BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Pat Conroy Literary Center - ECPv6.18.2//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:Pat Conroy Literary Center
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Pat Conroy Literary Center
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/New_York
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20260308T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20261101T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20270314T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20271107T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20280312T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20281105T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261029T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261029T183000
DTSTAMP:20261019T214508Z
CREATED:20260908T164522Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T214508Z
UID:10001753-1793293200-1793298600@patconroyliterarycenter.org
SUMMARY:Author Event: An Evening with Renea Winchester (in convesation with Mary Ellen Thompson
DESCRIPTION:Thursday October 29 – 5:00-6:30 PM EDT\nPrice: Free\nRegistration: Seating is limited; please call to reserve your spot: 843-379-7025.\nVenue: Pat Conroy Literary Center | 601 Bladen St.\, Beaufort \nABOUT THE BOOK:\nSadie Bird lives in Shaconage\, North Carolina\, with Lazarus\, a mixed-breed dog she rescued from the forest. Sadie supports herself by harvesting medicinal plants which she uses in her tonics and salves. Having recently buried her husband and children\, Sadie is more worried about surviving the winter than the federal government’s plan to create the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. When Bowman Marks\, a government agent tasked with acquiring thousands of acres of land\, arrives at Sadie’s place\, their initial meeting does not go well. Bowman secretly vows to acquire her land by any means necessary and soon presents an unacceptable offer to purchase. In 1929\, a woman without a husband is a woman without a voice. Forced to swallow her pride\, Sadie asks for help from church members who had cast her out. She soon realizes that to help herself and her neighbors\, she must take an active role in a lawsuit against the government filed by the timber baron who employed Sadie’s husband. \nABOUT AUTHOR RENEA WINCHESTER:\nRenea is a daughter of Appalachia who began her writing career in Georgia where she penned several non-fiction works including\, Farming\, Friends & Fried Bologna Sandwiches (Mercer University Press) which was nominated for the prestigious SIBA award\, earned Renea a Georgia Author of the Year\, and received the endorsement from The Pulpwood Queens\, the largest book club in the country. Renea is the recipient of the Wilma Dykeman Award\, the Appalachian Writer’s Award\, and the Lucy Bramlette Patterson Award for women who elevate the world.  \nRenea has served on the Atlanta Writers Board\, Georgia Writers Association\, and judges multiple literary awards. In April 2020\, Firefly Southern Fiction released Outbound Train. Set in her hometown of Bryson City\, North Carolina\, in 1976\, Outbound Train is a triumphant story of perseverance and hope despite the harshness of poverty. The novel released internationally titled\, De l’autre côté des rails. \nRenea is passionate about literacy\, Appalachian Heritage\, preserving rare seeds\, fiercely defending libraries\, cultivating endangered plants\, and meeting new friends. \nABOUT MARY ELLEN THOMPSON:\nSince I was a child\, I have loved to write. My first rejection letter came in August 1970\, from Mademoiselle magazine. Since then\, thankfully\, I have had more acceptances than rejections. During the eight years I wrote for Beaufort Lifestyle and her sister magazines\, in 54 issues my portfolio consisted of 119 profiles of people/stories\, 16 restaurant profiles\, and 20 advertorials.\nI have written for other print publications and on-line websites listed below. I have also written a speech for the Mayor of Wandsworth\, London\, UK which was delivered at a women’s empowerment conference.\nI am currently an Associate Editor for Southern Literary Review.\nProbably what is dearest to my heart in the world of writing\, is the inclusion of an interview I was joyful to experience with Pat Conroy\, in the book A Lowcountry Heart. My greatest accomplishments in life are my daughter\, Elizabeth\, and my son\, Alexander.
URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/author-event-an-evening-with-renea-winchester-in-convesation-with-mary-ellen-thompson/
LOCATION:601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\, South Carolina 29902
CATEGORIES:Other
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/29789_image_797052495_1513943070767162_3022814031181290670_n.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261112T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261112T183000
DTSTAMP:20261019T214508Z
CREATED:20261006T164509Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T214508Z
UID:10001767-1794502800-1794508200@patconroyliterarycenter.org
SUMMARY:Author Event with Ellery Adams
DESCRIPTION:Thursday November 12 – 5:00-6:30 PM EDT\nPrice: Free\nRegistration: Seating is limited; please call to reserve your spot: 843-379-7025.\nVenue: Pat Conroy Literary Center | 601 Bladen St.\, Beaufort \nABOUT THE BOOK:\nIn the latest of Ellery Adams’ USA Today bestselling series\, as clouds gather over the Great Smoky Mountains\, an absent groom\, a stolen historical document\, and a book club coming apart at the seams stir up a different sort of storm in this engaging mystery. How far will one book lover go to keep a secret?  \nAs the townsfolk of Miracle Springs\, North Carolina\, know all too well\, water can be healing—or devastating. With a big storm coming\, residents are stocking up on essentials. Hoping to beat the storm\, Nora is sitting in the Unitarian Church with her fellow wedding guests\, all of whom belong to Sheldon’s Blind Date Book Club. As rain hammers the stained-glass windows\, the bride\, Jess\, waits in the back of the church—but where is the groom? When a branch crashes through a stained-glass window\, Jess finally tells the guests to go home.\nWith the help of her friend Sheldon\, Nora escorts Jess to the Lodge. It’s now become clear that Jess’s fiancé Ravi is missing. But there’s no searching for him now\, as the Miracle River has flooded and they’re stuck on this side of town. By morning\, they awaken to widespread devastation and a call from Sherriff McCabe. A body has been pulled out of the river\, dressed in a tux.\nOn top of tragic turn of events\, Jess returns home to find her house has been spared from the raging water\, but ransacked\, with an extremely valuable folio from an illuminated manuscript now missing. As Miracle Books becomes the community hub for information\, shelter\, and hope\, Nora and the Secret\, Book\, and Scone Society put their heads together to solve the murder and the theft.\nBut then a second body is pulled from the river…  \nABOUT THE AUTHOR:\nEllery Adams is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 40 mystery novels\, including the Book Retreat Mysteries\, The Secret\, Book\, and Scone Society series\, and the Books by the Bay Mysteries. A native of New York\, she grew up on a beach near the Long Island Sound. She now lives with her husband and two children in Chapel Hill\, North Carolina\, so she considers herself “baked in the North and buttered in the South.” For more information\, reading guides\, and bibliotherapy lists\, please visit www.elleryadamsbooks.com.
URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/author-event-with-ellery-adams/
LOCATION:601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\, South Carolina 29902
CATEGORIES:Other
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/30526_image_844557179_1549861613841974_7123429092678953007_n.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261114T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261114T170000
DTSTAMP:20261019T214508Z
CREATED:20261016T164510Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T214508Z
UID:10001770-1794661200-1794675600@patconroyliterarycenter.org
SUMMARY:Lowcountry Children's Book Fair
DESCRIPTION:Lowcountry Children’s Book Fair Returns to Bluffton for Ninth Annual Celebration of Reading. \nFree event on November 14 at Tanger 1 features 16 children’s authors\, interactive storytimes\, book signings\, and a holiday celebration. \nYoung readers and their families are invited to celebrate the joy of reading at the 9th annual Lowcountry Children’s Book Fair on Saturday\, November 14\, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Tanger 1 in Bluffton. This free community event will bring together 16 children’s authors from across the Southeast for an afternoon of author visits\, interactive storytimes\, and book signings.\nThe book fair kicks off a full day of activities at Tanger 1 as the featured event of Tanger Outlets’ Tree Lighting Celebration.It offers families an opportunity to discover new books\, meet the authors behind them\, and get personalized gifts for young readers. \n9th Annual Lowcountry Children’s Book Fair\nSaturday\, November 14th\, 1–5 p.m.\nTanger 1\n1256 Fording Island Road\, Bluffton\, SC \nThis year’s featured local author is Ann Lilly\, creator of the enormously popular Scoot series. Lilly will host interactive storytimes featuring her new holiday book\, Scoot’s Coastal Christmas\, at 1:30\, 3:00\, and 4:00 p.m.\nThe Lowcountry Children’s Book Fair will also showcase authors from the southeast. The list includes: Kelly Byrd\, Rebecca Bruff\, Judy Drew Fairchild\, Angela May\, Katherine Robinson\, Mary T. Jacobs\, Kate Devlin\, Doug Snelson\, Helen Wilbur\, and others. South Carolina’s only children’s book publisher\, Lucky Rabbit Publishing\, will also participate with their featured author Meredith Walker. \nThe Lowcountry Children’s Book Fair is presented by The Storybook Shoppe\, the non-profit Pat Conroy Literary Center\, and Tanger Outlets. \nMedia inquiries:\nSally Sue Lavigne at The Storybook Shoppe\n843-263-8156\nsallysue@thestorybookshoppe.com.
URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/lowcountry-childrens-book-fair-3/
LOCATION:601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\, South Carolina 29902
CATEGORIES:Other
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/30792_image_853151520_1550772067084262_7902108440686368116_n.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261208T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261208T183000
DTSTAMP:20261019T214508Z
CREATED:20261007T154515Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T214508Z
UID:10001768-1796749200-1796754600@patconroyliterarycenter.org
SUMMARY:Author Event: An Evening with Roger Newman
DESCRIPTION:Thursday December 8 – 5:00-6:30 PM EDT\nPrice: Free\nRegistration: Seating is limited; please call to reserve your spot: 843-379-7025.\nVenue: Pat Conroy Literary Center | 601 Bladen St.\, Beaufort \nABOUT THE BOOK: \nWHICH IS STRONGER? THE LOVING BOND BETWEEN A BLACK MAN AND HIS WHITE BROTHER OR THE RACISM THAT PULLS THEM APART? \nBased on a North Carolina Family’s True Story\, New Novel Brings to Life the Contrasting Childhoods\, Military Experiences and Futures of a Black Man and a White Man Raised Together—and the Complexities of Their Fraternity \nAfter Alex’s family is killed by the Ku Klux Klan during the Great Depression\, he is taken in by a local dairy farmer who finds him hiding in his barn. The farmer raises Alex alongside hisyoung son Pete\, and the two boys come to view themselves as brothers. Together\, they navigate the Jim Crow era in the rural South—a challenge they experience differently because of their different skin colors—and then head off to fight in segregated military units in World War II. Through separation\, diverging military careers and escalating racial hostilitythey grow up and grow apart\, estranged by the complexities of being Black and White brothers. At least until their lives bring them back together demanding a choice as to where their loyalty lies… \nBased on the true story of the author’s North Carolina family\, Boys—a work ofhistorical fiction by distinguished physician and medical thriller author Roger Newman (Koehler Books\, January 2025)—takes readers from the segregated deep south to the battlefields of World War II and Vietnam\, tracing the state of racial injustice and the ways it shapes the brothers’ lives. Equal parts a heartfelt exploration of family\, friendship\, and resilience and a captivating exploration of US history and race\, Boys leaves readers to contemplate which is stronger: the loving bond between a Black man and his White brother\, or the racism that pulls them apart. \nPraise for Boys:\n“The relationship between Alex and Pete is a profoundly complex one and is rendered with impressive subtlety by Newman\, who admirably refuses any facile sentimentality. Alex is a particularly memorable protagonist—it is both fascinating and heartbreaking to see how he manages to maintain both gratitude and anger in his heart in equal measure. The novel is affecting but not cloyingly manipulative\, an increasingly rare accomplishment in the field of contemporary literature. A powerful and nuanced novel about racial tensions in 20th-century America.”\n—Kirkus \n“Vivid descriptions of rural life\, military service\, and racial tension add rich layers to Newman’s narrative\, immersing readers in the characters’ struggles and triumphs while exploring war trauma\, systemic discrimination\, and gentle self-discovery amid the harsh cruelty of their world. Boys is a complex dive into human connection\, an ode to finding strength in adversity\, the enduring scars of racism\, and the power of love and loyalty.”\n—BookLife \n“Clear-eyed\, unsentimental writing sculpts characters\, like Poppa\, who are filled with disturbing contradictions—and utterly true-to-life. Newman also informs on a rich tapestry of topics and insights\, from military cruelties and politics to cows to Supreme Court cases to 1970s breakfast foods. Sharp dialogue and plenty of humor entertainReaders will laugh\, learn\, and become immersed in this fascinating story from its early\, horrifying pages to its satisfying\, cathartic conclusion and will eagerly await Newman’s next book.”\n—Blue Ink Review \n“An incredibly moving coming-of-age story that beautifully portrays friendship’s strength and the courage to face adversity. Newman captures the daily rhythms and struggles of the era\, bringing to life both the beauty and starkness of rural America…. [This book] deserves a thousand stars.”\n—Carol Thompson\, Readers’ Favorite (Five Stars) \n“The characters in Boys are genuinely flawed and relatable. The historical setting is fully drawn\, and the social constructs of the time are skillfully explored in this spellbinding narrative. Boys is a tale that is rich in its themes\, eloquent in the issues it tackles\, and fascinating in its characterization.”\n—Divine Zape\, Readers’ Favorite (Five Stars) \n“Boys is a masterful exploration of race\, privilege\, and the strength of familial bonds\, inviting readers to question the meaning of loyalty and brotherhood in the face of systemic injustice.”\n—K.C. Finn\, Readers’ Favorite (Five Stars) \nABOUT THE AUTHOR:\nIn addition to Boys\, Roger Newman (rogerbnewman.com) is the author of a series of medical thrillers: Occam’s Razor\, Two Drifters\, and What Becomes; and a Civil War historical fiction novel Will O’ the Wisp: Madness\, War\, and Recompense. He is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology\, specializing in the care of women with multiple gestations. He has authoredtwo hundred scientific papers\, a dozen book chapters\, and the award-winning and bestselling When You’re Expecting Twins\, Triplets\, or Quads; Fourth Edition. He served as the national president for the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine and has beenvoted by his peers as one of the “Best Doctors in America” for thirty consecutive years. He and his wife\, Diane\, live on the Ashley River in Charleston\, South Carolina.
URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/author-event-an-evening-with-roger-newman/
LOCATION:601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\, South Carolina 29902
CATEGORIES:Other
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/30554_image_840991034_1541753647986104_8324737981541310639_n.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270128T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270128T183000
DTSTAMP:20261019T214507Z
CREATED:20261012T174506Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261019T214507Z
UID:10001769-1801155600-1801161000@patconroyliterarycenter.org
SUMMARY:Author Event: Adele Myers\, in conversation with Robert Gwaltney
DESCRIPTION:Thursday Januart 28 – 5:00-6:30 PM EDT\nPrice: Free\nRegistration: Seating is limited; please call to reserve your spot: 843-379-7025.\nVenue: Pat Conroy Literary Center | 601 Bladen St.\, Beaufort \nABOUT THE BOOK:\nBelle Haven Finishing School is an intergenerational tale about a Southern finishing school set in 1951 and 1987\, inspired by the true story of a decades-old cover-up that binds two women together\, thirty years apart. \n“There are times when the greater good must take precedence\,” he said. “When the sacrifices of the few lead to scientific breakthroughs that improve the lives of thousands\, tens of thousands.”�“But at what cost?” she asked.\nIn 1951\, Belle Haven Finishing School offers orphan girls the promise of a brighter future. For Birdie and her cousin Rue\, it’s a chance to become proper ladies\, to dream beyond their small world\, and change the trajectory of their lives. But as Birdie navigates the school’s unusual rules and glamorous\, yet unsettling\, atmosphere\, she begins to question the true intentions behind its polished facade—and what it might mean for her and Rue. \nIn 1987\, Charlotte Davenport\, a burgeoning New York Times reporter who is hungry to cover stories beyond the ladies’ lifestyle pages\, discovers a curious connection between the finishing school and an academic study that was never published. Charlotte is convinced a cover-up took place to protect the prominent university professor behind the unethical experiment. As Charlotte pieces together the past\, she finds herself drawn into a mystery that touches her own life in unexpected ways. \nDramatic\, deeply human\, emotionally satisfying\, and written with vivid historical details\, Belle Haven Finishing School is a heartfelt tale of ambition\, the power of female connection\, and the courage to seek the truth. \nABOUT THE AUTHOR:\nAdele Myers is the author of THE TOBACCO WIVES\, an Indie Next and Barnes & Noble Discover Pick. She grew up in Asheville\, North Carolina\, and now lives in Brooklyn\, New York. She has a journalism degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill\, where she is an adjunct professor. \nABOUT ROBERT GWALTNEY:\nRobert Gwaltney serves as Executive Director of the Pat Conroy Literary Center\, bringing more than 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience and a lifelong commitment to literature\, education\, and community engagement to the role. \nGwaltney is also an award-winning Southern fiction writer. His debut novel\, The Cicada Tree\, was named the 2023 Georgia Author of the Year for First Novel. His second novel\, Sing Down the Moon\, received the Somerset Award for Literary and Contemporary Fiction and the IPPY Award for Best Regional Fiction—Southeast. His work has appeared in Southbound Magazine\, Southern Literary Review\, The Blue Mountain Review\, and The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature\, among other publications. \nA lifelong Southerner and graduate of Florida State University\, Gwaltney brings together his experiences as a nonprofit leader\, writer\, and advocate for literary arts in service to the Pat Conroy Literary Center’s continuing story.
URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/author-event-adele-myers-in-conversation-with-robert-gwaltney/
LOCATION:601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\, South Carolina 29902
CATEGORIES:Other
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/30684_image_844302199_1546824457479023_2982253592996838026_n.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR