The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening conversation for readers and writers with two South Carolina authors whose work spans multiple genres—Dorothy McFalls and Linda Lovely–on Thursday, February 19, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at the Conroy Center, 601 Bladen St. Free and open to the public, with books available for sale and signing. Seating is limited; please call 843-379-7025 in advance to reserve a spot.
Authors McFalls and Lovely are both avid readers who relish everything from cozy mysteries, gritty thrillers, and historical fiction to steamy romance and otherworldly fantasy.
McFalls and Lovely also have chosen to write in more than one literary niche. McFalls has published 10 cozy mysteries, 3 steamy romantic fantasies, and 9 romances. Lovely’s 12 published titles explore a mix of mystery, suspense, thriller, and romance subgenres.
In their conversation at the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, the authors will share their experiences and discuss the risks and rewards for writers who stray beyond their established niche—including both the creative and marketing aspects of shifting or blending genres They’ll also discuss how this growing author practice can benefit readers.
ABOUT DOROTHY McFALLS
Award-winning author Dorothy McFalls was born in New York but raised in South Carolina. She makes her home on an artsy beach community in South Carolina with her husband, neurotic dog, and persnickety cat. Though writing has always been a passion for her, she pursued an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Biology and a graduate degree in Public Administration and Urban Planning. She then put her educational experience to use, having worked in all branches and all levels of government including local, regional, state, and federal. She even spent time during college working for a non-profit environmental watchdog organization.
Switching from government service and community planning to fiction writing wasn’t as big of a change as some might think. Her government work was all about the stories of the people and the places where they live. As an urban planner, Dorothy loved telling the stories of the people she met. And from that, her desire to tell the stories that were so alive in her heart grew until she could not ignore it any longer. In 2001, she took a leap of faith and pursued her dream of writing fiction full-time.
Now multi-published author since 2005, Dorothy enjoys writing in several different genres. Her works have been nominated for many awards including: Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, Reviewers International Organization Award, National Reader’s Choice Award, CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Award, and The Romance Reviews Today Perfect 10! Award. Reviewers have called her work: “amazing”, “perfect”, “filled with emotion”, and “lined with danger.” She writes mysteries as Dorothy St. James.
ABOUT LINDA LOVELY
A journalism major who spent most of her career in PR. Linda Lovely now focuses on her first love—fiction. She’s published 12 mystery/suspense novels, including traditional and humorous cozy mysteries, romantic suspense thrillers, and a stand-alone historical suspense set in 1938.
“I write in genres I love to read,” Lovely comments, “and I’m hooked on all mystery/suspense/thriller genres.”
For the past four years, Lovely has served as secretary of the six-state Southeast Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. A long-time member of Sisters in Crime, she presided as president of the Upstate SC Chapter for five years. She also belongs to International Thriller Writers and the Authors Guild. Lovely teaches craft classes and often visits with book clubs.
An Iowa native, Linda now lives with her husband beside a South Carolina lake. Her hobbies include reading, swimming, kayaking, tennis, and gardening.