additions to our own personal soundtracks. Music to help make our dark days brighter and our light days even lighter.”

-Pierce McIntyre, Founder and Chief Editor of Plethora of Pop on Medium.com

“Terry Barr’s American Crisis Playlist masterfully weaves memoir with the collective cultural narrative of music to mitigate terrifying, polarizing shifts in the political landscape that obliquely whisper all the way back to his young years in the South. You can pick thread’s of Terry Barr’s life in recurring characters and forgotten faces that come back to haunt like a song. American Crisis Playlist holds vigil through music to cope with the Orange Plague, the ultimate guise of emerging violence, hate, intolerance and fear. Barr offers refuge and a place to relate where music becomes a lens for literature, culture, politics and personal growth. The 520+ song playlist contains decades of eclectic tunes with deep cuts, concert trips, music history and narratives of growing up through music. His playlist sustains, gives us pause and feels as warmly relatable as his voice. Reading Dr. Barr will feel like sharing records in his living room. I can’t think of memoir or diary writing that has the same fidelity.”

-Jessica Lee McMillan, author, What You Exceed

We are so excited to spend an evening with author Meagan Church! From her home in North Carolina, Meagan writes fiction that focuses on overlooked and oppressed women’s voices from the past. We can’t wait to hear all about this emotionally charged novel following one girl fighting for her family, her future, and her own place to stand in a world that doesn’t always value the wild spirit of a Carolina girl. We’ll enjoy a cocktail as we listen to Meagan talk about her book and her writing process. Join us!

Your ticket includes admission, a cocktail, and a copy of the book.

BOOK SUMMARY

For fourteen-year-old Leah Payne, life in her beloved coastal Carolina town is worlds away from the harsh realities of the day. Loyal to her lumberjack father, she knows only of the familiarity of her small community, the magic of the natural world, and the creative intuition that prompts her to march to the beat of her own drum.

But when an accident takes her father’s life, leaving her an orphan, Leah finds herself cast into a family of strangers whose welcoming façade hides a terrible secret. That’s when a moment of violence thrusts Leah into the very center of the state’s shameful darkness, forcing her to risk a past she holds dear to protect a future she fears she may never have.

Set against the very real backdrop of 1935 North Carolina where a state eugenics board was mandating forced sterilizations, this novel sheds light on a horrific era of injustice and one young woman’s fight to control her future, discover her family, and find her own way forward.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

After receiving a degree in English with a focus on creative writing from Indiana University, MEAGAN CHURCH built a career as a storyteller and freelance writer for brands, blogs and organizations. Her fiction focuses on overlooked and oppressed women’s voices from the past. A Midwesterner by birth, she now lives in North Carolina with her high school sweetheart, three children and a plethora of pets.

REVIEWS

“The Last Carolina Girl is lyrical and atmospheric, a true masterpiece of Southern fiction that will earn its longstanding place among greats on our bookshelves both for its exploration of a horrific piece of history often overlooked and for its insistence on hope. Church’s debut is a must-read.” — Joy Callaway, international bestselling author of The Grand Design

“While readers will surely find all of the characters in Meagan Church’s debut compelling, the true beating heart of The Last Carolina Girl is its fourteen-year-old protagonist: a girl tied deeply to her natural landscape whose abrupt uprooting after the death of her beloved father comes with devastating consequences. Leah Payne and her indefatigable spirit will break your heart and put it back together again. I tore through this haunting and emotional story.” — Erika Montgomery, author of A Summer to Remember

“In this piercing novel, Meagan Church depicts one of the most disgraceful episodes in American medical history: forced sterilization. As a physician, I am deeply ashamed of the real-life actions of the medical community fictionalized so eloquently in this book, but as an author and a reader, I’m grateful for the opportunity to envision it. The Last Carolina Girl is a powerful and thought-provoking story.” — Kimmery Martin, author of Doctors and Friends

“Leah’s story is both humbling and inspiring. Church’s ode to the natural world, to the often elusive feeling of home, and to the friends who become family provokes profound reflection. A dark spot in history warps Leah’s path, but her resilient and unassailable character prevails. The Last Carolina Girl is a breathtaking read and Leah Payne an unforgettable character.” — Lo Patrick, author of The Floating Girls

“The Last Carolina Girl is a heart-wrenching and authentically rendered glimpse into the portal of a state’s secret dark culture, family ties, and the fierce strength of a young girl’s grit and resilience. Church is electric in her delivery of loss, longing and place. Unforgettable, this a powerful debut to savor.” — Kim Michele Richardson, New York Times bestselling author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

“Meagan Church has written a compelling and aching debut. The Last Carolina Girl is both a story of love and a tale of abuse set in the shadow of the Depression. There, a girl’s blind obedience to her circumstances—a kind girl uprooted by her tender daddy’s death—comes with a devastating price. Leah’s life as an orphan takes her far from the comfort of sand and sea, yet she is armed with tenuous hope and a plan. Gradually, she puts together the puzzle pieces of her fractured life and uncovers truths: family can deceive and betray, but love offers salvation.” — Leah Weiss, bestselling author of If the Creek Don’t Rise and All the Little Hopes

“This spirited, coming-of-age debut whisked me straight to the heart of the Carolinas in the 1930s. I couldn’t tear myself away from Leah’s journey, from the piney, isolated woods of her childhood, to an often bewildering life in the foreign world of the suburbs, where appearances are everything. Church so beautifully interweaves the connections between Leah’s deeply-sunk roots in the rural South with her search for belonging and her bravery in the face of unspeakable loss. This is a story that will stay with me; I knew little about the eugenics programs that had taken hold in American culture in that time period and Church’s tale left me wanting to research and understand more of this broken, devastating piece of America’s history.” — Lisa DeSelm, author of The Puppetmaster’s Apprentice

“Fans of Where the Crawdads Sing and Before We Were Yours will find much to love in this evocative and thought-provoking debut. Church reaches into a shameful and little-known pocket of the past to give us a heroine who is plucky, tender, and determined to fight for her autonomy and dignity against insurmountable odds. This book will change the way you feel about the simple question of ‘Where is home?’” — Kim Wright, author of Last Ride to Graceland

It’s time for an afternoon of books and bellinis! Join author Janice Johnson for a drop-in in-store signing at Fiction Addiction on Friday, March 10th from 2-4pm to celebrate the first two books in her trilogy, A Heart’s Memory and After All.

This event is FREE and open to the public. You can also purchase a ticket including one or both of Janice’s books. Additional books can be ordered on our website or purchased at the event while supplies last.

If you’re unable to attend in-person, signed copies of the authors’ books can be purchased on our website.

Tickets can be purchased online through Friday, March 10th at noon. Refunds can be requested up until the ticket cutoff. At-the-door tickets and books will be available as space allows.

Join us on Monday, March 13th at 5:30 pm for an In Conversation event with Clemson professor Nic Brown. He’ll be chatting with April Lawson about his memoir Bang Bang Crash.

Bang Bang Crash tells the story of Nic Brown’s unusual journey to gain new strength, presence of mind, and sense of perspective, enabling him to discover an even greater life of artistic fulfillment. We’re very excited to have him in store with us and can’t wait to hear all about his life and writing processes, what inspires him, and ask questions about his book.

So don’t miss out on this free event!

SUMMARY

A rock and roll drummer abandons his successful music career to pursue his true passion and discovers a deeper understanding of artistic fulfillment in this episodic memoir of swapping one dream for another

In the mid-1990s, fresh out of high school, Nic Brown was living his childhood dream as a rock and roll drummer. Signing a major label record deal, playing big shows, hitting the charts, giving interviews in Rolling Stone, appearing on The Tonight Show—what could be better for a young artist? But contrary to expectations, getting a shot at his artistic dream early in life was a destabilizing shock. The more he achieved, the more accolades that came his way, the less sure Brown became about his path.

Only a few years into a promising musical career, he discovered the crux of his discontent: he was never meant to remain behind the drums. In fact, his true artistic path lay in a radically different direction entirely: he decided to become a writer, embarking on a journey leading him to attend the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, publish novels and short stories, and teach literature to college students across the country.

Bang Bang Crash tells the story of Nic Brown’s unusual journey to gain new strength, presence of mind, and sense of perspective, enabling him to discover an even greater life of artistic fulfillment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

NIC BROWN is the author of the novels In Every Way, Doubles, and Floodmarkers, which was selected as an Editors’ Choice by The New York Times Book Review. He is the fiction editor of the South Carolina Review, and his writing has appeared in The New York Times and the Harvard Review, among many other publications. As a drummer, he has worked with Athenaeum, Ben Lee, Longwave, Skeleton Key, and Eszter Balint. A graduate of Columbia University and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, he has served as the Grisham Writer in Residence at the University of Mississippi and is now an associate professor of creative writing at Clemson University.

REVIEWS

“Charming . . . A nostalgia-rich ode to optimism . . . The joyous read reminds us that when art, whether song or story, leaves its maker’s hands, it becomes something bigger, something that belongs to every fan.” —CJ Lotz, Garden & Gun

“This poignant memoir will not only be loved by music fans but will also likely appeal to readers who want to go on a journey of love, ambivalence, and acceptance.” —Library Journal (starred review)

“This memoir, crafted in beautiful, vivid prose, explores a life devoted to art, and an artist with many facets and branches to his talent. Music fans will adore the behind-the-scenes look at a drummer’s life, but anyone who has ever radically changed course will find connection in Brown’s words.” —Booklist

“Amiable . . . A well-written rock memoir that evades the usual clichés . . . Both former and aspiring rockers will find plenty to reflect on in Brown’s reminiscences.” —Kirkus Reviews

“‘What happens when you discover that you’re a grown man, living out the dreams of a boy?’ Nic Brown asks a good question—particularly if you’re a drummer. Some can’t or won’t wake up from those dreams, but Brown found a new one. Through ill-fated and yet redemptive forays into everything from rapping to tennis, our hero narrates the birth, by turns amusing and a little heartbreaking, of an inspiring second act of a very American life.” ––Michael Azerrad, author of Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana and Our Band Could Be Your Life

“Bang Bang Crash is irresistible, a sly memoir that comes on like a great pop song—catchy, fast paced, witty—only to deepen into a meditation on creativity and the search for meaning. Music fans will, of course, devour the book. Anyone who has struggled to find their way as an artist will discover something deeper in Nic Brown’s wise, compassionate voice: a true companion.” ––Steve Almond, author of Rock & Roll Will Save Your Life

“There’s Jean-Paul Sartre’s Being and Nothingness, and then there’s Nic Brown’s Bang Bang Crash. I’ve never read a more satisfactory memoir that concerned what-should’ve-been and what-should be. This is a journey that we all take, whether we like it or not. I loved this story completely, and although I might say I wish I’d taken it, I’m glad I didn’t. What a great memoir, the best I’ve read in years.” ––George Singleton, You Want More: Selected Stories

“Most rock memoirs are about excess. But Nic Brown’s Bang Bang Crash is about ambivalence: it asks, What happens if you get everything you ever wanted, and discover that you should have wanted something else? What should you do next? Well, in Nic Brown’s case, he put down his drumsticks and wrote this charming, funny, rueful, wise book about the rock and roll life, and the life after the rock and roll life. An essential addition to the long, ongoing American story of second chances, second acts.” ––Brock Clarke, author of Who Are You, Calvin Bledsoe?

Join us for the incredible chance to spend the evening with First Lady Eliza Reid celebrating her book SECRETS OF THE SPRAKKAR! Canadian born and raised, and now first lady of Iceland— Eliza Reid examines her adopted homeland’s attitude toward women: the deep-seated cultural sense of fairness, the influence of current and historical role models, and, crucially, the areas where Iceland still has room for improvement. Learn more while sipping on a cocktail with us.

Your ticket includes admission, a cocktail, and a copy of the book.

BOOK SUMMARY

The Canadian first lady of Iceland pens a book about why this tiny nation is leading the charge in gender equality, in the vein of The Moment of Lift.

Iceland is the best place on earth to be a woman—but why?

For the past twelve years, the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report has ranked Iceland number one on its list of countries closing the gap in equality between men and women. What is it about Iceland that enables its society to make such meaningful progress in this ongoing battle, from electing the world’s first female president to passing legislation specifically designed to help even the playing field at work and at home?

The answer is found in the country’s sprakkar, an ancient Icelandic word meaning extraordinary or outstanding women.

Eliza Reid—Canadian born and raised, and now first lady of Iceland—examines her adopted homeland’s attitude toward women: the deep-seated cultural sense of fairness, the influence of current and historical role models, and, crucially, the areas where Iceland still has room for improvement. Throughout, she interviews dozens of sprakkar to tell their inspirational stories, and expertly weaves in her own experiences as an immigrant from small-town Canada. The result is an illuminating discussion of what it means to move through the world as a woman and how the rules of society play more of a role in who we view as equal than we may understand.

What makes many women’s experiences there so positive? And what can we learn about fairness to benefit our society?

Like influential and progressive first ladies Eleanor Roosevelt, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Michelle Obama, Reid uses her platform to bring the best of her nation to the world. Secrets of the Sprakkar is a powerful and atmospheric portrait of a tiny country that could lead the way forward for us all.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eliza Reid is a journalist, editor, and cofounder of the annual Iceland Writers Retreat. Eliza grew up on a hobby farm near Ottawa, Canada, and moved to Iceland in 2003, five years after meeting the man who later became her husband, Gudni Th. Jóhannesson. When he took office as President of Iceland on August 1, 2016, Eliza became the country’s first lady. In that capacity, she has been active in promoting gender equality, entrepreneurship and innovation, tourism and sustainability, as well as the country’s writers and rich literary heritage.

Join us on Wednesday, March 15th at 5:30 pm for an In Conversation event with father and daughter authors John & Rowe Carenen!

They’ll be chatting about both of their books, Keeping To Himself: a novel by John Carenen and First Drafts from the Brewery by Rowe Carenen.

We’re very excited to have them in store with us and can’t wait to hear all about their writing processes, what inspires them, and ask them questions about their books.

So don’t miss out on this free event!

SUMMARY

Keeping to Himself: a novel by John Carenen – Deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, Whit Coombs seeks peace, quiet, and healing. Scarred spiritually by the death of his wife, who died cursing him for not euthanizing her, and physically from an IED in Iraq, he just wants a simple life in his cabin by a lake, miles from a hard road. Then, on a nighttime hike, he witnesses a grisly murder and finds himself with a dilemma: report the crime and lose his privacy-and maybe his life-or let the killers get away with it. As the killers and the attractive female county sheriff get closer to discovering what he saw, he realizes that maybe Keeping to Himself won’t give him the peace he needs.

REVIEWS FOR KEEPING TO HIMSELF

“After witnessing a murder, a loner struggles to retain his precious solitude in this novel.

Whit Coombs revels in the privacy his isolated cabin affords. Carenen fills the backdrop with glorious scenery. Whit basks in the seasonal colors of sassafras trees, sugar maples, and wind-blown leaves that fall like “little orange-and-red tornados.”

A gripping, character-driven thriller with alluring landscapes.”

— Kirkus Reviews, praise for KEEPING TO HIMSELF

“In John Carenen’s taut and exquisitely paced novel, Keeping to Himself, Whit Coombs’ self-imposed isolation is quickly and violently interrupted one dark night beneath flashes of white-hot lightning, “as if God were taking crime scene photos.” A powerful tale of revenge and redemption soon emerges, unfurling effortlessly like a spring thunderstorm through the coves and hollows of the book’s setting in the Blue Ridge Mountains. From prologue to epilogue, Carenen’s deft touch with the nuances of character and the specificity of place blanket his prose with a rare and wonderful honesty. Keeping to Himself is a worthy addition to the very best of Appalachian noir, but make no mistake: this is also a story of love, a story of salvation. And ultimately, Carenen’s novel is about revelation…about discovering that true healing might arrive when you least expect it.

— Scott Gould author of Whereabouts and Things That Crash, Things That Fly

SUMMARY

First Drafts from the Brewery by Rowe Carenen explores the ends, and beginnings, of relationships, the value of true-blue friends, and the delights of the seasons. Less a how-to guide to divorce, and more a long and lingering porch-chat complete with good beer or a strong whiskey, this collection embraces simplicity while staring down pain without flinching. But not to worry, there’s plenty of cats, puppies, and cozy blankets.

REVIEWS FOR FIRST DRAFTS FROM THE BREWERY

First Drafts from the Brewery is a book about repair, about what we do when the waters haven’t quite claimed us yet-that furtive in-the-meantime. “Grief,” our speaker says, “lives in my body.” But also in that body lies the psychic excavation of so many riches: confetti and PetSmart, Lemon Pledge and Elvis, resin. And in our grieving bodies we are kept such great company: land surveyors, Paul Simon, bad dates, grandparents, even famous writers. There lives inside these thoughtful and honest, observant poems an invoking familiarity. I used to love a song that asked: “Where do you go when you’re lonely?” These poems answer that. You go everywhere, and with all your people, and with all your things. And you clink the festive glasses of curiosity and gratitude while you’re at it.

— Mamie Morgan, poet whose work has appeared in Washington Square Review, The Oxford American, Fish Barrel Review, Nimrod, Muzzle, Four Way Review, Yemassee, Carolina Quarterly, Smartish Pace, The Yalobusha Review, Cimarron, Inkwell, and The Greensboro Review. Her first collection of poetry, EVERYONE I’VE DANCED WITH IS DEAD, is forthcoming from Jackleg Press.

In First Drafts from the Brewery, Rowe Carenen has created the kind of collection we need to see. It straddles the boundaries between universality and confession, between sophistication and accessibility so deftly that those who think they don’t love poetry might find themselves lost in its pages. Ultimately an exploration of many griefs, these poems are also dedicated to a return to self in body and in spirit: “My happiness is mine/ and no one owns it/ but me.” At times playful, at times meditative, at times rife with disappointment, First Drafts from the Brewery is a collection that fights to and succeeds in “creak[ing] out/ of … bed and beat[ing] back/ stagnation, again.”

– Kate Fallon, author of two books of poetry The Toothmakers’ Daughters and Demoted Planet.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

John Carenen, a native of Clinton, Iowa, graduated with an M.F.A. in Fiction Writing from the prestigious University of Iowa Writers Workshop and has been writing ever since. His work has appeared in numerous popular and literary magazines, and he has been a featured columnist in newspapers in North and South Carolina. A novel, Son-up, Son-down was published by the National Institute of Mental Health.

His debut Thomas O’Shea mystery novel, Signs of Struggle, was published in October of 2012. A Far Gone Night and The Face on the Other Side, the second and third books in the series, continue the exploits of the enigmatic protagonist and the quirky characters of Rockbluff, Iowa.

John is a former English professor at Newberry College in Newberry, South Carolina. He and his wife live in their cozy cottage down a quiet lane in northern Greenville, South Carolina. He is a big fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Boston Red Sox.

Rowe Carenen is a graduate of Salem College and the University of Southern Mississippi. When asked, she’d say that poetry has been her passion ever since she realized that words could convey more than just the facts. Her poems have appeared in various literary journals and magazines, including The Revenant Culture, GERM, Terrible Orange Review, the Running with Water anthology, and her first collection, In the Meantime, was published by Neverland Publishing in 2014. She lives in Greenville, South Carolina, with her cat Minerva Jane and dog Neville Jameson.

A new book club at Hub City Bookshop, Rainbow Reads meets on the third Wednesday of the month and focuses on reading stories centered around LGBTQ+ characters and experiences. Our goal is to create inclusive and intersectional conversations within an open and welcoming environment. This book club is free and open for anyone to join—we only ask that you purchase your book through Hub City Bookshop. Join us on February 15th at 6:00 PM as we discuss The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid!

Join Wayne Flynt to hear the stories he heard and lessons he learned from the Pulitzer Prize winning author, Harper Lee!

Imagine sitting with an esteemed writer on his or her front porch somewhere in the world and swapping life stories. Wayne Flynt had this opportunity with Nelle Harper Lee. In a friendship that blossomed over a dozen years, starting when Lee relocated back to Alabama after having had a stroke, Flynt and his wife, Dartie, became regular visitors at the assisted living facility that was Lee’s new home. And there the conversations began. IT began where it always begins with Southern storytellers, with an invitation to “Come in, sit down, and stay a while.”

The stories exchanged ranged widely over the topics of Alabama history, Alabama folklore, family genealogy, and American literature, of course. On the way, from beginning to end, there were mant detours: talks about Huntingdon College; the University of Alabama; New York City; the United Kingdom; Garden City, Kansas; and Mobile, Alabama, to name just a few. Wayne and his wife were often joined by Alice Lee, the oldest Lee sister, a living encylopedia on the subject of family genealogy, and middle sister Louise Lee Conner.

The hours spent visiting, in intimate closeness, are still cherished by Wayne Flynt. They yielded revelations large and small, which have been shaped into Afternoons with Harper Lee. Part memoir, part biography, this book offers a unique window into the life and mind and preoccupations of one of America’s best-loved writers. Flynt and Harper Lee and her sisters learned a great deal from each other, and though this is not a history book, their shared interest in Alabama and its history made this extraordinary work possible.

About the Author

Pulitzer Prize-nominated author Wayne Flynt is professor emeritus in the history department at Auburn University. He is the author of fourteen books, and his numerous awards include the Rembert Patrick Award for Florida History, the Lillian Smith Prize for Nonfiction from the Southern Regional Council, the Alabama Library Association Award for nonfiction, the C. Vann Woodward/John Hope Franklin Prize by the Fellowship of Southern Writers, the F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum Award for Excellence in Writing, and the Alabama Governor’s Award for the Arts.

Imagine sitting with an esteemed writer on his or her front porch somewhere in the world and swapping life stories. Wayne Flynt had this opportunity with Nelle Harper Lee. In a friendship that blossomed over a dozen years, starting when Lee relocated back to Alabama after having had a stroke, Flynt and his wife, Dartie, became regular visitors at the assisted living facility that was Lee’s new home. And there the conversations began. IT began where it always begins with Southern storytellers, with an invitation to “Come in, sit down, and stay a while.”

The stories exchanged ranged widely over the topics of Alabama history, Alabama folklore, family genealogy, and American literature, of course. On the way, from beginning to end, there were mant detours: talks about Huntingdon College; the University of Alabama; New York City; the United Kingdom; Garden City, Kansas; and Mobile, Alabama, to name just a few. Wayne and his wife were often joined by Alice Lee, the oldest Lee sister, a living encylopedia on the subject of family genealogy, and middle sister Louise Lee Conner.

The hours spent visiting, in intimate closeness, are still cherished by Wayne Flynt. They yielded revelations large and small, which have been shaped into Afternoons with Harper Lee. Part memoir, part biography, this book offers a unique window into the life and mind and preoccupations of one of America’s best-loved writers. Flynt and Harper Lee and her sisters learned a great deal from each other, and though this is not a history book, their shared interest in Alabama and its history made this extraordinary work possible.

About the Author

Pulitzer Prize-nominated author Wayne Flynt is professor emeritus in the history department at Auburn University. He is the author of fourteen books, and his numerous awards include the Rembert Patrick Award for Florida History, the Lillian Smith Prize for Nonfiction from the Southern Regional Council, the Alabama Library Association Award for nonfiction, the C. Vann Woodward/John Hope Franklin Prize by the Fellowship of Southern Writers, the F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum Award for Excellence in Writing, and the Alabama Governor’s Award for the Arts.

Join us for a Pop-Up with author Monica Ayra and her books The Next Mrs. Wimberly & Navy Lies.

SUMMARY OF THE NEXT MRS. WIMBERLY: a novel

Happily ever after isn’t guaranteed…

Brooke Montgomery has struggled ever since her parents died in a tragic accident, leaving her to take care of herself at a young age. Working double shifts as a waitress just to pay the mounting bills was a cycle she seemingly couldn’t break from.

Until she met him…

The charming, wealthy, handsome surgeon, Noah Wimberly.

Dr. Noah Wimberly’s first wife, Riya, mysteriously died, yet her body was never found. When Noah meets Brooke, who has an uncanny resemblance to Riya, Noah knows he can’t let Brooke go.

She’s his mid-life crisis.

He’s her way out.

The only problem is Brooke starts to realize that the tight-knit Laguna Beach society she’s now immersed in has a strange way of protecting its own, and she may need to unearth deadly secrets before it’s too late. The next place after the honeymoon doesn’t seem like it’ll be home.

Will she be able to handle what’s coming for the next Mrs. Wimberly, for better or for worse?

SUMMARY OF NAVY LIES: a novel

Living in the shadows for years means you know just how dark things can be.

She’s married to the man who should have been mine. She’s raising the child who should have been mine.

She’s living the life that should have been mine.

Her family destroyed and tormented me.

They thought they had gotten rid of me like mere trash.

But here I am.

Lurking in the shadows.

Watching their every move, plotting and planning.

They thought they were powerful.

But here I am.

I may have to lie my way into their perfectly tailored lives, weaving and snaking myself into

their safe haven. All I know is this isn’t a simple white lie I’ll have to tell. I’ll have to tell a dark one, a destructive one…

A navy lie.

And when I do, I’ll take back everything that is mine.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Monica Arya is a bestselling, multi-genre author of six novels and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina with her family. As a North Carolina native and a South Carolina resident you’ll often see her stories mention or take place in the Carolinas. Monica’s educational background is in Psychology, which is often put to use in her twisted thrillers. Besides writing, Monica enjoys spending time outdoors, dancing and chasing after her children. For more information you can visit her website www.monicaarya.com.

Come meet Monica, hear more about her books, and get a signed copy!

Join us for a Pop-Up with children’s book author Mallory White!

She’ll be sharing about her book Amy Hippo: The Superhero Who Tried Too Hard, in which a loyal superhero puts her whole heart into saving her human; a bold act that creates chaos and complicates the life of grumpy Becka James, until Becka finds the strength to retrain her favorite tiny hippo. The book is both a fun story and emotional skills workbook!

Come meet Mallory, hear more about her book, and get a signed copy!

Join us on Tuesday, March 28th at 5:30 pm for an In Conversation event with author Veronica Henry. She’ll be chatting with Yasmin Angoe about the final book of her fantasy series, The Foreign Exchange. Book two of two in the Mambo Reina series, The Foreign Exchange follows a Vodou priestess turned amateur sleuth who, while investigating a ritual murder, is embroiled in an insidious case of corruption that reaches beyond the shadows of New Orleans. We’re excited to have Veronica in store with us and can’t wait to hear all about her writing processes, what inspires her, and ask questions about her book. So don’t miss out on this free event!

BOOK SUMMARY

After solving a crime blamed on Vodou in New Orleans’ French Quarter, Vodou priestess turned amateur detective Reina Dumond has returned to her benevolent work as a healer. But when her friend and enigmatic client Evangeline “Vangie” Stiles comes to her for a spell, Mambo Reina quickly realizes what Vangie really needs is a sleuth. Something is amiss in the Stileses’ marriage. Five thousand dollars has inexplicably appeared in the bank account Vangie shares with her scam-artist husband, Arthur, and she smells trouble. So does Reina. Especially when her investigation into Arthur’s likely new con leads to murder. Considering the manner of death and the signs on the victim’s body, Reina recognizes it for what it is: ritual magic of the vodouisant kind. As Reina digs deeper, she encounters a conspiracy exploiting vulnerable youth―one of whom may have abilities just like hers. With the help of her friends Darryl and Tyka, Reina must hone her ever-evolving skills to uncover a mystery that  reaches further than she imagined.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Veronica G. Henry is the author of Bacchanal and, in the Mambo Reina series, The Quarter Storm and The Foreign Exchange. Her work has debuted at #1 on multiple Amazon bestseller charts and was chosen as an editors’ pick for Best African American Fantasy. She is a Viable Paradise alum and a member of SFWA and the MWA. Her stories have appeared, or are forthcoming, in the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and FIYAH literary magazine.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Yasmin Angoe is the award-winning, first-generation Ghanaian American author of the acclaimed thrillers, Her Name Is Knight and They Come At Knight. She received the 2020 Eleanor Taylor Bland Award from Sisters in Crime and, in 2021, an Anthony Award nomination for Best First Novel. Her books were listed as Amazon’s “Best Book of the Month” and Editor’s Picks and were optioned for TV which are currently in development. Reviews of Yasmin’s work can be found in The New York Times, OprahDaily.com, Deadline, The Guardian, PopSugar, and Woman’s World. The final of the Nena Knight trilogy, IT ENDS WITH KNIGHT, releases September 2023.

Join us on Tuesday, March 28th at 5:30 pm for an In Conversation event with author Veronica Henry. She’ll be chatting with Yasmin Angoe about the final book of her fantasy series, The Foreign Exchange.

Book two of two in the Mambo Reina series, The Foreign Exchange follows a Vodou priestess turned amateur sleuth who, while investigating a ritual murder, is embroiled in an insidious case of corruption that reaches beyond the shadows of New Orleans. We’re excited to have Veronica in store with us and can’t wait to hear all about her writing processes, what inspires her, and ask questions about her book.

So don’t miss out on this free event!

BOOK SUMMARY

After solving a crime blamed on Vodou in New Orleans’ French Quarter, Vodou priestess turned amateur detective Reina Dumond has returned to her benevolent work as a healer. But when her friend and enigmatic client Evangeline “Vangie” Stiles comes to her for a spell, Mambo Reina quickly realizes what Vangie really needs is a sleuth. Something is amiss in the Stileses’ marriage. Five thousand dollars has inexplicably appeared in the bank account Vangie shares with her scam-artist husband, Arthur, and she smells trouble. So does Reina. Especially when her investigation into Arthur’s likely new con leads to murder. Considering the manner of death and the signs on the victim’s body, Reina recognizes it for what it is: ritual magic of the vodouisant kind. As Reina digs deeper, she encounters a conspiracy exploiting vulnerable youth―one of whom may have abilities just like hers. With the help of her friends Darryl and Tyka, Reina must hone her ever-evolving skills to uncover a mystery that reaches further than she imagined.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Veronica G. Henry is the author of Bacchanal and, in the Mambo Reina series, The Quarter Storm and The Foreign Exchange. Her work has debuted at #1 on multiple Amazon bestseller charts and was chosen as an editors’ pick for Best African American Fantasy. She is a Viable Paradise alum and a member of SFWA and the MWA. Her stories have appeared, or are forthcoming, in the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and FIYAH literary magazine.