Ninth Annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival
2024-11-01 09:00 - 2024-11-02 20:30 (America/New_York) | Beaufort, South Carolina, Beaufort, SC, US
“I was born to be in a library,” wrote beloved and bestselling author Pat Conroy (1945-2016) in his book My Reading Life. Hosted by the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, this year’s Pat Conroy Literary Festival will pay special tribute to the vital work of librarians in championing the welcoming world of books, stories, and storytellers. The Conroy Festival will be held in Beaufort on November 1 and 2, with the Conroy Center also open to the public for tours on October 31 and November 3.
Now in its ninth year, the Conroy Festival is a popular destination event with literary tourists visiting from across the country as well as for local readers, writers, educators, and students of all ages. With a robust schedule of free and ticketed educational and enrichment programs, this year’s festival will include author conversations and readings, panel discussions, writers workshops, book signings, musical performances, guided tours, a film screening, and a read-aloud for children and their families.
Featured presenters include New York Times bestselling authors Kwame Alexander (Black Star), Kirsten Miller (Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books), Raj Haldar (This Book Is Banned), and Cassandra King (Tell Me a Story), as well as Reese’s Book Club author DéLana R.A. Dameron (Redwood Court). A lively panel discussion with Southern women mystery authors will include Agatha Award-winning and USA Today bestselling novelist Susan M. Boyer (The Liz Talbot Mysteries), Alicia Bessette (The Outer Banks Bookshop Mysteries), and Kristen Ness (At Loggerheads), with a special appearance by Gallery Books vice president and executive editor Carrie Feron.
High school and college student volunteers from DAYLO: Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization will host a read-aloud for young readers and their families at the Port Royal Farmers Market. A Freedom to Read panel discussion, moderated by intellectual freedom champion Pat R. Scales, will feature youth advocates and librarian advocates who have been instrumental in local, regional, and national responses to education censorship. The festival will also include a private pre-screening (open to festival attendees with advance registration) of the new feature-length documentary film Banned Together, prefaced by a tribute to librarians and followed by a discussion with producers Tom and Jenn Wiggin. A celebratory musical performance by the famed Beaufort Mass Choir and a reception catered by Debbi Covington at the Conroy Center will conclude this year’s festival.
To the benefit of writers, the Conroy Festival will also host a quartet of workshops on poetry, prose writing, and publication, led by Tim Conroy, Susan Madison, Valerie Sayers, Sean Scapellato, John Warley, and Chad Rhoad.
The ninth annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival is made possible by the generous support and collaboration of the Robert S. Handler Charitable Trust, the South Carolina Arts Commission, Bank of America Private Bank, and others.
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31
Noon to 4:00 p.m. TOURS: Pat Conroy Literary Center open to the public for guided tours. Free. (601 Bladen St., Beaufort)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1
9:00 to 10:30 a.m. WORKSHOP: Poetry of Practice, led by Tim Conroy and Susan Madison. $45/person (Conroy Center, 601 Bladen St., Beaufort) Register: https://thepoetryofpractice.eventbrite.com
11:00 a.m. to Noon. AUTHOR EVENT: DéLana R.A. Dameron, author of the debut novel Redwood Court (a Reese’s Book Club Pick) in conversation with Ellen Malphrus, USC Beaufort writer in residence. $10/person. Followed by a book signing. (USC Beaufort Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St., Beaufort) Register: https://patconroyliteraryfestival2024.eventbrite.com
Noon to 4:00 p.m. TOURS: Pat Conroy Literary Center open to the public for guided tours. Free. (601 Bladen St., Beaufort)
12:30 to 2:00 p.m. WORKSHOP: How to Submit to Literary Magazine, led by Valerie Sayers. $45/person (Conroy Center, 601 Bladen St., Beaufort) Register: https://howtosubmittoliterarymagazine.eventbrite.com
4:00 to 5:15 p.m. FREEDOM TO READ PANEL: Moderated by Pat R. Scales (award-winning retired librarian and author of Banned Books for Kids) in conversation with high school librarian Karen Gareis (featured on 60 Minutes), Julia Garnett (American Library Association Banned Books Week Honorary Youth Chair), and current and past student leaders of DAYLO: Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization (featured on Nick News and in Banned Together). This special presentation will also include a screening of the 60 Minutes news segment on Beaufort’s response to book bans and the Nick News segment on the youth advocacy of DAYLO. Followed by a book signing with Pat R. Scales. (USC Beaufort Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St., Beaufort) – This program is sponsored and made freely available by a generous gift from the Robert S. Handler Charitable Trust. Register: https://patconroyliteraryfestival2024.eventbrite.com
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. TRIBUTE TO LIBRARIANS and FILM SCREENING: Honoring our festival’s theme of “I Was Born to Be in a Library,” Pat Conroy Literary Center executive director Jonathan Haupt will present a brief tribute to the essential roles of librarians in the context of Pat Conroy’s legacy. Following that, the festival will present a private pre-screening (freely open to all festival attendees with advance registration) of the feature-length documentary film Banned Together, highlighting current and past student leaders of DAYLO; national and regional freedom to read experts and advocates; librarians, educators, and community members; and an international group of best-selling authors. Followed by an audience Q&A with film producers Tom and Jenn Wiggin. (USC Beaufort Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St., Beaufort) – This program is sponsored and made freely available by a generous gift from the Robert S. Handler Charitable Trust. Register: https://patconroyliteraryfestival2024.eventbrite.com
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2
9:00 to 10:30 a.m. WORKSHOP: How Not to Get Published, led by John Warley and Sean Scapellato. $45/person (Conroy Center, 601 Bladen St., Beaufort) Register: https://hownottogetpublished.eventbrite.com
9:30 a.m. to Noon. READ-ALOUD: The student volunteers of DAYLO: Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization will host their Teddy Bear Picnic read-aloud—a free monthly community literacy program for young readers and their families—at the Port Royal Farmers Market. Free. (1615 Ribaut Rd., Port Royal)
11:00 a.m. to Noon. AUTHOR EVENT: Mysterious Women: New York Times bestselling writer Cassandra King (Tell Me a Story) in conversation with a trio of Southern mystery authors, Agatha Award-winning and USA Today bestselling novelist Susan M. Boyer (The Liz Talbot Mysteries), Alicia Bessette (The Outer Banks Bookshop Mysteries), and Kristen Ness (At Loggerheads), with a special appearance by Gallery Books vice president and executive editor Carrie Feron. $15/person. Followed by a book signing. (USC Beaufort Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St., Beaufort) Register: https://patconroyliteraryfestival2024.eventbrite.com
Noon to 4:00 p.m. TOURS: Pat Conroy Literary Center open to the public for guided tours. Free. (601 Bladen St., Beaufort)
1:00 to 2:00 p.m. AUTHOR EVENT: #1 New York Times bestselling children’s author Raj Haldar (P Is for Pterodactyl and This Book Is Banned), who is also the rapper, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Lushlife, with a special performance of story and songs. Free. Followed by a book signing. (USC Beaufort Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St., Beaufort) Register: https://patconroyliteraryfestival2024.eventbrite.com
1:00 to 2:30 p.m. WORKSHOP: Know Your Place: Setting as Character, led by Chad Rhoad. $45/person (Conroy Center, 601 Bladen St., Beaufort) Register: https://knowyourplacewritersworkshop.eventbrite.com
2:30 to 3:30 p.m. AUTHOR EVENT: New York Times bestselling author for adults, young adults, and children Kwame Alexander (The Door of No Return and Black Star) in conversation with Cassie Owens Moore, middle school librarian and South Carolina Association of School Librarians Intellectual Freedom Committee chair. Free. Followed by a book signing. (USC Beaufort Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St., Beaufort) Register: https://patconroyliteraryfestival2024.eventbrite.com
4:00 to 5:00 p.m. AUTHOR EVENT: New York Times bestselling for adults, young adults, and children Kirsten Miller (Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books and How to Lead a Life of Crime) in conversation with Pat Conroy Literary Center executive director Jonathan Haupt. $10. Followed by a book signing. (USC Beaufort Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St., Beaufort) Register: https://patconroyliteraryfestival2024.eventbrite.com
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. CLOSING RECEPTION: Wrap-up party with catering by Debbi Covington and featuring a musical performance by the Beaufort Mass Choir at the Pat Conroy Literary Center and adjacent Witness Tree Park. $40. (601 Bladen St., Beaufort) Register: https://patconroyliteraryfestival2024.eventbrite.com
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3
Noon to 4:00 p.m. TOURS: Pat Conroy Literary Center open to the public for guided tours. Free. (601 Bladen St., Beaufort)
ALSO, WHILE IN BEAUFORT, PLEASE VISIT THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY BOOK SALE
Waterfront Park in Historic Downtown Beaufort
Friday, November 1: 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (Friends members only), 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 2: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 3: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Monthly Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud with DAYLO
2024-11-02 09:30 - 12:00, 2024-12-07 09:30 - 12:00, 2025-01-04 09:30 - 12:00, 2025-02-01 09:30 - 12:00, 2025-03-01 09:30 - 12:00 | Port Royal Farmers Market
On the first Saturday of every month, you can join the student volunteers of DAYLO: Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization for a Teddy Bear Picnic read-aloud at the Port Royal Farmers Market (1615 Ribaut Rd.). In collaboration with the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, high school and college student volunteers from the Beaufort-based chapters of DAYLO gather at the gazebo in Naval Heritage Park from 9:30 a.m. to noon to read diverse, inclusive picture books to children and their families, inspiring a love of stories, books, reading, and peer-to-peer mentoring.
Cozy blankets, a plethora of stuffed animals, and some snacks help the students make a welcoming environment in this free community literacy program. Several times a year, National Park Service Ranger Katherine Freeman also joins in for Read with a Ranger, a literacy and art project thematically connected to the missions of DAYLO, the Conroy Center, and the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park.
DAYLO is a student-led diversity themed book club and community service group founded at Beaufort High School and now with chapters across South Carolina. Learn more at: https://linktr.ee/DAYLOBFT.
The Pat Conroy Literary Center is a nonprofit interpretive and learning center advancing the legacy of beloved, bestselling writer, educator, and mentor Pat Conroy (1945-2016), author of The Water Is Wide, The Great Santini, The Prince of Tides, and more. Learn more at: www.patconroyliterarycenter.org.

Heritage Days History Symposium: Where It All Began on Friday
2024-11-08 09:00 - 15:30 | Penn Center, Saint Helena Island, SC, US
The Heritage Days Symposium Subcommittee, in partnership with The Pat Conroy Literary Center, is hosting the 2024 History Symposium: Where It All Began on Friday, November 8, in Frissell Community House on Penn Center campus. The symposium focuses on the historical impact of the Gullah Geechee culture from Africa to present day Beaufort, South Carolina. Registration is from 8:00 a.m. – 8:50 a.m. with sessions starting at 9:00 a.m. Advance and at-the-door registration is $35, which includes a light breakfast and lunch.
Register at https://whereitallbegan.eventbrite.com.
This year’s presenters include Dr. Louis Venters, Francis Marion University Professor of African and African Diaspora History; Michael B. Moore, candidate for the SC House of Representatives District 1 and great-great grandson of the legendary Robert Smalls; Dr. Valinda Littlefield, University of South Carolina Associate Professor of History; and Bradley Tarrance, Robert Smalls Leadership Academy Principal.
The program also includes special performances by the St. Helena Elementary School African Drumming Ensemble, the Robert Smalls Leadership Academy Choir, Gary Sterling, internationally acclaimed St. Helena native, and soloist, Louis Venters. On behalf of Penn Center Mrs. Deloris Pringle, Chair of the Board of Trustees, will welcome participants. As the founder of Penn Center Harvest Day, Dr. Emory Campbell, former Executive Director of Penn Center, and Emeritus Trustee, will introduce a special video presentation Gullah Geechee Celebration: 40 Years of Heritage Days at Penn Center by Tendaji Bailey, Executive producer and Co-director. Other special guests include SC House Representative Michael Rivers and Dr. Frank Rodriquez, Beaufort County School District Superintendent.
A book signing session organized by the Pat Conroy Literary Center will feature books authored by the presenters and special guests Lynn Bryant and Dr. Emory Campbell.
There will also be information tables provided by the Beaufort County Awareness Group, Beaufort History Museum, The Pat Conroy Literary Center, Penn Center Heritage Days Planning Committee, Beaufort County School District, St. Helena Elementary School, and Robert Smalls Leadership Academy.
In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Heritage Days, Where It All Began offers participants a unique opportunity to explore, understand, and appreciate the historical and cultural contributions of the Gullah Geechee people from ancient times to present day.

Virtual Open Mic Night - Featuring Mamie Morgan, Author of Everyone I've Danced with Is Dead
2024-11-14 18:00 - 19:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
The Pat Conroy Literary Center’s monthly Open Mic Night will be held virtually on Thursday, November 14, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Our featured writer is poet Mamie Morgan, author of Everyone I’ve Danced with Is Dead. Open Mic will also feature short readings of 3 to 5 minutes each by other writers in many genres.
Interested in reading as part of Open Mic? Let us know at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org.
About Our Featured Writer
Mamie Morgan received an MFA from UNC Wilmington and a BA in English and Religious Studies from Wofford. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in numerous literary journals, including Washington Square Review, the Oxford American, Fish Barrel Review, Nimrod, Muzzle, Four Way Review, Yemassee, Carolina Quarterly, Inkwell, and the Greensboro Review. She lives in the woods with her husband and their two pit bulls, Henrietta Modine and Wednesday Stewart.
“Reading these poems is like sitting down with a friend for a conversation-the kind of friend you trust to tell all of the truth, but with mercy. These whip-smart poems don’t flinch, even at the hardest truths about what it means to be human-to love and to lose, to damage and be damaged, to live through moments ‘where the quake originates,’ that make you cling to ‘every word that had ever made me want to stay alive.’ These poems have an electric power, one strong enough to change lives. Morgan faces devastation with such an open grace and generosity that a reader can’t help but feel there’s one truth more real than any other: that even in the moments that shake us to the core, there is always hope.”–Emma Bolden
“The central organ pumping blood through these poems is wonderment. Morgan’s particular brand of wonder knows no hierarchies: love, betrayal, fallings out, quotidian, joy, jail, sex, school, the body, war, race, politics, and that old tricker Death all crowd around the same table. This book pulls you forward and shows you the world as it is–a mess worth celebrating, recoiling from, enduring, and embracing. These poems are built of risk and witness–importantly, they have the language and daring to match. This is one helluva barn burner.”–Michael McGriff

An Evening with Nancy Murray, Author of No Experience Necessary
2024-11-15 17:00 - 18:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening with memoirist Nancy Murray, author of No Experience Necessary, on Friday, November 15, at 5:00 p.m., at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort). Free and open to the public. Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited; please call in advance to reserve: 843-379-7025.
About the Book and Author:
In No Experience Necessary, Nancy Murray shares the insights, pitfalls, and strategies that she gleaned along her journey toward meaningful employment. Her stories prove that even so-called nowhere jobs can be crucial steps to not only establishing a career, but to discovering ourselves.
Nancy’s workplace tales span a colorful spectrum, from selling speakers from a seedy van to driving a posh limo; from performing as a professional clown to financial advisor. With each job she profited in ways beyond a traditional paycheck.
Some might consider this a cautionary tale, but it’s also a field guide for anyone preparing to fill out their first job application, not to mention a humorous flashback for those who recall the trials and tribulations of the workplace all too well.
“Through the many jobs—both ordinary and extraordinary— in this memoir of working, Nancy Murray shows not only how willing she is to take a chance and fail, but to grow from those failures with her trademark blend of humor and humility. What really stands out, however, is her prose—like a long lunch with a good friend, there is never a dull moment.”—Jen Michalski, author of The Company of Strangers
“No Experience Necessary is an extraordinary account of what it means to work. In vivid and engaging prose, the book illuminates the struggles and triumphs of insisting on a creative life. A tightly-focused and engaging memoir, this is an amazing read!” —Kathy Flann,award-winning author of Smoky Ordinary and Write On: Secrets to Crafting Better Stories
Nancy Murray is a poet, playwright, and storyteller. Her first memoir, One Child for Another, was published by 11th Hour Press, and was recognized by Baltimore Magazine as one of the Ten Best Reads in 2015. Her storytelling was showcased by the Women of the World Festival in Baltimore, Maryland. Nancy’s plays and poetry have been produced and published in various venues and presses including, Ireland’s HCE Review, The Maryland State Poetry and Literary Society, and in multiple anthologies. Her most recent publication, a poetry collection called The Colors of Fear, waspublished by Cyberwit Press. She teaches compositional writing at the Community College of Baltimore County and hosts a series of poetry workshops at the Arts Lab of South County, Maryland.

Lowcountry Read Community Conversation: The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
2024-11-20 17:00 - 18:30 | 11 Beach City Rd, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926-2709, United States
Lowcountry Reads aims to bring our community together by reading a selected book chosen to spark discussion and promote cross-cultural understanding. The 2024 Lowcountry Reads book selection is The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by National Book Award winner James McBride. On Wednesday, November 20, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m., the Lowcountry Coalition Against Hate will host a free community conversation about McBride’s novel at the Hilton Head Branch Library (11 Beach City Road), moderated by Dr. Raymond Cox and assisted by youth moderator Patrick Good. This special literary event is part of the annual Crescendo arts festival and presented in collaboration with the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center and DAYLO: Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization.
About The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store
A New York Times Notable Book |A New York Times Readers Pick for 100 Best Books of the 21st Century | Winner of the 2024 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction | From one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2024 | Named a Best Book of the Year by NPR, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, and Time Magazine
“A murder mystery locked inside a Great American Novel . . . Charming, smart, heart-blistering, and heart-healing.” —The New York Times Book Review
“We all need—we all deserve—this vibrant, love-affirming novel that bounds over any difference that claims to separate us.” —The Washington Post
From James McBride, author of the bestselling Oprah’s Book Club pick Deacon King Kong and the National Book Award–winning The Good Lord Bird, a novel about small-town secrets and the people who keep them.
In 1972, when workers in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, were digging the foundations for a new development, the last thing they expected to find was a skeleton at the bottom of a well. Who the skeleton was and how it got there were two of the long-held secrets kept by the residents of Chicken Hill, the dilapidated neighborhood where immigrant Jews and African Americans lived side by side and shared ambitions and sorrows. Chicken Hill was where Moshe and Chona Ludlow lived when Moshe integrated his theater and where Chona ran the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store. When the state came looking for a deaf boy to institutionalize him, it was Chona and Nate Timblin, the Black janitor at Moshe’s theater and the unofficial leader of the Black community on Chicken Hill, who worked together to keep the boy safe.
As these characters’ stories overlap and deepen, it becomes clear how much the people who live on the margins of white, Christian America struggle and what they must do to survive. When the truth is finally revealed about what happened on Chicken Hill and the part the town’s white establishment played in it, McBride shows us that even in dark times, it is love and community—heaven and earth—that sustain us.
About the Host
Established in 2018, the Lowcountry Coalition Against Hate (LCAH) is a non-partisan alliance of organizations and individuals in the Lowcountry who believe that promoting civil discourse, educating our communities about the destructive effects of hate speech, and modeling effective communication among disparate groups will strengthen our communities and each other. in addition, the LCAH serves as an advocate for public policies which will better address our statewide issues around diversity. https://lowcountryagainsthate.org

An Evening with Memoirist William Douglas, Author of Hope Is All I Have
2024-12-04 18:00 - 19:30 | Pat Conroy Literary Center
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening with memoirist and cancer survivor William “Billy” Douglas, author of Hope Is All I Have, on Wednesday, December 4, at 6:00 p.m., at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort). Free and open to the public. Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited; please call in advance to reserve: 843-379-7025.
ABOUT THE BOOK AND AUTHOR
The three most shocking words you will ever encounter in your lifetime are: You Have Cancer! Once you hear those words, your life will be forever changed. For William Douglas, instead of being at the end of his lifetime in dealing with cancer, it was actually the beginning of a new path unlike any he had ever traveled. How did he prevail through a Stage Four cancer diagnosis and come out for the better? His memoir, Hope Is All I Have, champions the inspiration to live, no matter the circumstances. It is a story of faith, hope, love, friendship, medicine and how to navigate through many unknown challenges while entrenched in the battle of your life. If you, a family member, friend, loved one, or just an acquaintance has ever been faced with cancer, this memoir will give you an insightful story of their enduring battle. An inviting read about a most difficult subject, Hope Is All I Have is an inspirational story of true perseverance and survival.
“Defying all odds after a shocking death experience in surgery, Billy Douglas did more than survive: he lived and he continues to live and to share his inspirational story with other cancer patients, their loved ones, and healthcare professionals. This is a compelling book of faith–in both the spiritual and humanistic senses of that word–in which, as Billy says, PAP: Positive Attitude Prevails. Hope, Is AlI Have is as engaging as it is empowering.”—Jonathan Haupt, executive director, Pat Conroy Literary Center
“As a Medical Oncologist, I am exposed to the effects of cancer almost every day. Despite the obvious suffering that can accompany a cancer diagnosis, there are also moments of great hope and inspiration. Billy’s story is one of these examples of stealing light from potential darkness. I often feel like my career in cancer medicine allows me to understand to some extent what our patients are going through as they receive and tackle a cancer diagnosis. Stories like this one make me realize that I don’t know the half of it. Billy’s descriptions of the events he experienced help open my eyes to all of the aspects of a cancer journey that I would never even imagine having not walked in the shoes of someone dealing with the struggle first-hand. I hope that his story will serve as inspiration to patients facing cancer themselves, as well as those working to help find better therapies.”–Todd Gourdin, Medical Oncologist, Medical University of South Carolina
William “Billy” Douglas had a successful fifty-year career in sales and marketing in the marine industry. As a product of the South, he enjoys writing and any kind of water activity. He lives on Hilton Head Island with his wife Linda and their standard poodle Gianni. Douglas is the founder of the Terminate Cancer Foundation.

Book Launch and Reading for Jared Madison, Author of The 30 Day Guide to Inner Peace
2024-12-08 12:00 - 14:00 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host a book launch for Beaufortonian Jared Madison, author of The 30 Day Guide to Inner Peace, on Sunday, December 8, from noon to 2:00 p.m., at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort). Free and open to the public. Books will be available for sale and signing. Light refreshments provided. Please call in advance to reserve: (843) 379-7025.
About the Book:
One of three writers of the “Wholly Holistics” column in Lowcountry Weekly and host of the blog, “Magical Minute”(Instagram and TikTok @themagicalminute), Jared Madison has penned a self-help book for people who want more peace in their lives. In The 30 Day Guide to Inner Peace, Madison shares the method that helped him find his own inner peace through an immersion into positive life changes, a day at a time, for 30 days.
Each day offers a message and a practice. For example, the practice for Day 7 suggests that whenever you feel stuck, take a nap. Napping involves letting go, accepting, and getting comfortable with the seeming non-movement you’re experiencing. Purely practical.
Representative chapters include: “Judge Not,” “Radical Acceptance,” “What Do You Fear?” “What No Longer Serves You?” “Peace Through Forgiveness,” and “Making a Loving Commitment to Yourself.”
According to Madison, to attain inner peace, you must look inside yourself with a clear mind, see and accept whatever you observe, change the things you don’t like, and move ahead.
“Life gives us no shortage of experiences that may normally trigger an adverse reaction within us,” says Madison. “However, [in this book] you are given the tools to counteract your reactiveness. Instead, you will find yourself responding.”
About the Author:
Jared Madison is an entrepreneur and business owner, an artist, a writer, a Reiki practitioner, a student of quantum physics, and a passionate traveler who has spent his life being a student of self-development. Realizing the link between science and spirituality, Madison began studying quantum physics in 2014 by attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s free online quantum physics classes. From there Madison would go on to obtain an associate’s degree in Math & Science, with plans to further his education in the field of Cell Development and Genetics. In 2015, Madison launched a successful clothing brand company based in Tempe, Arizona, with a focus on meaningful spiritually symbolic design graphics. Today his clothing company has grown into 4 distinct brands with a remolded business blueprint launching in early 2025. In 2020, Madison returned to Beaufort, after a successful stent in Los Angeles, and began the realization and life changes which have now culminated in The 30 Day Guide To Inner Peace, his third book. Madison is engaged to fiancé Kanani Robinson and is more than proud to call his mother one of his best friends. He has a fur child named Mama Kitty.

Open Mic Night -- Featuring Nancy E. Merrill, Author of the Children's Book Elf Dust
2024-12-12 18:00 - 19:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
The Pat Conroy Literary Center’s monthly Open Mic Night will be held at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St.) on Thursday, December 12, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Our featured presenters is Nancy E. Merrill, author of the new children’s holiday book Elf Dust. Open Mic will also feature short readings of 3 to 5 minutes each by other writers in many genres.
Interested in reading as part of Open Mic? Let us know at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org.
About Our Featured Presenter
Nancy E. Merrill is a mom of two children who were born in Hong Kong where she lived and worked for many years. Living there was an important element in the creation of Elf Dust. Highrise apartment life meant there were no chimneys and Santa wasn’t going to land on the roof. Something had to be found to ignite imagination and magic for her kids. Elf Dust did not disappoint. Today, Nancy lives in South Carolina after a consulting career around writing, communications, and creativity. She is delighted to offer Elf Dust to all who celebrate Christmas and the magic of imagination.
About Elf Dust’s Illustrator
Colleen Sgroi dreamed of being an artist since she was a young girl. Her work is available worldwide on puzzles, calendars, prints, and greeting cards, and her art has been included in films by major motion picture companies. Her illustrations in children’s books have earned her a Moonbeam Best Illustrator Award, Feathered Quill Book Award, Mom’s Choice Awards, and IBS International Book Awards. She lives and creates in Massachusetts.
“A new addition to our Christmas library. Children will fall in love with the elves and Elf Dust. The illustrations bring you back to your childhood. Absolutely beautiful. This book will be your go to picture book this holiday season. Can’t wait to use this with my class.”–Heidi Lane, author and educator

An Evening with Andrew K. Clark, Author of Where Dark Things Grow, in Conversation w/ Dana Ridenour
2024-12-13 17:00 - 18:30 | Pat Conroy Literary Center
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening with debut novelist Andrew K. Clark, author of Where Dark Things Grow, in conversation with Dana Ridenour, author of the Lexie Montgomery Series, on Friday, December 13, at 5:00 p.m., at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort). Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited: please reserve in advance to attend this free author event: 843-379-7025.
ABOUT THE NOVEL
Fifteen-year-old Leo is watching the world crumble. His father is missing, and his mother is slipping into madness as she cares for Leo, his sick sister Goldfish, and two useless brothers. Relatives are no help, and the church folk have turned their backs in the middle of the Great Depression.
When he discovers an enchanted wulver from ancient folklore that will do his bidding, he decides to settle old scores. Revenge is sweet, but Leo soon learns he can’t control what he’s unleashed. It takes his spitfire best friend Lilyfax to help Leo overcome his anger and try to escape the wulver’s evil. As they search for his father, Leo, Lilyfax, and friends are pursued by dark forces and pulled into a rescue effort to find and save trafficked girls rumored to have been taken by the mysterious Blue Man.
Featuring elements of horror, folklore, and magical realism, Where Dark Things Grow is a dark bildungsroman set squarely in the place and culture of the 1930s Southern Appalachian Mountains.
“As haunting as all fireside stories should be. Where Dark Things Grow will make you sleep with the lights on.”—Jason Mott, winner of the National Book Award, and author of Hell of a Book
“Andrew K. Clark’s Where Dark Things Grow, is a page-turning epic of gothic adventure, full of wildly imagined creatures and black magic, propulsive, deeply felt, and wonderful. A marvel of a book.”—Tessa Fontaine, author of The Red Grove and The Electric Woman
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew K. Clark is a writer from Alexander, North Carolina, outside of Asheville where he now resides. His first full-length collection of poetry, Jesus in the Trailer, was short-listed for the Able Muse Book Award. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in UCLA’s Out of Anonymity, Coffin Bell Journal, The Journal of American Poetry, Appalachian Review, Rappahannock Review, fall/lines, The Wrath Bearing Tree and many others. Clark earned his a B.A. in English and M.B.A. from Georgia Southern University, and an M.F.A. from Converse College. Where Dark Things Grown is his debut novel.
ABOUT THE INTERVIEWER
Dana Ridenour is the award-winning author of the Lexie Montgomery FBI Series: Behind the Mask, Beyond the Cabin, and Below the Radar. Ridenour is a retired FBI special agent who spent most of her career as an undercover operative. She now lives and writes in the South Carolina lowcountry.

Drop-In Book Signing for Local Children's Author Nancy E. Merrill, Author of Elf Dust
2024-12-14 14:00 - 16:00 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host a free public drop-in book signing for local children’s author Nancy E. Merrill, author of the holiday picture book Elf Dust. Join us outside (weather permitting) on Saturday, December 14, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St.) in downtown Beaufort. No advance registration required. Books will be available for sale and signing.
About the Book and Author:
Elf Dust is a charming and captivating look into the world of elves, their visits to see children and how they magically evade humans and pets and always leave their magical calling card.
“A new addition to our Christmas library. Children will fall in love with the elves and Elf Dust. The illustrations bring you back to your childhood. Absolutely beautiful. This book will be your go to picture book this holiday season. Can’t wait to use this with my class.”–Heidi Lane, author and educator
Nancy E. Merrill is a mom of two children who were born in Hong Kong where she lived and worked for many years. Living there was an important element in the creation of Elf Dust. Highrise apartment life meant there were no chimneys and Santa wasn’t going to land on the roof. Something had to be found to ignite imagination and magic for her kids. Elf Dust did not disappoint. Today, Nancy lives in South Carolina after a consulting career around writing, communications, and creativity. She is delighted to offer Elf Dust to all who celebrate Christmas and the magic of imagination.

Holiday Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud with DAYLO
2024-12-21 13:00 - 15:00 | Beaufort County Library System, 311 Scott St, Beaufort, SC, 29902, US
Join the student volunteers of DAYLO: Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization for a special bonus holiday Teddy Bear Picnic read-aloud at the Beaufort County Main Library (311 Scott St., Beaufort) on Saturday, December 21, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. In collaboration with the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, high school and college student volunteers from the Beaufort-based chapters of DAYLO will read from diverse, inclusive picture books to children and their families–including a special selection of some of DAYLO’s favorite holiday books.
Cozy blankets and a plethora of stuffed animals make a welcoming environment in this free community literacy program.
DAYLO is a student-led diversity themed book club and community service group founded at Beaufort High School and now with chapters across South Carolina. Learn more at: https://linktr.ee/DAYLOBFT.
The Pat Conroy Literary Center is a nonprofit interpretive and learning center advancing the legacy of beloved, bestselling writer, educator, and mentor Pat Conroy (1945-2016), author of The Water Is Wide, The Great Santini, The Prince of Tides, and more. Learn more at: www.patconroyliterarycenter.org.

Virtual Open Mic Night -- Featuring Niles Reddick, Author of Who's Going to Pray for Me Now?
2025-01-09 18:00 - 19:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
The Pat Conroy Literary Center’s monthly Open Mic Night will be as a virtual event, live-streamed to our Facebook page, on Thursday, January 9, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Our featured presenter is Niles Reddick, award-winning short story writer and author of Who’s Going to Pray for Me Now? Open Mic will also feature short readings of 3 to 5 minutes each by other writers in many genres.
Interested in reading as part of virtual Open Mic? Let us know at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org.
About Our Featured Author:
Niles Reddick is author of a novel, four short fiction collections, and two novellas. His work has appeared in over five hundredpublications including The Saturday Evening Post, New Reader Magazine, Cheap Pop, Flash Fiction Magazine, Citron Review, Hong Kong Review, and Vestal Review.
“Even though we don’t know when it’s going to happen, be damn sure, if it’s going epic than we need a 1965 Skylark, fast and focused with a smooth and graceful landing, to help blast the transition! Reddick presses fiction into the ultimate excursion. DEATH! Who’s Going To Pray For Me Now is a mesmerizing collection: flammable and saturating tales of those final moments when we become feverish weeds whacked into oblivion. These narrative adventures are palpable and inescapable. LOVE! GET A COPY”–Meg Tuite, author of White Van and an editor at Bending Genres
“The stories in Niles Reddick’s Who’s Going to Pray for Me Now? show us what it means to be in the know, whether it’s the inside of a 1965 Skylark or the way to handle snakes in a county church. But there’s also a lot of heart here, the little hurts and reconciliations of coupledom in a world where two equals more than one plus one. The best flash fiction keeps opening outward after you’ve read it. Reddick’s stories do that and more.”—David Galef, author of My Date with Neanderthal Woman and editor of Vestal Review

Silent Book Club Beaufort
2025-01-11 16:30 - 18:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Silent Book Club Beaufort, a unique take on the traditional book club, will launch Saturday, January 11, from 4:30pm-6:30pm at the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, 601 Bladen St. Designed to offer a relaxed and pressure-free space for readers of all types, this community gathering invites book lovers to enjoy their current reads in a welcoming and peaceful atmosphere.
The inaugural Silent Book Club Beaufort is co-sponsored by the Conroy Center and the student book club DAYLO (Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization), bringing together two organizations dedicated to fostering community connections and celebrating the love of literature.
Unlike traditional book clubs, Silent Book Club Beaufort has no assigned reading, no deadlines, and no discussions required. Whether you prefer ebooks, audiobooks, comic books, textbooks, or paperbacks, readers are invited to bring their book of choice, settle in, and savor the joy of uninterrupted reading among like-minded individuals.
The casual meetups provide an excellent opportunity to discover new book recommendations, make friends, and reconnect with the love of reading. Whether you’re a lifelong bookworm or just getting back into reading, everyone is welcome. Participants can drop in late or leave early to fit their schedules, with the simple request to arrive 5-10 minutes early to avoid disruptions.
Silent Book Club Beaufort is free to attend and proudly supports local businesses and organizations. Additional dates and locations will be announced soon via the SBCB Instagram page at www.instagram.com/silentbookclubbeaufort. Come embrace the joy of reading at Silent Book Club Beaufort!

An Evening with Karen Salyer McElmurray, Author of I Could Name God in Twelve Ways
2025-01-24 17:00 - 18:00 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening with award-winning writer Karen Salyer McElmurray, author of the essay collection I Could Name God in Twelve Ways and the novel Wanting Radiance, on Friday, January 24, at 5:00 p.m., at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort). Sponsored in part by WayWord Books, this author event is free and open to the public. Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited; please call in advance to reserve: 843-379-7025.
McElmurray will also lead a writing workshop on Saturday, January 25, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Details and registration: https://endingsandbeginningsworkshop.eventbrite.com
ABOUT I COULD NAME GOD IN TWELVE WAYS
“I could dream in poetry, could summon words for spiritual experience, could name God in twelve ways and in ten times and places in history.”
Award-winning writer Karen Salyer McElmurray details her life’s journey across continents and decades in a poetic collection that is equal parts essay-as-memoir, memoir-as-Künstlerroman, and travelogue-as-meditation.
It is about the deserts of India. A hospital ward in Maryland. The blue seas of Greece. A greenhouse in Virginia. It is about the spirit houses of Thailand. The mountains of eastern Kentucky. The depths of the Grand Canyon. A creative writing classroom in Georgia. An attic in a generations-old house. It is about coming to terms with both memory and the power of writing itself.
At turns lyrical, poignant, and alluring, McElmurray probes her personal history from the stance of different places, perspectives, and vulnerabilities as she tenderly and fiercely searches for acceptance and a place to call home.
“McElmurray teaches us how to reckon and ravel, how to unpack secrets, abandon maps, and learn from everything, even vertigo, even a global pandemic. This book is for everyone who has ever felt vulnerable in this world, which is to say, everyone.”―Julie Marie Wade, author of Otherwise: Essays and Just an Ordinary Woman Breathing
“The essays in this stunning collection are elegiac, urgent, vulnerable―full of loss and longing. Although the narrative is rooted in Kentucky, the scope is global as the narrator travels literally and metaphorically toward love and away from the ghosts of the past.”―Sue William Silverman, author of Acetylene Torch Songs: Writing True Stories to Ignite the Soul
ABOUT WANTING RADIANCE
Miracelle Loving’s world comes crashing down when her mother, Ruby, is murdered during a fortune-telling session gone wrong. Without the guidance of her mother, Miracelle grows up following the only path she knows, traveling from town to town, sometimes fortune-telling, picking up odd jobs to fill the time and escape the ever-present lostness she can’t seem to run far enough away from.
Uncertain of what she wants and, indeed, whether she wants anything or anyone at all, the now thirty-something-year-old finds herself working as a card reader in a Knoxville dive bar, selling fictions as futures, when she is confronted with her mother’s ghost voice promising to reveal the truth about her shadowy past. Desperate for answers, Miracelle sets out on a magical road trip unlike any other, in search of her own story and a father she’s never known.
Following snowy highways and backroads, Miracelle stumbles across a museum of oddities and a hole-in-the-road town called Radiant, ultimately wandering into the town of Smyte, where she begins waitressing at the Black Cat Diner. Here, she befriends card-playing has-been Russell Wallen, whom she joins for a series of nighttime adventures, long drives, and after-dark visits to a Holy Roller church. This mythical journey uncovers family secrets and forgotten truths, transforming a familiar story of love and betrayal to reveal the binding power of magic and memory.
“A poetic tale of a daughter’s quiet exploration of her past and how it pushes her forward.” —The Rumpus
“An incantatory Appalachian gothic tale of love, murder, and restless souls, populated with unforgettable flesh-and-blood characters . . . [a] masterpiece.” —Amy Greene, national bestselling author
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Karen Salyer McElmurray’s Surrendered Child: A Birth Mother’s Journey, was an AWP Award Winner for Creative Nonfiction.Her novels are The Motel of the Stars, Editor’s Pick by Oxford American, and Strange Birds in the Tree of Heaven, winner of the Chaffin Award for Appalachian Writing.As a fiction writer, she is the recipient of a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Kentucky Foundation for Women and the North Carolina Arts Council. Her work in nonfiction has been a recipient of the Annie Dillard Award for the Essay, the New Southerner Award, the Orison Anthology Award for Creative Nonfiction and, most recently, the LitSouth Award. She has co-edited, with poet Adrian Blevins, an essay collection called Walk till the Dogs Get Mean. Wanting Radiance, a novel, and Voice Lessons, a short collection of lyric essays, came out in 2021. A new essay collection, I Could Name God in Twelve Ways came out in September 2024 from University Press of Kentucky.

Endings and Beginnings: Writing Workshop Led by Karen Salyer McElmurray
2025-01-25 09:30 - 12:00 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Endings and Beginnings
Graham Greene once said, “a story has no beginning or end: arbitrarily one chooses that moment of experience from which to look back or from which to look ahead.” This arbitrariness—catching hold of an idea or a dream or a moment of insight—is certainly part of the sheer magic of writing. Deciding how to start a story and how to end it involves careful translation of our original moments of insight. Beginnings and endings become careful revision once we capture the arbitrary experience we begin with. This workshop will look at some examples of openings and endings from essays and longer works of memoir. We will discuss, and we will also begin work on writing some openings of our own.
This is an in-person writers workshop, held at the Pat Conroy Literary Center (601 Bladen St.). Limited to 12 participants with advance registration required: $60/person.
Register: https://endingsandbeginningsworkshop.eventbrite.com
About Our Instructor:
Karen Salyer McElmurray’s Surrendered Child: A Birth Mother’s Journey, was an AWP Award Winner for Creative Nonfiction. Her novels are The Motel of the Stars, Editor’s Pick by Oxford American, and Strange Birds in the Tree of Heaven, winner of the Chaffin Award for Appalachian Writing. As a fiction writer, she is the recipient of a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Kentucky Foundation for Women and the North Carolina Arts Council. Her work in nonfiction has been a recipient of the Annie Dillard Award for the Essay, the New Southerner Award, the Orison Anthology Award for Creative Nonfiction and, most recently, the LitSouth Award. She has co-edited, with poet Adrian Blevins, an essay collection called Walk till the Dogs Get Mean. Wanting Radiance, a novel, and Voice Lessons, a short collection of lyric essays, came out in 2021. A new essay collection, I Could Name God in Twelve Ways came out in September 2024 from University Press of Kentucky.

Workshop -- Writing Our Truths: The Power of Autobiographical Poetry, with Tayler Simon
2025-02-13 16:00 - 17:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Writing Our Truths: The Power of Autobiographical Poetry & Self-Publishing Your Own Chapbook — Led by Tayler Simon
Turn your life story into a compelling poetry chapbook! This workshop guides you through crafting autobiographical poems that capture personal experiences to resonate with readers. Through a guided writing exercise, you’ll refine your work while learning the basics of self-publishing. We’ll cover chapbook organization, layout, and production options, so you leave ready to bring your unique voice to print. Ideal for poets of all levels, this workshop will empower you to create a poetic mini-memoir and self-publish a chapbook to use your story for good.
This is an in-person writers workshop, held at the Pat Conroy Literary Center (601 Bladen St.). Limited to 12 participants with advance registration required; $45/person.
Registration: https://writingourtruths.eventbrite.com
About Our Instructor:
Tayler Simon (she/her) is a writer, social worker, and the owner of the bookstore, Liberation is Lit. She has self-published three books, Phases: Poems, Writing Our Truths: A Guide to Self-Publishing for BIPOC Writers, and Love and Other Forms of Heartbreak. Tayler is passionate about promoting social liberation through the power of transformative stories.
Tayler will also be the featured author at that evening’s Open Mic Night at the Conroy Center, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Open Mic Night -- Featuring Tayler Simon, Author of Phases and Love & Other Forms of Heartbreak
2025-02-13 18:00 - 19:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
The Pat Conroy Literary Center’s monthly Open Mic Night will be held at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St.) on Thursday, February 13, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Our featured author is Tayler Simon, founder of Liberation Is Lit and author of Phases and Love and Other Forms of Heartbreak. Open Mic will also feature short readings of 3 to 5 minutes each by other writers in many genres.
Interested in reading as part of Open Mic? Let us know at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org.
About Our Featured Author
Tayler Simon (she/her) is a writer, social worker, and the owner of the bookstore Liberation is Lit. She has self-published three books: Phases: Poems, Writing Our Truths: A Guide to Self-Publishing for BIPOC Writers, and Love and Other Forms of Heartbreak. Tayler is passionate about promoting social liberation through the power of transformative stories.
As part of her visit to the Conroy Center, Taylor will also be teaching a writing workshop earlier that afternoon from 4:00 to 5:30: Writing Our Truths: The Power of Autobiographical Poetry & Self-Publishing Your Own Chapbook. Learn more at https://writingourtruths.eventbrite.com.

An Evening with the Contributing Writers of The Heartbeat of Quiet Streets
2025-02-21 17:00 - 18:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
The Pat Conroy Literary Center will host a discussion by a panel of contributing writers to the anthology The Hearbeat of Quiet Streets, all members of the Chapin/Irmo Chapter of the South Carolina Writers Association, on Friday, February 21, at 5:00 p.m. Panelists will discuss both the content of the book as well as its publication. This event is free and open to the public. Copies of the anthology as well as other books by the contributing writers will be available for sale and signing. To reserve a seat in advance, please call 843-379-7025.
“The Heartbeat of Quiet Streets is an outstanding collection of polished work from authors who know their canvas. The South, small towns and mid-century summers collide in verse with quiet tension and churning drama.”–Kasie Whitener, PhD, University of South Carolina, Darla Moore School of Business
“The Heartbeat of Quiet Streets is an amazing title for a quality compilation of writing pieces. I chose one or two at a time to read, to best enjoy them, sinking into each, basking in the unique world each had to offer. Kudos not only to the writers, but to the editor who made the pieces an admirable whole.”–C. Hope Clark, award-winning author of The Carolina Slade Mysteries, the Edisto Island Mysteries, and the Craven County Mysteries
Glen Bramlitt, an artist and engineer in South Carolina, blends the boundless possibilities of ‘what-if’ with a vivid imagination. His current genre is dystopian fiction. Glen is an accomplished wood-working artist who carved charcuterie boards as a thank you to our guest testimonials.
Sue Cryer served on the South Carolina Writer’s Association Board of Directors and co-edited Catfish Stew, SCWA member’s anthology, The Quill newsletter, and The Petigru Review, now an international publication. She also served on The State Newspaper’s Community Advisory Board and runs a home business. She recently completed a fictional memoir, Surviving Riversedge.
By day, Laura Lanni teaches organic chemistry and oversees her undergraduate research laboratory. When not teaching or writing, she can be found working with writers in her critique group, running, hugging her grandchildren, riding a jet-ski, blogging, and baking.
Carolyn Hartley is a six times #1 best-selling author. She has been in publishing for more than thirty years as an author, publicist, speaker, and publisher for Fortune 500 companies. Her historical fiction trilogy, The Buried Sunshine series, won the International Book Impact Award in 2024 in the Historical Fiction category.
Terresa Cooper Haskew’s poetry and prose has appeared in more than fifty printed journal and anthology issues (Atlanta Review, American Journal of Nursing, The Main Street Rag). Her story, “Living the Dream,” was showcased in 2013 as a short film by Ron Hagell and Shirley Smith. Her first novel, Winston’s Book of Souls is forthcoming in Spring 2025.

Silent Book Club Beaufort
2025-02-22 16:30 - 18:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Silent Book Club Beaufort, a unique take on the traditional book club, will hold its second meetup on Saturday, February 22, from 4:30pm-6:30pm at the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, 601 Bladen St. Designed to offer a relaxed and pressure-free space for readers of all types, this community gathering invites book lovers to enjoy their current reads in a welcoming and peaceful atmosphere.
Silent Book Club Beaufort is co-sponsored by the Conroy Center and the student book club DAYLO (Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization), bringing together two organizations dedicated to fostering community connections and celebrating the love of literature.
Unlike traditional book clubs, Silent Book Club Beaufort has no assigned reading, no deadlines, and no discussions required. Whether you prefer ebooks, audiobooks, comic books, textbooks, or paperbacks, readers are invited to bring their book of choice, settle in, and savor the joy of uninterrupted reading among like-minded individuals.
Silent Book Club Beaufort also features a book swap: Leave a book, take a book.
The casual meetups provide an excellent opportunity to discover new book recommendations, make friends, and reconnect with the love of reading. Whether you’re a lifelong bookworm or just getting back into reading, everyone is welcome.
Silent Book Club Beaufort is free to attend and proudly supports local businesses and organizations. Additional dates and locations will be announced soon via the SBCB Instagram page at www.instagram.com/silentbookclubbeaufort. Come embrace the joy of reading at Silent Book Club Beaufort!

An Evening with Novelist Jen Marie Wiggins, Author of The Good Bride
2025-02-27 17:00 - 18:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
{Rescheduled from December 19}
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening with novelist Jen Marie Wiggins, author of The Good Bride, on Thursday, February 27, at 5:00 p.m., at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort). Free and open to the public. Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited; please call in advance to reserve: 843-379-7025.
About the Book and Author:
One of People Magazine’s Recommended Suspense Reads for 2025
The Wedding of the Year turns disastrous in this twisty family drama full of lies and betrayals, perfect for fans of Laura Dave, Lucy Foley, and Ruth Ware.
One year after a devastating hurricane, bride-to-be Ruth Bancroft is marrying her perfect groom in a quaint fishing village on the Gulf Coast. The weekend is carefully curated, with the displays of pomp and social media magic meant to promote an area still struggling to rebuild as well as bring Ruth’s estranged family back together.
Yet as good intentions often go, this road to wed is hell and paved in complications. With tensions rising between the family and the bridal party, long-buried secrets come to light, and accusations start flying. Things officially spiral out of control when the oceanfront rehearsal dinner is rocked by a series of gunshots, and a high-profile guest goes missing. As the investigation gets underway, it turns out that everyone has something to hide.
Big Little Lies meets The Guest List in this gripping page turner that asks the big questions about messy family liaisons, modern media, and the lies we tell the world.
Jen Marie Wiggins’s first book, the gifty nonfiction title Married AF: A Funny Guide for the Newlywed or Bride, was published with Sourcebooks in 2022. She has a background in advertising and public relations, and her writing has appeared in Southern Coastal Weddings, Savannah Magazine, Savannah Homes, and elsewhere. The Good Bride draws much of its inspiration from the devastation and rebuilding struggles of Mexico Beach, Florida, a place near and dear to Jen’s heart.

Pat Conroy: An Introduction to a Lowcountry Legend
2025-02-27 18:00 - 19:00 | Charleston County Public Library (Main Library)
Rescheduled from January 23
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On Thursday, February 27, at 6:00-7:00 p.m. the Charleston County Public Library will host Pat Conroy: An Introduction to a Lowcountry Legend. Presented by Jonathan Haupt, executive director of the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, this free literary program will be held at the Main Library at 68 Calhoun St. in historic downtown Charleston.
Internationally acclaimed writer Pat Conroy (1945-2016) is best remembered as the author of The Water Is Wide, The Great Santini, The Lords of Discipline, and The Prince of Tides, each also adapted for film. Conroy has become as synonymous with his adopted lowcountry as pluff mud or Spanish Moss. Join the Conroy Center executive director—and one of Pat’s many protégés—for an engaging hour of stories, photos, and videos introducing Conroy’s writing and teaching life and exploring some of the major themes of his work, as well as how the nonprofit literary center established in his memory now continues his legacy.
About Our Presenter:
Jonathan Haupt is the executive director of the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, the past director of the University of South Carolina Press, and co-editor of the anthology Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy, winner of 17 book awards. He is a frequent guest book reviewer for the Pulitzer Prize-winning Charleston Post and Courier. In 2020, he was honored with the Doug Marlette Literacy Leadership Award, a lifetime achievement recognition presented by the Pulpwood Queens, the largest read-and-meet book club in the U.S. Under Jonathan’s leadership, the Conroy Center has been recognized as an American Library Association Literary Landmark, an affiliate of the American Writers Museum, and winner of the Civitas Award for Tourism Leadership. With Claire Bennett, Jonathan also serves as co-mentor to the student leaders of DAYLO: Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization, who in turn have been recognized with a national commendation from the American Association of School Librarians, the South Carolina Education Association’s Richard W. Riley Award for Human and Civil Rights, and an honorable mention for the South Carolina Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Award.

Ninth Annual March Forth Weekend
2025-03-01 09:30 - 2025-03-02 15:30 | Beaufort, South Carolina, Beaufort, SC, US
Our Conroy Center’s ninth annual March Forth will be held on Saturday, March 1, and Sunday, March 2, with educational programs in Beaufort, Port Royal, St. Helena Island, and online. This special event commemorates the anniversary of Pat Conroy’s passing on March 4, 2016, by engaging with major themes of his writing and teaching life, including social justice, inclusivity, conservation, education, truth-telling, and storytelling.
March Forth will include appearances by:
* Ashley Hope Pérez: YA novelist, educator, advocate, and editor of Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers’ Rights
* Kimberly Brock: novelist, past Georgia Author of the Year, and author of The Fabled Earth, a finalist for the Townsend Prize for Fiction
* Edda L. Fields-Black, professor of history and director of the Dietrich College Humanities Center at Carnegie Mellon University, author of Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War
* Katherine Freeman: National Park Service Ranger with the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park
* Jake Zadik: Brays Island naturalist, nature photographer, and cofounder of South Carolina Partners of Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (SCPARC)
* Juliana Zadik: naturalist, educator, and Beaufort County Long-Range Environmental Planner
* Dana Ridenour: retired FBI undercover special agent, author of the Lexie Montgomery series
* Eugene A. Rugala: retired FBI agent and “profiler,” behavioral science consultant and author
* DAYLO: Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization
This year, March Forth is hosted by Conroy Center executive director Jonathan Haupt and nationally recognized youth advocate Julia Garnett.
March Forth is presented in collaboration between the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, Penn Center, NeverMore Books, the Port Royal Farmers Market, the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park, and DAYLO: Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization.
Register in advance: https://marchforth2025.eventbrite.com
~EVENTS for SATURDAY, MARCH 1~
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.: Reconstruction Era National Historic Park Tours
Explore the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park locations in Beaufort, Port Royal, and St. Helena. Free. Details: https://www.nps.gov/reer/index.htm
9:30 a.m. to Noon: Read with a Ranger and Teddy Bear Picnic at the Port Royal Farmers Market
Student volunteers from DAYLO (Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization) will be reading children’s picture books to young readers and their families, with light snacks provided. DAYLO students will be joined by National Park Service Ranger Katherine Freeman from the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park for a special read-aloud, Read with a Ranger. This free event will be held near the gazebo at the Port Royal Farmers Market (1615 Ribaut Rd, Port Royal). No registration needed.
10:00 a.m. to Noon: Demythologizing the FBI: What Writers Get Wrong, Workshop Led by Dana Ridenour and Eugene A. Rugala
Join retired FBI undercover special agent turned novelist Dana Ridenour and retired FBI “profiler” turned consultant Eugene A. Rugala for a workshop for writers (and interested readers) about what FBI work is really like–and what novels and films get wrong. $60/person, limited to 20 attendees. Held at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort). Register in advance at https://demythologizingthefbiworkshop.eventbrite.com
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Penn Center’s York W. Bailey Museum Tours
Explore Penn Center and the York W. Bailey Museum (16 Penn Center Circle West, St. Helena Island). Docent-led tours available. $15-$20/person.
Noon to 4:00 p.m.: Pat Conroy Literary Center Tours
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort) is open for free public tours, guided by volunteer docents.
6:00 to 7:00 p.m.: Facebook Live Interview with Ashley Hope Pérez, Editor of Banned Together, in Conversation with Jonathan Haupt and Julia Garnett
Ashley Hope Pérez’s 2015 YA novel Out of Darkness won a Printz Honor and the Tomás Rivera Book Award—and it as one of the top ten most banned books of 2021. Pérez will discuss her new anthology Banned Together: The Fight for Reader’s Rights (to be published on March 4) in conversation with Pat Conroy Literary Center executive director Jonathan Haupt and Banned Books Week Honorary Youth Chair Julia Garnett. This free virtual event will be live-streamed to the Conroy Center’s Fcebook page and available to watch through Monday, March 3, at 6:00 p.m. No registration required. https://www.facebook.com/patconroyliterarycenter
~EVENTS for SUNDAY, MARCH 2~
All Sunday events are ticketed and held at Penn Center’s Frissell Hall, 16 Penn Center Circle West, St. Helena Island. Nature walk: $10/person. Catered lunch + two author presentations: $30.
9:30-10:00 a.m.: Attendee check-in.
10:00-11:30 a.m.: Birding and nature walk of Penn Center led by husband and wife naturalists Jake and Juliana Zadik. Approximately 1 mile. $10/person; limited to 40 participants.
11:30 to Noon. Catered lunch by Magnolia’s Cafe. Included in $30/person registration.
Noon to 1:00 p.m.: Presentation by Dr. Edda L. Fields-Black, professor of history and director of the Dietrich College Humanities Center at Carnegie Mellon University, author of Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War. . . Included in $30/person registration.
1:00 to 1:30 p.m.: Book signing break with NeverMore Books.
1:30 to 2:30 p.m.: Conversation with Kimberly Brock: novelist, past Georgia Author of the Year, and author of The Fabled Earth, a finalist for the Townsend Prize for Fiction–interviewed by Conroy Center executive director Jonathan Haupt and Banned Books Week Honorary Youth Chair Julia Garnett. Included in $30/person registration.
2:30-3:00 p.m.: Book signing break with NeverMore Books.
3:00 p.m.: Closing remarks
~ABOUT OUR PRESENTERS~
{Coming Soon}

Demythologizing the FBI: Writers Workshop Led by Dana Ridenour and Eugene A. Rugala
2025-03-01 10:00 - 12:00 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Demythologizing the FBI: What Writers Get Wrong
Led by Dana Ridenour and Eugene A. Rugala
Join retired FBI undercover special agent Dana Ridenour and a retired FBI agent and profiler Eugene A. Rugala in this workshop for writers (and interested readers) as they dispel the myths and clichés perpetrated by television and movies regarding the FBI. Writers will learn how to avoid the common pitfalls of writing FBI characters. The discussion will give writers a peak into the daily life of an FBI agent focusing on the FBI undercover program, and the role of the FBI plays in terrorism and human trafficking investigations. The presentation will also explore the myths and realities of what the Behavioral Analysis Unit does and doesn’t do, what is and what is not behavioral “profiling,” what types of cases utilize this technique, and what members of the BAU do on a daily basis. Participants will gain a better understanding of how to accurately portray FBI characters and investigations.
Time permitting, some participants may also be able to read brief excerpts from drafts for feedback from the instructors.
This is an in-person writers workshop, held at the Pat Conroy Literary Center (601 Bladen St.). Limited to 20 participants with advance registration required: $60/person.
Register at https://demythologizingthefbiworkshop.eventbrite.com
About our instructors
Dana Ridenour is the award-winning author of the Lexie Montgomery FBI Series: Behind the Mask, Beyond the Cabin, and Below the Radar. She is a retired FBI special agent who spent most of her career as an undercover operative. Dana entered on duty with the FBI in November of 1995 and retired in April of 2016 after over twenty years of service. She was assigned to four different FBI Field Divisions and had the opportunity to work a wide variety of cases, to include multi-faceted narcotics investigations, domestic sex trafficking of minors, and violent crime. Over the years, Dana was a proud member of the FBI’s Evidence Response Team where she and her team traveled to New York City in response to the 9/11 World Trade Center attack. The highlight of her career came in 2003 when she attended and passed the FBI’s prestigious undercover school, thus allowing her to work as an undercover FBI agent. This undercover certification opened the door for her to work a series of long term, deep cover cases focusing on domestic terrorism. Dana had the rare experience of working a long-term undercover investigation with her husband who was also an FBI agent. She now lives, writes, and teaches in the South Carolina lowcountry, where she also volunteers at the Pat Conroy Literary Center.
Eugene A. Rugala is principal of Eugene A. Rugala and Associates LLC, a behavioral science, consultation, training, and research firm based in Beaufort. One of the FBI’s “Profilers” in the unit made famous by the book and movie “The Silence of the Lambs”and the series “Criminal Minds” and “Mindhunter,” Gene specializes in the detailed behavioral analysis of violent crimes, including homicide, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, and workplace and school violence. He consults with many corporations and universities in developing and implementing procedures and protocols for the prevention of violence in the workplace and in schools to include threat assessment and management services. He is also a national advisory board member of the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence, a group of Fortune 500 companies who raise awareness and suggest strategies for companies to deal with intimate partner violence and its impact. Gene has contributed to the content and participated in the video production of Shots Fired: Guidance for Surviving an Active Shooter Situation, Flashpoint: Recognizing and Preventing Violence in the Workplace, and Silent Storm: Intimate Partner Violence and Stalking and Its Impact on the Workplace. A version of these programs has been developed for university settings as well. Gene is a coauthor of the book Workplace Violence: Issues in Threat Management.

Writing Believable Law Enforcement Characters: A Workshop Led by Dana Ridenour & Eugene A. Rugala
2025-03-08 10:00 - 12:00 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Writing Believable Law Enforcement Characters
A Workshop for Writers Led by Dana Ridenour and Eugene A. Rugala
Law enforcement personnel are an integral part of crime fiction. Their roles range from those enforcing the law at street level up to the upper echelons of command. In this workshop retired FBI undercover special agent Dana Ridenour and a retired FBI agent and profiler Eugene A. Rugala will discuss the psychological toll of being a law enforcement officer, how to write realistic law enforcement characters and crime scenes, writing about firearms, understanding jurisdiction, writing realistic fight scenes, and turning your real-life experiences into fiction. The instructors will also delve into opportunities for research and their own experiences with research—one as a novelist and the other as a consultant for books, film, and television.
Time permitting, some participants may also be able to read brief excerpts from drafts for feedback from the instructors.
This is an in-person writers workshop, held at the Pat Conroy Literary Center (601 Bladen St.). Limited to 20 participants with advance registration required: $60/person.
Register at: https://writinglawenforcement.eventbrite.com
About our instructors
Dana Ridenour is the award-winning author of the Lexie Montgomery FBI Series: Behind the Mask, Beyond the Cabin, and Below the Radar. She is a retired FBI special agent who spent most of her career as an undercover operative. Dana entered on duty with the FBI in November of 1995 and retired in April of 2016 after over twenty years of service. She was assigned to four different FBI Field Divisions and had the opportunity to work a wide variety of cases, to include multi-faceted narcotics investigations, domestic sex trafficking of minors, and violent crime. Over the years, Dana was a proud member of the FBI’s Evidence Response Team where she and her team traveled to New York City in response to the 9/11 World Trade Center attack. The highlight of her career came in 2003 when she attended and passed the FBI’s prestigious undercover school, thus allowing her to work as an undercover FBI agent. This undercover certification opened the door for her to work a series of long term, deep cover cases focusing on domestic terrorism. Dana had the rare experience of working a long-term undercover investigation with her husband who was also an FBI agent. She now lives, writes, and teaches in the South Carolina lowcountry, where she also volunteers at the Pat Conroy Literary Center.
Eugene A. Rugala is principal of Eugene A. Rugala and Associates LLC, a behavioral science, consultation, training, and research firm based in Beaufort. One of the FBI’s “Profilers” in the unit made famous by the book and movie “The Silence of the Lambs”and the series “Criminal Minds” and “Mindhunter,” Gene specializes in the detailed behavioral analysis of violent crimes, including homicide, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, and workplace and school violence. He consults with many corporations and universities in developing and implementing procedures and protocols for the prevention of violence in the workplace and in schools to include threat assessment and management services. He is also a national advisory board member of the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence, a group of Fortune 500 companies who raise awareness and suggest strategies for companies to deal with intimate partner violence and its impact. Gene has contributed to the content and participated in the video production of Shots Fired: Guidance for Surviving an Active Shooter Situation, Flashpoint: Recognizing and Preventing Violence in the Workplace, and Silent Storm: Intimate Partner Violence and Stalking and Its Impact on the Workplace. A version of these programs has been developed for university settings as well. Gene is a coauthor of the book Workplace Violence: Issues in Threat Management.

Virtual Open Mic Night -- Featuring Susan Tekulve, Author of Bodies of Light
2025-03-13 18:00 - 19:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
The Pat Conroy Literary Center’s monthly Open Mic Night will be presented as a virtual event, live-streamed to our Facebook page, on Thursday, March 13, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Our featured presenter is multi-genre author Susan Tekulve, whose newest book is Bodies of Light, her first full-length poetry collection. Hosted by poet Melissa Whiteford St. Clair, Open Mic will also feature short readings of 3 to 5 minutes each by other writers in many genres.
Interested in reading as part of virtual Open Mic? Let us know at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org.
About Our Featured Author:
Susan Tekulve’s newest book Bodies of Light is her first full-length poetry collection. She is the author of Second Shift: Essays (Del Sol Press) and In the Garden of Stone (Hub City Press), winner of the South Carolina Novel Prize and a Gold IPPY Award. She’s also published two short story collections: Savage Pilgrims (Serving House Books) and My Mother’s War Stories (Winnow Press). Her photo essay, “White Blossoms,” appeared in Issue 12 of the KYSO Flash Anthology. Her nonfiction, fiction, and poetry has appeared in journals such as Denver Quarterly, The Georgia Review, The Louisville Review, Puerto del Sol, New Letters, and Shenandoah. Her web chapbook, Wash Day, appears in the Web Del Sol International Chapbook Series, and her story collection, My Mother’s War Stories, received the 2004 Winnow Press fiction prize. She has received scholarships from the Sewanee Writers’ Conference and Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. She teaches in the BFA and MFA writing programs at Converse University.
“Susan Tekulve’s Bodies of Light both illuminates and enchants. In odes to body parts—teeth and thumbs, feet and hair—as well as bodies inside bodies (pregnancies), this poet delights in the corporal and spiritual. In elegies, Tekulve honors the bodies of her beloved dead and the magic of her garden. Hummingbirds, tarantulas, stinkbugs, spiders, and bees wearing ‘tiny yellow combat boots’ populate these terrific poems of wonder and dazzle.”–Denise Duhamel, author of Pink Lady, Scald, and Blowout
“It’s a kind of magic, the way Susan Tekulve’s forthright monosyllabic titles (Bonnet, Grief, Kimono, Son—the list goes on) blossom into poems so lush in vision, so voluptuous in vocabulary and song, they feel as bountiful as the planet we live on. Tekulve’s poems have their specific concerns of course (parenting, for example, and world travel) but ultimately she’s in love with existence itself, whether elegiac or celebratory, and her one-word titles (Relics, Geodes, Feathers: the list goes on) are keys to a lavish proof of that love’s great depth.”–Albert Goldbarth, author of History (and Pre-), Saving Lives, and Heaven and Earth: A Cosmology
