BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Pat Conroy Literary Center - ECPv6.15.20//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:20240310T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20241103T060000 END:STANDARD 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 END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250723T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250723T183000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031838 CREATED:20260427T134525Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064520Z UID:10001393-1753290000-1753295400@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:An Evening with NYT Bestselling Novelist Karen White\, Author of That Last Carolina Summer DESCRIPTION:The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center and the Storybook Shoppe bookstore are honored to host an evening with New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist Karen White\, author of newly published That Last Carolina Summer. Join us on Wednesday\, July 23\, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at 711 Bladen Street (BCBCC\, ground floor). This event will also feature a special welcome by Conroy Center honorary chair and bestselling author Cassandra King. \nAdvance registration required; $40 fee includes an autographed copy of That Last Carolina Summer\, the author’s presentation\, and refreshments. This is a book-with-ticket event; no refunds will be possible. Additional copies of Karen White’s books will also be available for sale and signing through the Storybook Shoppe. \nRegister at: https://karenwhite-beaufort.eventbrite.com \nABOUT THE BOOK\nBeloved bestselling author Karen White returns with a captivating Southern drama about sisterhood\, secrets and one woman’s reckoning with the past. \nAs a child\, Phoebe Manigault developed the gift of premonition after she was struck by lightning in the creek near her Charleston home. Plagued throughout her life by mysterious dreams\, and always living in the shadow of her beautiful sister\, Addie\, Phoebe eventually moves to the West Coast\, as far from her family as possible. Now\, years later\, she is summoned back to South Carolina\, to help Addie care for their ailing mother. \nAs Phoebe’s return lures her back into deep-rooted tensions and conflicts\, she is drawn to Celeste\, whose granddaughter went missing years ago. Their connection brings comfort to Phoebe\, while Celeste’s adult grandson Liam resurrects complicated emotions tied to Phoebe’s past. \nBut the longer Phoebe spends in her childhood home\, the more her recurring nightmares intensify—bringing her closer to the shocking truth that will irrevocably change everything. Unfolding against the lush backdrop of the South Carolina Lowcountry\, That Last Carolina Summer is an unforgettable story about the unbreakable bonds of family and the gift of second chances. \n“This multi-generational story is layered with juicy family secrets while exploring sisterhood\, the power of memory\, and the pull of home. The perfect summer read.”—Jamie Brenner\, bestselling author of A Novel Summer \n“Karen White brings all her magnificent storytelling gifts to this stunner of a novel. As much as you want to race along and discover all the secrets\, you find yourself stopping to savor the truths she weaves into every twist and turn. If That Last Carolina Summer has a flaw\, it is this: you won’t ever want to wake up from its spell.”—Beatriz Williams\, bestselling author of Husbands & Lovers \nABOUT THE AUTHOR\nKaren White is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author with millions of copies of her books in print in fifteen different languages. When not writing\, Karen spends her time reading and bird-watching. She and her husband have two grown children and a spoiled Havanese dog\, Sophie\, and she divides her time between Atlanta\, Georgia\, and the northwest Florida coast. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/an-evening-with-nyt-bestselling-novelist-karen-white-author-of-that-last-carolina-summer/ LOCATION:Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23563_image_503696233_1122737703221036_7468484186845555825_n.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250723T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250723T190000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031838 CREATED:20250624T200104Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250624T200104Z UID:10001106-1753290000-1753297200@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:An Evening with New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Novelist Karen White\, Author of That Last Carolina Summer DESCRIPTION:Register: Register at EventBrite \nWednesday\, July 23\, 2025 · 5 – 7pm EDT\nCost: $40 (no refunds)\nVenue: Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce | 711 Bladen Street Beaufort\, SC 29902 \nThe nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center and the Storybook Shoppe bookstore are honored to host an evening with New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist Karen White\, author of newly published That Last Carolina Summer. Join us on Wednesday\, June 23\, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at 711 Bladen Street (BCBCC\, ground floor). This event will also feature a special welcome by Conroy Center honorary chair and bestselling author Cassandra King. \nAdvance registration required; $40 fee includes an autographed copy of That Last Carolina Summer\, the author’s presentation\, and refreshments. This is a book-with-ticket event; no refunds will be possible. Additional copies of Karen White’s books will also be available for sale and signing through the Storybook Shoppe. \nLearn more and register at EventBrite \nWebsite: Facebook Event Page \nABOUT THE BOOK\nBeloved bestselling author Karen White returns with a captivating Southern drama about sisterhood\, secrets and one woman’s reckoning with the past. \nAs a child\, Phoebe Manigault developed the gift of premonition after she was struck by lightning in the creek near her Charleston home. Plagued throughout her life by mysterious dreams\, and always living in the shadow of her beautiful sister\, Addie\, Phoebe eventually moves to the West Coast\, as far from her family as possible. Now\, years later\, she is summoned back to South Carolina\, to help Addie care for their ailing mother. \nAs Phoebe’s return lures her back into deep-rooted tensions and conflicts\, she is drawn to Celeste\, whose granddaughter went missing years ago. Their connection brings comfort to Phoebe\, while Celeste’s adult grandson Liam resurrects complicated emotions tied to Phoebe’s past.\nBut the longer Phoebe spends in her childhood home\, the more her recurring nightmares intensify—bringing her closer to the shocking truth that will irrevocably change everything. Unfolding against the lush backdrop of the South Carolina Lowcountry\, That Last Carolina Summer is an unforgettable story about the unbreakable bonds of family and the gift of second chances. \n“This multi-generational story is layered with juicy family secrets while exploring sisterhood\, the power of memory\, and the pull of home. The perfect summer read.”—Jamie Brenner\, bestselling author of A Novel Summer \n“Karen White brings all her magnificent storytelling gifts to this stunner of a novel. As much as you want to race along and discover all the secrets\, you find yourself stopping to savor the truths she weaves into every twist and turn. If That Last Carolina Summer has a flaw\, it is this: you won’t ever want to wake up from its spell.”—Beatriz Williams\, bestselling author of Husbands & Lovers \nABOUT THE AUTHOR\nKaren White is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author with millions of copies of her books in print in fifteen different languages. When not writing\, Karen spends her time reading and bird-watching. She and her husband have two grown children and a spoiled Havanese dog\, Sophie\, and she divides her time between Atlanta\, Georgia\, and the northwest Florida coast. \n  \n  \n  \n\nThis program and others like this would not be possible without your financial help for which\, as always\, Pat Conroy Literary Center gratefully thanks you. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/an-evening-with-new-york-times-and-usa-today-bestselling-novelist-karen-white-author-of-that-last-carolina-summer/ LOCATION:Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce\, 711 Bladen St\, Beaufort\, SC\, 29902\, United States CATEGORIES:Author Interview,Book Signing ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/evening-with-karen-white.jpg GEO:32.4359061;-80.6793971 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce 711 Bladen St Beaufort SC 29902 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=711 Bladen St:geo:-80.6793971,32.4359061 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250719T163000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250719T183000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031838 CREATED:20260427T134525Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064520Z UID:10001394-1752942600-1752949800@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Silent Book Club Beaufort DESCRIPTION:Silent Book Club Beaufort\, a unique take on the traditional book club\, will hold its next meetup on Saturday\, July 19\, from 4:30 to 6:30PM at the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center (601 Bladen St.). 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. \nSilent Book Club Beaufort is co-sponsored by the Conroy Center and the student book club DAYLO (Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization). \nUnlike 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. \nSilent Book Club Beaufort also features a book swap: Leave a book\, take a book. \nThe 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. \nSilent Book Club Beaufort is free to attend and proudly supports local businesses and organizations. Additional dates and locations will be announced via the SBCB Instagram page at www.instagram.com/silentbookclubbeaufort. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/silent-book-club-beaufort-8/ LOCATION:601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\, South Carolina 29902 CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23566_image_510507684_1139771654850974_5153037391193994449_n.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250719T163000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250719T183000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031838 CREATED:20250715T163126Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250715T163436Z UID:10001110-1752942600-1752949800@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Silent Book Club Beaufort DESCRIPTION:Silent Book Club Beaufort\, a unique take on the traditional book club\, will hold its next meetup on Saturday\, July 19\, from 4:30 to 6:30PM at the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center (601 Bladen St.). 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.\n\nSilent Book Club Beaufort is co-sponsored by the Conroy Center and the student book club DAYLO (Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization).\nUnlike 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.\n\nSilent Book Club Beaufort also features a book swap: Leave a book\, take a book.\n\nThe 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.\n\nSilent Book Club Beaufort is free to attend and proudly supports local businesses and organizations. Additional dates and locations will be announced via the SBCB Instagram page at www.instagram.com/silentbookclubbeaufort. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/silent-book-club-beaufort/ LOCATION:Pat Conroy Literary Center\, 601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, 29902\, United States CATEGORIES:Book Club Discussion ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SilentBookClubJuly19.jpg GEO:32.4318777;-80.6720951 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Pat Conroy Literary Center 601 Bladen Street Beaufort SC 29902 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=601 Bladen Street:geo:-80.6720951,32.4318777 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250717T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250717T183000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031838 CREATED:20260427T134525Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064520Z UID:10001395-1752771600-1752777000@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:An Evening with Novelist Katherine Scott Crawford\, Author of The Miniaturist's Assistant DESCRIPTION:The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center\, in partnership with Beaufort Bookstore\, will host an evening with novelist Katherine Scott Crawford\, author of The Miniaturist’s Assistant\, on July 17 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 call in advance to reserve: 843-379-7025. \nABOUT THE BOOK\nThe Miniaturist’s Assistant explores the mystery of time\, how our choices ripple throughout history\, and what it means to be a fully-realized woman— in any century. \n2004: In historic Charleston\, recently divorced art conservator Gamble Vance throws herself into her career restoring centuries-old miniature portraits. But one portrait haunts her: a woman in a fox stole\, with familiar hazel eyes. When Gamble meets a girl in an alley\, she’ s convinced it’ s the same woman— and it’ s not the first time they’ ve met. For help\, Gamble turns to African American Studies scholar Tolliver Jackson— a former foster kid with secrets of his own. But as Gamble’ s memories resurface\, the pair discover a connection which may endanger more than one life… in more than one lifetime. \n1804: Miniature portraitist and fallen-away Quaker Daniel Petigru paints for Charleston’ s high society. Daniel and his sister live with a free Black family\, their connection long and complicated. When Gamble arrives from the future and her presence puts them all at risk\, Daniel must decide if he loves her enough to let her go. \n“What a lush\, bold novel is The Miniaturist’s Assistant by Katherine Scott Crawford\, blending love\, intrigue\, and the role of portrait art in history for a story that is as suspenseful as it is wildly romantic. I’m not a fan of time travel tales in general\, but the astounding journey of art restorer Gamble Vance through the Charleston of the present and the very long past transcends genre and takes the reader places that are entirely new.”—Jacquelyn Mitchard\, author of The Deep End of the Ocean and The Birdwatcher \n“The Miniaturist’s Assistant is a multifaceted love story wrapped in a mystery that unfurls on the changing winds of history. A rollicking\, page-turning tale\, this unforgettable novel explores time travel\, art\, passion\, the complexity of past sins\, and the abundant promises embedded in the here and now. Katherine Scott Crawford has written a beautiful book steeped in humanity\, truth\, and wonder.”—Connie May Fowler\, author of Before Women had Wings \nABOUT THE AUTHOR\nKatherine Scott Crawford is the award-winning author of The Miniaturist’s Assistant and Keowee Valley. A former backpacking guide\, adjunct professor\, and recovering academic\, her newspaper column appeared weekly across the country and abroad\, including in USA Today\, The Detroit Free Press\, the Herald Scotland\, and more. Winner of a North Carolina Arts Award in fiction\, she holds an MFA in Writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She’d rather be in the woods with her dog than anywhere else\, enjoys curious people\, adventure\, and snow—and believes historical fiction the best way to time travel. An eleventh-generation Southerner\, she directs writing retreats at a remote mountain lodge in Western North Carolina\, where she lives with her family. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/an-evening-with-novelist-katherine-scott-crawford-author-of-the-miniaturists-assistant/ LOCATION:Pat Conroy Literary Center CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23568_image_492357130_1088925503268923_6895265578653403680_n.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250717T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250717T183000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031838 CREATED:20250624T195943Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250624T195943Z UID:10001105-1752771600-1752777000@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:An Evening with Katherine Scott Crawford author of The Miniaturist's Assistant DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, July 17\, 2025 – 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 \nWebsite: Facebook Event Page \nThe nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center\, in partnership with Beaufort Bookstore\, will host an evening with novelist Katherine Scott Crawford\, author of The Miniaturist’s Assistant\, on Thursday\, July 17\, at 5:00 p.m.\, at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St.\, Beaufort). \nBooks will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited; please call in advance to reserve: 843-379-7025. \nABOUT THE BOOK\nThe Miniaturist’s Assistant explores the mystery of time\, how our choices ripple throughout history\, and what it means to be a fully-realized woman— in any century. \n2004: In historic Charleston\, recently divorced art conservator Gamble Vance throws herself into her career restoring centuries-old miniature portraits. But one portrait haunts her: a woman in a fox stole\, with familiar hazel eyes. When Gamble meets a girl in an alley\, she’s convinced it’s the same woman— and it’s not the first time they’ve met. For help\, Gamble turns to African American Studies scholar Tolliver Jackson— a former foster kid with secrets of his own. But as Gamble’ s memories resurface\, the pair discover a connection which may endanger more than one life… in more than one lifetime. \n1804: Miniature portraitist and fallen-away Quaker Daniel Petigru paints for Charleston’ s high society. Daniel and his sister live with a free Black family\, their connection long and complicated. When Gamble arrives from the future and her presence puts them all at risk\, Daniel must decide if he loves her enough to let her go. \n“What a lush\, bold novel is The Miniaturist’s Assistant by Katherine Scott Crawford\, blending love\, intrigue\, and the role of portrait art in history for a story that is as suspenseful as it is wildly romantic. I’m not a fan of time travel tales in general\, but the astounding journey of art restorer Gamble Vance through the Charleston of the present and the very long past transcends genre and takes the reader places that are entirely new.”—Jacquelyn Mitchard\, author of The Deep End of the Ocean and The Birdwatcher \n“The Miniaturist’s Assistant is a multifaceted love story wrapped in a mystery that unfurls on the changing winds of history. A rollicking\, page-turning tale\, this unforgettable novel explores time travel\, art\, passion\, the complexity of past sins\, and the abundant promises embedded in the here and now. Katherine Scott Crawford has written a beautiful book steeped in humanity\, truth\, and wonder.”—Connie May Fowler\, author of Before Women had Wings \nABOUT THE AUTHOR\nKatherine Scott Crawford is the award-winning author of The Miniaturist’s Assistant and Keowee Valley. A former backpacking guide\, adjunct professor\, and recovering academic\, her newspaper column appeared weekly across the country and abroad\, including in USA Today\, The Detroit Free Press\, the Herald Scotland\, and more. Winner of a North Carolina Arts Award in fiction\, she holds an MFA in Writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. \nShe’d rather be in the woods with her dog than anywhere else\, enjoys curious people\, adventure\, and snow—and believes historical fiction the best way to time travel. An eleventh-generation Southerner\, she directs writing retreats at a remote mountain lodge in Western North Carolina\, where she lives with her family. \n  \n\nThis program and others like this would not be possible without your financial help for which\, as always\, Pat Conroy Literary Center gratefully thanks you. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/an-evening-with-katherine-scott-crawford-author-of-the-miniaturists-assistant/ LOCATION:Pat Conroy Literary Center\, 601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, 29902\, United States CATEGORIES:Author Interview ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/evening-with-katherine-scott-crawford.jpg GEO:32.4318777;-80.6720951 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Pat Conroy Literary Center 601 Bladen Street Beaufort SC 29902 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=601 Bladen Street:geo:-80.6720951,32.4318777 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250710T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250710T193000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031838 CREATED:20260427T134525Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064520Z UID:10001396-1752170400-1752175800@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Virtual Open Mic Night -- Featuring Abagail Summers\, Author of After the Storm DESCRIPTION: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\, July 10\, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Our featured presenter is novelist Abagail Summers\, author of After the Storm. Open Mic will also feature short readings of 3 to 5 minutes each by other writers in many genres. \nInterested in reading as part of virtual Open Mic? Let us know at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org. \nAbout Our Featured Author:\nAbagail Summers is a Lowcountry author of short stories\, poetry\, and novels—including Life with a Bird Out the Window (2014)\, Forgiving the Past (2020)\, The Untold Legacy (2021)\, and her newest release\, After the Storm (2025). Two of her short stories\, Shining Light and Claire De Lune\, were published in the anthology An Iron Fist in A Velvet Glove\, and both were awarded honorable mention in the Globe Soup 7-Day Writing Contest. Summers earned her BA in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is a member of several writing groups\, including Write Like You Mean It\, Kingsbridge Writers Circle\, Writers Beyond Borders\, Charlotte Lit\, and Main Street Writes\, She has been regular participant in the Pat Conroy Literary Center’s Open Mic Nights. \nAbout After the Storm\nJune Waters walks away from the country music business at the height of her popularity\, leaving people wondering why. But only she knows why. Not even the people closest to her know what’s happening inside her head or her heart. To make matters worse\, her dad is dying from lung cancer and can no longer run the farm on his own\, which has put her family in jeopardy of losing it all. Against their will\, June moves her absent husband and resentful daughter to her hometown of Franklin\, Tennessee. But when she’s there\, her past weaves its way back into her life\, leaving her with many questions about who she is. Not only that\, but the hourglass has been turned\, the bank starts the foreclosure process. As she balances on the high wire of life\, she must make an agonizing choice: Fight for the land she loves by heading back to Nashville with her pride tucked back into her pocket\, or become the mother her daughter needs her to be. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/virtual-open-mic-night-featuring-abagail-summers-author-of-after-the-storm/ LOCATION:601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\, South Carolina 29902 CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23570_image_492502578_1091871149641025_7279077911916933408_n.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250710T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250710T193000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031838 CREATED:20250624T195833Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250624T195833Z UID:10001104-1752170400-1752175800@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:July 2025 Virtual Open Mic Night DESCRIPTION: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\, July 10\, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Our featured presenter is novelist Abagail Summers\, author of After the Storm. Open Mic will also feature short readings of 3 to 5 minutes each by other writers in many genres. \nWhen: Thursday\, July 10\, 2025 at 6 PM – 7:30 PM EDT\nPrice: Free · Duration: 1 hr 30 min\nWhere: Virtual – Facebook \nInterested in reading as part of Open Mic? Let us know at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org \nWe want to build our community of writers and an appreciation for the art and talent of new\, emerging\, and long-time writers. Thank you for supporting this partnership! \nEvent Facebook Page \nAbout our author:\nAbagail Summers is a Lowcountry author of short stories\, poetry\, and novels—including Life with a Bird Out the Window (2014)\, Forgiving the Past (2020)\, The Untold Legacy (2021)\, and her newest release\, After the Storm (2025). \nTwo of her short stories\, Shining Light and Claire De Lune\, were published in the anthology An Iron Fist in A Velvet Glove\, and both were awarded honorable mention in the Globe Soup 7-Day Writing Contest. Summers earned her BA in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is a member of several writing groups\, including Write Like You Mean It\, Kingsbridge Writers Circle\, Writers Beyond Borders\, Charlotte Lit\, and Main Street Writes\, She has been regular participant in the Pat Conroy Literary Center’s Open Mic Nights. \n  \nAbout After the Storm\nJune Waters walks away from the country music business at the height of her popularity\, leaving people wondering why. But only she knows why. Not even the people closest to her know what’s happening inside her head or her heart. To make matters worse\, her dad is dying from lung cancer and can no longer run the farm on his own\, which has put her family in jeopardy of losing it all. Against their will\, June moves her absent husband and resentful daughter to her hometown of Franklin\, Tennessee. But when she’s there\, her past weaves its way back into her life\, leaving her with many questions about who she is. Not only that\, but the hourglass has been turned\, the bank starts the foreclosure process. As she balances on the high wire of life\, she must make an agonizing choice: Fight for the land she loves by heading back to Nashville with her pride tucked back into her pocket\, or become the mother her daughter needs her to be. \n  \n\nThis program and others like this would not be possible without your financial help for which\, as always\, Pat Conroy Literary Center gratefully thanks you. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/july-2025-virtual-open-mic-night/ LOCATION:Online – Facebook Live CATEGORIES:Author Interview ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/open-mic-night-july-10-2025.jpg GEO:32.4180118;-80.688554 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250705T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250705T120000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031838 CREATED:20250624T195710Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250624T195710Z UID:10001103-1751707800-1751716800@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Teddy Bear Picnic Read Aloud with Daylo July 2025 DESCRIPTION:Saturday July 5\, 2025 – 9:30 a.m. to noon EDT\nPrice: Free\nVenue: Port Royal Farmers Market | Ribaut Rd & Pinckney Blvd\, Port Royal\, SC 29935 \nWebsite: Facebook Event Page \nOn 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. \nCozy 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. \nDAYLO 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. \n  \n\nThis program and others like this would not be possible without your financial help for which\, as always\, Pat Conroy Literary Center gratefully thanks you. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/teddy-bear-picnic-read-aloud-with-daylo-july-2025/ LOCATION:Port Royal Farmers Market\, 1615 Ribault Rd\, Port Royal\, SC\, 29935\, United States CATEGORIES:Reading ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/teddy-bear-picnic-read-aloud-1536x864-1.jpg GEO:32.388806;-80.6852362 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Port Royal Farmers Market 1615 Ribault Rd Port Royal SC 29935 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1615 Ribault Rd:geo:-80.6852362,32.388806 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250705T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250705T120000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20260427T134525Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064520Z UID:10001397-1751707800-1751716800@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Monthly Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud with DAYLO DESCRIPTION: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. \nCozy 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. \nDAYLO 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. \nThe 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. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/monthly-teddy-bear-picnic-read-aloud-with-daylo-9/ LOCATION:Port Royal Farmers Market CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23572_image_489218729_1080063307488476_3436285176273703878_n.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250623T083000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250627T153000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20260427T134525Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064520Z UID:10001398-1750667400-1751038200@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Camp Conroy 2025 (Camp #2) DESCRIPTION:Camp Conroy is now TWO one-week day camps for young writers and artists. Camp#1 for campers ages 9 to 12 will be held on June 9 to 13 (Monday to Friday\, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.). Camp#2 for campers ages 13 to 16 will be held on June 23 to 27 (Monday to Friday\, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) Hosted by the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center\, both camps will be held at Robert Smalls Leadership Academy in Beaufort\, SC. \nRegistration: https://campconroy2025.eventbrite.com \nThis year’s camp theme\, Mirrors\, Windows\, and Sliding Glass Doors\, honors the work of Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop\, who developed her metaphor as a way of describing how books can help readers to see themselves\, see others\, and enter into new experiences and understanding. \nDuring each of the two camps\, we will be building a book together by creating–individually and collaboratively–the writing and art that we will publish together in our anthology\, then critiquing\, editing\, and designing our work in preparation for publication. Although our two age groups are divided into separate weeks\, they will be contributing to a special collaborative project together as well. \nCampers can explore a range of writing genres\, from poetry to short stories to micro-memoirs; as well as multiple forms of self-expression in the visual arts\, including drawing\, painting\, and photography. They will be guided through their creative endeavors by Camp Conroy’s talented counselors\, full-time adult instructors\, and special guest presenters and instructors. A final reading and presentation of camper creations will conclude the experience\, and campers will each receive a copy of the camp anthology on publication later this summer. \nCamp Conroy invites diversity and inclusivity among our campers with respect to race\, religion\, ability\, and all other aspects of identity. Scholarships are available to assist campers who might not otherwise be able to take part in this experience. \nThe $250 registration fee for Camp Conroy includes one week of instruction\, camp activities\, and healthy daily snacks. Students must bring their own lunches and drinks each day. (This is a day camp; overnight lodging and meals are not included.) After the camp\, participants will each receive a copy of their published anthology. Registration closes on May 20. \nIn the 2004 Pat Conroy Cookbook\, Pat describes his “Bill Dufford Summer” spent between his junior and senior years on the campus of Beaufort High School (what is now Beaufort Middle School\, the site of last year’s Camp Conroy). It was a transformative summer for Pat and for his principal\, mentor\, and surrogate father figure\, Bill Dufford. As Pat writes at the end of his recollection\, “I had everything—the best summer of my life.” That has been and remains the goal of our Camp Conroy\, to give our campers the best summers of their lives. We hope you will join us this year. \nScholarships: A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available. To apply\, interested students should submit a sample of their work (story\, essay\, poem\, artwork\, or photography) with a brief letter about their interest in the Camp Conroy experience by May 22\, to the Pat Conroy Literary Center\, Attention: Camp Conroy\, 601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC 29902. Please specify the age of the camper so we know which of the two weeks you are applying for. Scholarship recipients will be contacted in early June. \nSponsorships: We welcome your tax-deductible donations to the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center to sponsor a Camper\, a Camp Counselor\, a Camp Instructor\, or a Guest Presenter. Scholarships for Campers make it possible for young writers and artists to participate in this experience who might not otherwise have the opportunity. Sponsorships of Camp Counselors\, Camp Instructors\, and Guest Presenters benefit all of our Campers. For details: https://campconroy2025.eventbrite.com URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/camp-conroy-2025-camp-2/ LOCATION:Robert Smalls Leadership Academy CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23574_image_492483051_1091884009639739_8309922251930925593_n.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250623 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250626 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20250624T195522Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250624T195522Z UID:10001102-1750636800-1750895999@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Camp Conroy: 2025 Summer Camp for Young Writers & Artists ages 13 to 16 DESCRIPTION:REGISTRATION: Eventbrite \nCamp Conroy is now TWO one-week day camps for young writers and artists. Camp#1 for campers ages 9 to 12 will be held on June 9 to 13 (Monday to Friday\, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.). Camp#2 for campers ages 13 to 16 will be held on June 23 to 27 (Monday to Friday\, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) Hosted by the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center\, both camps will be held at Robert Smalls Leadership Academy in Beaufort\, SC. \nThis year’s camp theme\, Mirrors\, Windows\, and Sliding Glass Doors\, honors the work of Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop\, who developed her metaphor as a way of describing how books can help readers to see themselves\, see others\, and enter into new experiences and understanding. \nDuring each of the two camps\, we will be building a book together by creating–individually and collaboratively–the writing and art that we will publish together in our anthology\, then critiquing\, editing\, and designing our work in preparation for publication. Although our two age groups are divided into separate weeks\, they will be contributing to a special collaborative project together as well. \nCampers can explore a range of writing genres\, from poetry to short stories to micro-memoirs; as well as multiple forms of self-expression in the visual arts\, including drawing\, painting\, and photography. They will be guided through their creative endeavors by Camp Conroy’s talented counselors\, full-time adult instructors\, and special guest presenters and instructors. A final reading and presentation of camper creations will conclude the experience\, and campers will each receive a copy of the camp anthology on publication later this summer. \nCamp Conroy invites diversity and inclusivity among our campers with respect to race\, religion\, ability\, and all other aspects of identity. Scholarships are available to assist campers who might not otherwise be able to take part in this experience. \nThe $250 registration fee for Camp Conroy includes one week of instruction\, camp activities\, and healthy daily snacks. Students must bring their own lunches and drinks each day. (This is a day camp; overnight lodging and meals are not included.) After the camp\, participants will each receive a copy of their published anthology. Registration closes on May 20. \nIn the 2004 Pat Conroy Cookbook\, Pat describes his “Bill Dufford Summer” spent between his junior and senior years on the campus of Beaufort High School (what is now Beaufort Middle School\, the site of last year’s Camp Conroy). It was a transformative summer for Pat and for his principal\, mentor\, and surrogate father figure\, Bill Dufford. As Pat writes at the end of his recollection\, “I had everything—the best summer of my life.” That has been and remains the goal of our Camp Conroy\, to give our campers the best summers of their lives. We hope you will join us this year. \nScholarships: A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available. To apply\, interested students should submit a sample of their work (story\, essay\, poem\, artwork\, or photography) with a brief letter about their interest in the Camp Conroy experience by May 10\, to the Pat Conroy Literary Center\, Attention: Camp Conroy\, 601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC 29902. Please specify the age of the camper so we know which of the two weeks you are applying for. Scholarship recipients will be contacted in early June. \nSponsorships: We welcome your tax-deductible donations to the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center to sponsor a Camper\, a Camp Counselor\, a Camp Instructor\, or a Guest Presenter. Scholarships for Campers make it possible for young writers and artists to participate in this experience who might not otherwise have the opportunity. Sponsorships of Camp Counselors\, Camp Instructors\, and Guest Presenters benefit all of our Campers. \nFacebook Page URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/camp-conroy-2025-summer-camp-for-young-writers-artists-ages-13-to-16/ LOCATION:Robert Smalls Leadership Academy\, 43 W. K. Alston Drive\, Beaufort\, 29906\, United States CATEGORIES:Education ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/camp-conroy-2025-1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250621T163000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250621T183000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20260427T134525Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064520Z UID:10001399-1750523400-1750530600@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Silent Book Club Beaufort DESCRIPTION:Silent Book Club Beaufort\, a unique take on the traditional book club\, will hold its next meetup on Saturday\, June 21\, from 4:30 to 6:30PM at the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center (601 Bladen St.). 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. \nSilent 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. \nUnlike 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. \nSilent Book Club Beaufort also features a book swap: Leave a book\, take a book. \nThe 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. \nSilent Book Club Beaufort is free to attend and proudly supports local businesses and organizations. Additional dates and locations will be announced via the SBCB Instagram page at www.instagram.com/silentbookclubbeaufort. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/silent-book-club-beaufort-9/ LOCATION:601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\, South Carolina 29902 CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23576_image_486008764_1080061147488692_1751472375329505786_n.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250612T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250612T193000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20260427T134525Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064520Z UID:10001400-1749751200-1749756600@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Open Mic Night--Featuring Doris E. Wright\, Author of Cabbagehead DESCRIPTION:The Pat Conroy Literary Center’s monthly Open Mic Night will be held at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St.) on Thursday\, June 12\, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Open Mic Night will feature local novelist Doris E. Wright\, author of Cabbagehead. Open Mic will also include short readings of 3 to 5 minutes each by other writers in many genres. \nInterested in reading as part of Open Mic? Let us know at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org. \nAbout Our Featured Author\nDoris E. Wright is an award-winning author whose fiction and nonfiction stories have been published in several anthologies. She is a mother\, grandmother\, wife\, artist and writer. Always curious about what’s beyond the next bend\, she has ridden camels in Timbuktu\, done tai chi in Xi’an\, and walked the veld in Kwazulu-Natal. To facilitate her and her husband’s love of travel\, especially on the cheap\, they have pet sat dogs\, cats\, tarantulas\, rats\, a tortoise\, and both normal and unusual plants in the U.S.\, France\, Ireland\, and the U.K. \n“Cabbagehead by Doris E. Wright will have you wondering if plants have a life\, and if they can intervene in our lives in ways we’ve not yet fathomed. Readers will love Wright’s deft skill with words\, her ability to move the story along\, and her ability to keep us in suspense. Dry wit\, the suspense over the next revelation in the vegetable dilemma\, and Wright’s other writerly gifts will keep you reading. It’s a story for anyone who’s experienced family estrangement or lost themselves in nature anywhere.”–Estelle Ford-Williamson\, author of Rising Fawn URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/open-mic-night-featuring-doris-e-wright-author-of-cabbagehead/ LOCATION:601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\, South Carolina 29902 CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23578_image_487282759_1072737994887674_5074025934356531908_n.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250612T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250612T193000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20250213T221235Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250213T221235Z UID:10000730-1749751200-1749756600@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:June 2025 Open Mic Night DESCRIPTION:The Pat Conroy Literary Center’s monthly Open Mic Night will be held at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St.) on Thursday\, June 12\, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. For National Poetry Month\, Open Mic Night will feature local novelist Doris E. Wright\, author of Cabbagehead. Open Mic will also include short readings of 3 to 5 minutes each by other writers in many genres. \nWhen: Thursday\, June 12\, 2025 at 6 PM – 7:30 PM EDT\nPrice: Free · Duration: 1 hr 30 min\nWhere: Conroy Center (601 Bladen St.) \nInterested in reading as part of Open Mic? Let us know at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org \nWe want to build our community of writers and an appreciation for the art and talent of new\, emerging\, and long-time writers. Thank you for supporting this partnership! \nEvent Facebook Page \nAbout our featured author:\nDoris E. Wright is an award-winning author whose fiction and nonfiction stories have been published in several anthologies. She is a mother\, grandmother\, wife\, artist and writer. Always curious about what’s beyond the next bend\, she has ridden camels in Timbuktu\, done tai chi in Xi’an\, and walked the veld in Kwazulu-Natal. To facilitate her and her husband’s love of travel\, especially on the cheap\, they have pet sat dogs\, cats\, tarantulas\, rats\, a tortoise\, and both normal and unusual plants in the U.S.\, France\, Ireland\, and the U.K. \n“Cabbagehead by Doris E. Wright will have you wondering if plants have a life\, and if they can intervene in our lives in ways we’ve not yet fathomed. Readers will love Wright’s deft skill with words\, her ability to move the story along\, and her ability to keep us in suspense. Dry wit\, the suspense over the next revelation in the vegetable dilemma\, and Wright’s other writerly gifts will keep you reading. It’s a story for anyone who’s experienced family estrangement or lost themselves in nature anywhere.”–Estelle Ford-Williamson\, author of Rising Fawn \n  \n\nThis program and others like this would not be possible without your financial help for which\, as always\, Pat Conroy Literary Center gratefully thanks you. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/june-2025-open-mic-night/ LOCATION:Pat Conroy Literary Center\, 601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, 29902\, United States CATEGORIES:Author Interview,Open Mic Night ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/open-mic-night-june-12-2025.jpg GEO:32.4318777;-80.6720951 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Pat Conroy Literary Center 601 Bladen Street Beaufort SC 29902 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=601 Bladen Street:geo:-80.6720951,32.4318777 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250609T203000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250613T153000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20260427T134525Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064520Z UID:10001401-1749501000-1749828600@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Camp Conroy 2025 (Camp #1) DESCRIPTION:Camp Conroy is now TWO one-week day camps for young writers and artists. Camp#1 for campers ages 9 to 12 will be held on June 9 to 13 (Monday to Friday\, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.). Camp#2 for campers ages 13 to 16 will be held on June 23 to 27 (Monday to Friday\, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) Hosted by the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center\, both camps will be held at Robert Smalls Leadership Academy in Beaufort\, SC. \nRegistration: https://campconroy2025.eventbrite.com \nThis year’s camp theme\, Mirrors\, Windows\, and Sliding Glass Doors\, honors the work of Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop\, who developed her metaphor as a way of describing how books can help readers to see themselves\, see others\, and enter into new experiences and understanding. \nDuring each of the two camps\, we will be building a book together by creating–individually and collaboratively–the writing and art that we will publish together in our anthology\, then critiquing\, editing\, and designing our work in preparation for publication. Although our two age groups are divided into separate weeks\, they will be contributing to a special collaborative project together as well. \nCampers can explore a range of writing genres\, from poetry to short stories to micro-memoirs; as well as multiple forms of self-expression in the visual arts\, including drawing\, painting\, and photography. They will be guided through their creative endeavors by Camp Conroy’s talented counselors\, full-time adult instructors\, and special guest presenters and instructors. A final reading and presentation of camper creations will conclude the experience\, and campers will each receive a copy of the camp anthology on publication later this summer. \nCamp Conroy invites diversity and inclusivity among our campers with respect to race\, religion\, ability\, and all other aspects of identity. Scholarships are available to assist campers who might not otherwise be able to take part in this experience. \nThe $250 registration fee for Camp Conroy includes one week of instruction\, camp activities\, and healthy daily snacks. Students must bring their own lunches and drinks each day. (This is a day camp; overnight lodging and meals are not included.) After the camp\, participants will each receive a copy of their published anthology. Registration closes on May 20. \nIn the 2004 Pat Conroy Cookbook\, Pat describes his “Bill Dufford Summer” spent between his junior and senior years on the campus of Beaufort High School (what is now Beaufort Middle School\, the site of last year’s Camp Conroy). It was a transformative summer for Pat and for his principal\, mentor\, and surrogate father figure\, Bill Dufford. As Pat writes at the end of his recollection\, “I had everything—the best summer of my life.” That has been and remains the goal of our Camp Conroy\, to give our campers the best summers of their lives. We hope you will join us this year. \nScholarships: A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available. To apply\, interested students should submit a sample of their work (story\, essay\, poem\, artwork\, or photography) with a brief letter about their interest in the Camp Conroy experience by May 22\, to the Pat Conroy Literary Center\, Attention: Camp Conroy\, 601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC 29902. Please specify the age of the camper so we know which of the two weeks you are applying for. Scholarship recipients will be contacted in early June. \nSponsorships: We welcome your tax-deductible donations to the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center to sponsor a Camper\, a Camp Counselor\, a Camp Instructor\, or a Guest Presenter. Scholarships for Campers make it possible for young writers and artists to participate in this experience who might not otherwise have the opportunity. Sponsorships of Camp Counselors\, Camp Instructors\, and Guest Presenters benefit all of our Campers. For details: https://campconroy2025.eventbrite.com URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/camp-conroy-2025-camp-1/ LOCATION:Robert Smalls Leadership Academy CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23580_image_493009747_1091876309640509_2336410418258131930_n.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250609T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250609T170000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20250604T230009Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250715T171149Z UID:10000732-1749456000-1749488400@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Camp Conroy: 2025 Summer Camp for Young Writers & Artists ages 9 to 12 DESCRIPTION:Robert Smalls Leadership Academy 43 W. K. Alston Drive\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\n\n\nCamp Conroy is now TWO one-week day camps for young writers and artists. Camp#1 for campers ages 9 to 12 will be held on June 9 to 13 (Monday to Friday\, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). Camp#2 for campers ages 13 to 16 will be held on June 23 to 27 (Monday to Friday\, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) Hosted by the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center\, both camps will be held at Robert Smalls Leadership Academy in Beaufort\, SC. \n\n$250 URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/camp-conroy-2025-summer-camp-for-young-writers-artists-ages-9-to-12/2025-06-09/ LOCATION:Pat Conroy Literary Center\, 601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, 29902\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/camp-conroy-2025.jpg GEO:32.4318777;-80.6720951 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Pat Conroy Literary Center 601 Bladen Street Beaufort SC 29902 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=601 Bladen Street:geo:-80.6720951,32.4318777 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250607T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250607T120000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20250604T225749Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250604T225749Z UID:10000731-1749288600-1749297600@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Teddy Bear Picnic Read Aloud with Daylo June 2025 DESCRIPTION: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.).\n\nFree URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/teddy-bear-picnic-read-aloud-with-daylo-june-2025/ LOCATION:Port Royal Farmers Market\, 1615 Ribault Rd\, Port Royal\, SC\, 29935\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/teddy-bear-picnic-read-aloud.jpg GEO:32.388806;-80.6852362 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Port Royal Farmers Market 1615 Ribault Rd Port Royal SC 29935 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1615 Ribault Rd:geo:-80.6852362,32.388806 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250607T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250607T120000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20260427T134525Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064520Z UID:10001402-1749288600-1749297600@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Monthly Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud with DAYLO DESCRIPTION: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. \nCozy 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. \nDAYLO 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. \nThe 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. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/monthly-teddy-bear-picnic-read-aloud-with-daylo-10/ LOCATION:Port Royal Farmers Market CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23582_image_487319067_1080062380821902_6701132114603293919_n.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250605T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250605T183000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20260427T134525Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064520Z UID:10001403-1749142800-1749148200@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:An Evening with Julia Elliott\, Author of Hellions DESCRIPTION:The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center\, in partnership with NeverMore Books\, will host an evening with acclaimed fiction writer Julia Elliott\, author of the newly published story collection Hellions—named a TIME Best Book of the Month and a Lit Hub Most Anticipated Book of the Year—on Thursday\, June 5\, at 5:00 p.m.\, at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St.\, Beaufort). Elliott will be in conversation with Conroy Center executive director Jonathan Haupt and DAYLO student leader E Achurch. Free and open to the public. Books will be available for sale and signing through NeverMore Books. Seating is limited; please call in advance to reserve: 843-379-7025. \nABOUT THE BOOK\nFrom the acclaimed author of The Wilds comes an electric story collection that blends folklore\, fairy tales\, Southern Gothic\, and horror\, reveling in the collision of the familiar with the wildly surreal. \nIn a plague-stricken medieval convent\, a nun works on a forbidden mystic manuscript\, pining for Christ’s love. During a long\, muggy July in rural South Carolina\, an adolescent girl finds unexpected power as her family obsesses over the horror film The Exorcist. On the outskirts of a Southern college town\, a young woman resists the tyranny of a shape-shifting older professor as she develops her own sorceress skills. And at a feminist art colony in the North Carolina mountains\, a group of mothers contends with the supernatural talents their children have picked up from a pair of mysterious orphans who live in the woods. \nWith exuberance\, ferocity\, and astounding imagination\, Julia Elliott’s Hellions jumps from the occult to the comic\, from the horrific to the wondrous\, presenting earthbound characters who long for the otherworldly. \n“Intoxicating\, fantasy-tinged. . . . Elliott’s rich and magical landscape will pull readers in.”―Publishers Weekly \n“Bewitching. . . . Gothic\, atmospheric\, and filled with the lavish symbolism contained in the natural world.”―Booklist \n“A genius at the short-story form\, Julia Elliott achieves new highs with the astonishing Hellions. Beautiful\, visceral\, surprising stories\, both wild and dangerous\, with a Southern twang but universal appeal…. One of my favorite collections of the past few years.”―Jeff VanderMeer\, author of Absolution \n“Julia Elliott’s fiction is its own country. Every sentence drips and unsettles\, every character lusts and schemes\, every landscape is alien and forbidding. But there is something eerily familiar pulsing underneath the wildness―the way your waking life snakes through the logic of your dreams. I am obsessed with these lush\, feral stories.”―Carmen Maria Machado\, author of Her Body and Other Parties \nABOUT THE AUTHOR\nJulia Elliott is the author of the story collection The Wilds\, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice\, and the novel The New and Improved Romie Futch (both from Tin House). Her work has appeared in The Georgia Review\, Tin House\, Conjunctions\, and the New York Times. She has won a Rona Jaffe Writers’ Award\, and her stories have been anthologized in Best American Short Stories and Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses. She teaches English and Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of South Carolina and lives in Columbia with her husband\, daughter\, and five hens. \nABOUT THE INTERVIEWERS\nJonathan 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 Charleston Post and Courier and a mentor to the student leaders of DAYLO: Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization. \nE Achurch is sophomore at the Complete Student\, where she is founding president of her school’s chapter of DAYLO: The Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization. She is a counselor for the Conroy Center’s Camp Conroy summer writing and art program and a past participant in the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities summer creative writing program. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/an-evening-with-julia-elliott-author-of-hellions/ LOCATION:Pat Conroy Literary Center CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23584_image_491834618_1088519629976177_5677921539137299121_n.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250531T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250531T153000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20260427T134525Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064520Z UID:10001404-1748700000-1748705400@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:An Afternoon with Annelore Harrell\, Author of Et Cetera Y'All\, Volume 1 DESCRIPTION:The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an afternoon with Annelore Harrell\, author of Et Cetera Y’all\, Volume 1\, on Saturday\, May 31\, 2025\, at 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. Seating is limited; please call in advance to reserve: 843-379-7025. \nAbout the Book And Author \n“Step into the enchanting world of Annelore Harrell and the coastal Lowcountry I love so dearly. With twenty-four years of remarkable newspaper columns\, this collection is a treasure chest of insight\, immersive experiences\, and wisdom. From past to present\, Annelore Harrell brings us on a journey to meet the forgotten heroes\, see the locales of her experience\, and encounter the allure of southern hospitality. A captivating storyteller with a keen and wise eye\, Annelore Harrell’s prose transports us to the soul of the south.”–Patti Callahan Henry\, bestselling author \nGet inspired by the extraordinary Annelore Harrell\, who brings her unique voice and vibrant storytelling to life in Et Cetera Y’all\, Volume 1. This delightful collection\, released in October 2024\, showcases her charming and insightful newspaper columns from her inaugural year. \nAnnelore Harrell’s journey is a tapestry woven with fascinating experiences and extraordinary accomplishments. Born in 1932 in Savannah\, Georgia\, Annelore began visiting Myrtle Island in Bluffton with her family in 1942\, joining the ranks of the “summer people” who traveled from Savannah. Despite bullying at school in 1937\, which led her to stop speaking her first language\, German\, Annelore’s resilience shone through. \nBy age 12\, Annelore was confidently driving a car\, a skill she still retains with a careful eye on the rearview mirror. Her remarkable journey continued with her presidency of the world’s largest Officer’s Wives Club at Ft. Bragg\, NC\, in 1970. In 1974\, she captivated audiences with her portrayal of Eleanor of Aquitaine in “Lion in Winter” in Stuttgart. \nTransitioning into real estate in the mid-to-late ’70s\, Annelore founded Annelore Harrell Realty\, further cementing her legacy. In 1981\, she moved to her retirement home on Myrtle Island\, but retirement was merely a new chapter for her. \nIn the early ’80s\, she taught her daughter\, Tamela Pinckney\, and other young mothers the art of bridge. From 1995 to 1998\, Annelore hosted a weekly\, live\, one-hour show on the Bluffton Broadcasting Channel\, “BBC.” Her voice resonated with the community for nearly 25 years as a weekly columnist for the Bluffton newspaper\, Carolina Morning News\, later known as The Bluffton Today. Her outstanding work earned 1st Place in her category for Best Column from the SC Press Association. \nIn 2017\, Mayor Lisa Sulka celebrated Annelore’s contributions by recognizing her 1\,000th newspaper column and declaring June 23rd as “Lala Day\,” a nickname her grandchildren gave her. She was further honored in 2021 when she served as the Grand Marshal of the Bluffton Christmas Parade. \nAnnelore’s eclectic tastes in reading and music reflect her adventurous spirit. She enjoys various genres\, from rock and classical to blues\, bluegrass\, indie\, alternative\, R&B\, and Gregorian chants. Known for her unforgettable parties and fashion-forward style\, she was rocking men’s ties long before it became a trend. \nEven at 92 in 2025\, Annelore’s energy and zest for life continue to inspire. Kathy L. Murphy of Big Book Love (formerly Pulpwood Queens Book Club) honored her work by naming Et Cetera Y’all\, Volume 1\, the Bonus Book of the Month for December 2025.\nAnnelore Harrell’s story is a testament to living with passion\, resilience\, and an unquenchable thirst for adventure. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/an-afternoon-with-annelore-harrell-author-of-et-cetera-yall-volume-1/ LOCATION:601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\, South Carolina 29902 CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23586_image_487508803_1072241314937342_9132493426216170383_n.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250531T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250531T153000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20250116T212809Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250116T212809Z UID:10000715-1748700000-1748705400@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:An Afternoon with Annelore Harrell\, author of Et Cetera Y’all DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, May 31\, 2025 – 2:00-3:30 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 \nWebsite: Facebook Event Page \nThe nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an afternoon with Annelore Harrell\, author of Et Cetera Y’all\, Volume 1\, on Saturday\, May 31\, 2025\, at 2:00 p.m.\, at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St.\, Beaufort). \nFree 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. \nAbout the Book and Author \n“Step into the enchanting world of Annelore Harrell and the coastal Lowcountry I love so dearly. With twenty-four years of remarkable newspaper columns\, this collection is a treasure chest of insight\, immersive experiences\, and wisdom. From past to present\, Annelore Harrell brings us on a journey to meet the forgotten heroes\, see the locales of her experience\, and encounter the allure of southern hospitality. A captivating storyteller with a keen and wise eye\, Annelore Harrell’s prose transports us to the soul of the south.”–Patti Callahan Henry\, bestselling author \nGet inspired by the extraordinary Annelore Harrell\, who brings her unique voice and vibrant storytelling to life in Et Cetera Y’all\, Volume 1. This delightful collection\, released in October 2024\, showcases her charming and insightful newspaper columns from her inaugural year. \nAnnelore Harrell’s journey is a tapestry woven with fascinating experiences and extraordinary accomplishments. Born in 1932 in Savannah\, Georgia\, Annelore began visiting Myrtle Island in Bluffton with her family in 1942\, joining the ranks of the “summer people” who traveled from Savannah. Despite bullying at school in 1937\, which led her to stop speaking her first language\, German\, Annelore’s resilience shone through. \nBy age 12\, Annelore was confidently driving a car\, a skill she still retains with a careful eye on the rearview mirror. Her remarkable journey continued with her presidency of the world’s largest Officer’s Wives Club at Ft. Bragg\, NC\, in 1970. In 1974\, she captivated audiences with her portrayal of Eleanor of Aquitaine in “Lion in Winter” in Stuttgart. \nTransitioning into real estate in the mid-to-late ’70s\, Annelore founded Annelore Harrell Realty\, further cementing her legacy. In 1981\, she moved to her retirement home on Myrtle Island\, but retirement was merely a new chapter for her. \nIn the early ’80s\, she taught her daughter\, Tamela Pinckney\, and other young mothers the art of bridge. From 1995 to 1998\, Annelore hosted a weekly\, live\, one-hour show on the Bluffton Broadcasting Channel\, “BBC.” Her voice resonated with the community for nearly 25 years as a weekly columnist for the Bluffton newspaper\, Carolina Morning News\, later known as The Bluffton Today. Her outstanding work earned 1st Place in her category for Best Column from the SC Press Association. \nIn 2017\, Mayor Lisa Sulka celebrated Annelore’s contributions by recognizing her 1\,000th newspaper column and declaring June 23rd as “Lala Day\,” a nickname her grandchildren gave her. She was further honored in 2021 when she served as the Grand Marshal of the Bluffton Christmas Parade. \nAnnelore’s eclectic tastes in reading and music reflect her adventurous spirit. She enjoys various genres\, from rock and classical to blues\, bluegrass\, indie\, alternative\, R&B\, and Gregorian chants. Known for her unforgettable parties and fashion-forward style\, she was rocking men’s ties long before it became a trend. \nEven at 92 in 2025\, Annelore’s energy and zest for life continue to inspire. Kathy L. Murphy of Big Book Love (formerly Pulpwood Queens Book Club) honored her work by naming Et Cetera Y’all\, Volume 1\, the Bonus Book of the Month for December 2025. \nAnnelore Harrell’s story is a testament to living with passion\, resilience\, and an unquenchable thirst for adventure. \n  \n\nThis program and others like this would not be possible without your financial help for which\, as always\, Pat Conroy Literary Center gratefully thanks you. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/an-afternoon-with-annelore-harrell-author-of-et-cetera-yall/ LOCATION:Pat Conroy Literary Center\, 601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, 29902\, United States CATEGORIES:Author Interview ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/afternoon-with-annelore-harrell.jpg GEO:32.4318777;-80.6720951 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Pat Conroy Literary Center 601 Bladen Street Beaufort SC 29902 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=601 Bladen Street:geo:-80.6720951,32.4318777 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250524T163000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250524T183000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20260427T134526Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064520Z UID:10001405-1748104200-1748111400@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Silent Book Club Beaufort DESCRIPTION:Silent Book Club Beaufort\, a unique take on the traditional book club\, will hold its next meetup on Saturday\, May 24\, from 4:30 to 6:30PM at the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center (601 Bladen St.). 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. \nSilent 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. \nUnlike 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. \nSilent Book Club Beaufort also features a book swap: Leave a book\, take a book. \nThe 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. \nSilent Book Club Beaufort is free to attend and proudly supports local businesses and organizations. Additional dates and locations will be announced via the SBCB Instagram page at www.instagram.com/silentbookclubbeaufort. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/silent-book-club-beaufort-10/ LOCATION:601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\, South Carolina 29902 CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23588_image_489691975_1080059850822155_8031940389267766595_n.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250517T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250517T190000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20260427T134526Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064520Z UID:10001406-1747501200-1747508400@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Beaufort Launch for Ahead of Her Time\, by Nancy Thode DESCRIPTION:The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center is proud to host the Beaufort launch event for Ahead of Her Time: The Trailblazing Life and Literary Legacy of Ann Head\, the highly anticipated new biography written by Head’s firstborn daughter Nancy Thode and published by Evening Post Books. This special event will be held in partnership with DAYLO: the Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization and the Beaufort County Historical Society. \nJoin us on Saturday\, May 17\, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at 711 Bladen Street (BCBCC\, ground floor). Free and open to the public; advance registration is required by May 16 at https://aheadofhertimebeaufortlaunch.eventbrite.com \nAt 5:30 p.m.\, the launch event’s program will feature author Nancy Thode in conversation with Conroy Center executive director Jonathan Haupt and youth artivist Millie Bennett. The newest winner of the Ann Head Literary Prize for Short Story Fiction will also be recognized. A wine reception with catering by Magnolia Café will accompany the evening’s book signing\, with copies of Ahead of Her Time available for sale and signing\, with proceeds benefiting the nonprofit Conroy Center’s year-round educational mission. \nABOUT THE BOOK\nA blue blood and a bohemian\, author Ann Head was an essential voice of mid-century fiction\, known for challenging societal norms and amplifying women’s struggles in an era that often silenced them. Now\, for the first time\, her mysterious personal life is unveiled through the lens of her eldest daughter\, Nancy Thode. Through meticulous archival work and transcriptions of Head’s journals\, Thode offers an intimate portrait of a writer whose life and fiction were deeply intertwined – one who influenced a generation of writers\, including her student\, the acclaimed Pat Conroy\, who noted in his autobiography that “every time I sell a book\, I put a rose on her grave.” \nMore than just a biography\, this book is a celebration of Ann Head’s enduring legacy. Featuring a selection of her published stories\, it invites readers to experience her boundary-pushing prose firsthand. It also includes never-before-seen letters from a young Pat Conroy\, whose early poems and admiration for Head reveal her lasting impact on one of the South’s most celebrated literary voices. Perfect for longtime fans and new readers alike\, this book is essential reading for anyone drawn to revolutionary women\, literary history\, and the inescapable connection between life and art. \n“Ahead of Her Time\, a highly readable biography of prolific and successful writer Ann Head\, offers up a rich chronicle of experiences… This is a rare book you’ll want to share!”—Cassandra King\, winner of the 2025 Harper Lee Award and bestselling author of Tell Me A Story: My Life with Pat Conroy \n“Phenomenal is too small a word to fully capture what a gift this biography of Ann Head is for readers of women’s fiction\, aficionados of Lowcountry lore\, and devoted fans of Head’s beloved protégé Pat Conroy… Ahead of Her Time is destined to be read often\, shared widely\, and savored from the first page to the last.”—Jonathan Haupt\, co-editor of Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy \n“Nancy Thode has written a poignant and important biography of her mother\, 20th century Beaufort author Ann Head. It is not only a portrait of a creative and beleaguered woman but also a revealing description of mid-twentieth century Beaufort….”—Larry Rowland\, Distinguished Professor Emeritus\, USC Beaufort \nABOUT THE AUTHOR\nA native of Beaufort\, Nancy Head Thode is a graduate of Ashley Hall School\, Towson State University\, and the University of Maryland School of Social Work. An early advocate for family mediation\, she was a founding board member of the Academy of Family Mediators and continues her work today as a practicing family psychotherapist. Later in life\, she discovered a passion for community theater\, starring in several productions and writing and producing one-woman shows. A strong believer in the power of fellowship\, she now chairs the Gatherings Committee at Christ Church Greenwich in Connecticut. \nIn 2020\, Nancy established the Ann Head Literary Award for Short Story Fiction at Beaufort High School\, where her mother\, Ann Head\, once taught and mentored a young Pat Conroy. The mother of two and grandmother of five\, Nancy currently divides her time between Stamford\, Connecticut\, and Fripp Island. Ahead of Her Time is her first book. \nABOUT THE INTERVIEWERS\nJonathan 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\, a co-leader of the South Carolina chapter of Authors Against Book Bans\, and a co-mentor to the student leaders of DAYLO: Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization. \nMillie Bennett is a past intern of the Pat Conroy Literary Center and a past president of the Beaufort High School chapter of DAYLO. She is one of the student advocates highlighted in the feature-length documentary film Banned Together. A rising junior in the College of Charleston\, Millie is majoring in studio arts and minoring in creative writing and Women’s and Gender Studies. She has also served a guest book reviewer for the Charleston Post and Courier and she provided editorial assistance for the stories by Ann Head reprinted in Ahead of Her Time. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/beaufort-launch-for-ahead-of-her-time-by-nancy-thode/ LOCATION:711 Bladen St\, Beaufort\, SC 29902-4968\, United States CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23590_image_491606339_1087880930040047_9104759930828980082_n.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T193000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20260427T134526Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064523Z UID:10001407-1746727200-1746732600@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Virtual Open Mic Night -- Featuring James Alan Gill\, Author of Not Dark Yet DESCRIPTION: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\, May 8\, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Our featured presenter is fiction writer James Alan Gill\, author of the story collection Not Dark Yet. Open Mic will also feature short readings of 3 to 5 minutes each by other writers in many genres. \nInterested in reading as part of virtual Open Mic? Let us know at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org. \nAbout Our Featured Author:\nJames Alan Gill was raised in a town with no stoplights by a family of coal miners\, then attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where he earned degrees in History and Creative Writing. His work has appeared in numerous publications\, including Colorado Review\, Crab Orchard Review\, The Common\, Sou’wester\, The Laurel Review\, Midwestern Gothic\, Fried Chicken and Coffee\, Atticus Review\, Book of Matches\, and Prime Number Magazine. He has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and is a seven-time winner of the JD Supra Reader’s Choice Award for his writing in the legal technology industry. He currently lives with his wife\, Brittany\, in Minneapolis. \n“Not Dark Yet unfurls like a fantastic roll of film capturing the hidden pockets of wonder in the lives of the denizens of James Alan Gill’s Illinois town of Matin. People fall in and out of love\, race cars\, make friends\, make tracks\, as ordinary lives reveal the extraordinary\, all the while wrestling with the fundamental question\, Can you really live the life you want and still please the people who love you?”—Whitney Otto\, New York Times Bestselling Author of How to Make an American Quilt and Eight Girls Taking Pictures. \n“Gill writes\, with grace and humor and pain\, about small-town life. This evocative chronicle of plain lives in crisis belongs on the same shelf as the stories of Bobbie Ann Mason and Raymond Carver. Poignant and powerful.”—Benjamin Percy\, author of The Ninth Metal\, Red Moon\, and Thrill Me URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/virtual-open-mic-night-featuring-james-alan-gill-author-of-not-dark-yet/ LOCATION:601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\, South Carolina 29902 CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23592_image_486953835_1071725778322229_8785224002368966988_n.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T193000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20250114T215312Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250114T215312Z UID:10000712-1746727200-1746732600@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:May 2025 Virtual Open Mic Night DESCRIPTION: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\, May 8\, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Our featured presenter is fiction writer James Alan Gill\, author of the story collection Not Dark Yet. Open Mic will also feature short readings of 3 to 5 minutes each by other writers in many genres. \nWhen: Thursday\, May 8\, 2025 at 6 PM – 7:30 PM EDT\nPrice: Free · Duration: 1 hr 30 min\nWhere: Virtual – Facebook \nInterested in reading as part of Open Mic? Let us know at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org \nWe want to build our community of writers and an appreciation for the art and talent of new\, emerging\, and long-time writers. Thank you for supporting this partnership! \nEvent Facebook Page \nAbout our author:\nJames Alan Gill was raised in a town with no stoplights by a family of coal miners\, then attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where he earned degrees in History and Creative Writing. \nHis work has appeared in numerous publications\, including Colorado Review\, Crab Orchard Review\, The Common\, Sou’wester\, The Laurel Review\, Midwestern Gothic\, Fried Chicken and Coffee\, Atticus Review\, Book of Matches\, and Prime Number Magazine. He has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and is a seven-time winner of the JD Supra Reader’s Choice Award for his writing in the legal technology industry. He currently lives with his wife\, Brittany\, in Minneapolis. \n“Not Dark Yet unfurls like a fantastic roll of film capturing the hidden pockets of wonder in the lives of the denizens of James Alan Gill’s Illinois town of Matin. People fall in and out of love\, race cars\, make friends\, make tracks\, as ordinary lives reveal the extraordinary\, all the while wrestling with the fundamental question\, Can you really live the life you want and still please the people who love you?”—Whitney Otto\, New York Times Bestselling Author of How to Make an American Quilt and Eight Girls Taking Pictures. \n“Gill writes\, with grace and humor and pain\, about small-town life. This evocative chronicle of plain lives in crisis belongs on the same shelf as the stories of Bobbie Ann Mason and Raymond Carver. Poignant and powerful.”—Benjamin Percy\, author of The Ninth Metal\, Red Moon\, and Thrill Me. \n  \n\nThis program and others like this would not be possible without your financial help for which\, as always\, Pat Conroy Literary Center gratefully thanks you. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/may-2025-virtual-open-mic-night/ LOCATION:Online – Facebook Live CATEGORIES:Author Interview,Open Mic Night ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/open-mic-night-May-8-2025.jpg GEO:32.4180118;-80.688554 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250503T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250503T120000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20250116T220616Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250116T220616Z UID:10000719-1746264600-1746273600@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Teddy Bear Picnic Read Aloud with Daylo May 2025 DESCRIPTION:Saturday May 3\, 2025 – 9:30 a.m. to noon EDT\nPrice: Free\nVenue: Port Royal Farmers Market | Ribaut Rd & Pinckney Blvd\, Port Royal\, SC 29935 \nWebsite: Facebook Event Page \nOn 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. \nCozy 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. \nDAYLO 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. \n  \n\nThis program and others like this would not be possible without your financial help for which\, as always\, Pat Conroy Literary Center gratefully thanks you. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/teddy-bear-picnic-read-aloud-with-daylo-may-2025/ LOCATION:Port Royal Farmers Market\, 1615 Ribault Rd\, Port Royal\, SC\, 29935\, United States CATEGORIES:Reading ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/teddy-bear-picnic-read-aloud.jpg GEO:32.388806;-80.6852362 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Port Royal Farmers Market 1615 Ribault Rd Port Royal SC 29935 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1615 Ribault Rd:geo:-80.6852362,32.388806 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250503T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250503T120000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20260427T134530Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064523Z UID:10001408-1746264600-1746273600@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Monthly Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud with DAYLO DESCRIPTION: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. \nCozy 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. \nDAYLO 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. \nThe 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. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/monthly-teddy-bear-picnic-read-aloud-with-daylo-11/ LOCATION:Port Royal Farmers Market CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23594_image_486609470_1072249734936500_3367330760003287653_n.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250501T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250501T183000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20260427T134530Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064523Z UID:10001409-1746118800-1746124200@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:An Evening with Eat It & Like It Host Jesse Blanco\, Author of Charleston Food Crawls DESCRIPTION:The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening of with Eat It and Like It co-founder and host Jesse Blanco\, author of Charleston Food Crawls on Thursday\, May 1\, 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 to reserve in advance: 843-379-7025. \nAbout Jesse Blanco and Charleston Food Crawls\nCharleston Food Crawls is an exciting culinary tour through the largest city in South Carolina. Taste the city’s culinary history through its top-notch neighborhood restaurants and bars. Hit the Upper Peninsula for a day of breweries and barbeque galore. Just in town for the weekend? Take a stroll through King Street for quick bites and crafty sips. Experience where southern comfort food and zesty libations collide and dig into Charleston one dish at a time. \nJesse Blanco is\, without question\, one of Savannah’s most recognizable personalities. His laid-back style and ability to connect with viewers and readers remain his calling card following a 24-year career in television news. During his 5 years as primary news anchor at the local FOX affiliate\, Jesse always found creative ways to connect with his audience. That talent extended to his weekly column in the Savannah Morning News\, which very quickly became one of the paper’s most popular features from 2012 to 2018. \nIn 2010\, Jesse and his business partner created a blog and later a television show dedicated to the underappreciated side of Savannah’s food scene. Four years later\, Savannah’s food scene exploded and Eat It and Like It found itself sitting in the front row to witness it all. Since 2014 he’s been the Savannah area’s only full-time food writer. Jesse is now the author of author of Savannah Food Crawls and Charleston Food Crawls. \nJesse was born in California but calls Miami his hometown. Having been raised in a very large Cuban-American family where the genetic makeup consists of food\, music\, dancing\, laughing\, and friendship. Throw in an insatiable desire to travel and explore and you get someone who is only happy learning or trying new things. Jesse is married with one child. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/an-evening-with-eat-it-like-it-host-jesse-blanco-author-of-charleston-food-crawls/ LOCATION:601 Bladen Street\, Beaufort\, SC\, United States\, South Carolina 29902 CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23596_image_487789653_1073392498155557_1954795550057357062_n.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250429T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250429T190000 DTSTAMP:20260502T031839 CREATED:20260427T134530Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T064523Z UID:10001410-1745949600-1745953200@patconroyliterarycenter.org SUMMARY:Pat Conroy's Great Love of Poetry: A National Poetry Month Special Event DESCRIPTION:“The poets of the world occupy a place of high honor in my city of books.”—Pat Conroy\, My Reading Life \nIn honor of National Poetry Month\, join poet Tim Conroy and Pat Conroy Literary Center executive director Jonathan Haupt as they explore Pat Conroy’s lifelong relationship with poetry as a reader\, as a self-described “failed poet\,” and as a writer who found a creative outlet for his Great Love of poetry in his lyrical and descriptive prose. Through discussion of Pat’s teachers\, mentors\, and favorite poets\, and through published and unpublished writings spanning the breadth of his life\, this free public program fosters a new appreciation for Conroy’s admiration of poetry\, his dedication to the writing craft\, and the myriad ways in which poetry shines through his storied prose. \nThis free literary program will be held at the Charleston County Main Library at 68 Calhoun St. in historic downtown Charleston on Tuesday\, April 29\, at 6:00-7:00 p.m. \nAbout the Presenters\nTim Conroy\, the author of the collections Theologies of Terrain and No True Route\, is a poet and retired educator. His work has appeared in Fall Lines\, Blue Mountain Review\, Jasper Magazine\, Marked by the Water\, Sheltered\, Twelve Mile Review\, Poetry on the Comet\, The Post and Courier\, Ukweli: Searching for Healing Truth\, DWG Anthology\, and Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy. In 2022\, he received the Broad River Prize for prose from Fall Lines\, Volume IX. A founding board member of the Pat Conroy Literary Center established in his brother’s honor\, Tim lives in the Lowcountry with his wife Terrye. \nJonathan 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. 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. URL:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/pat-conroys-great-love-of-poetry-a-national-poetry-month-special-event/ LOCATION:Charleston County Public Library (Main Library) CATEGORIES:Other ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/23598_image_487534676_1073392908155516_8676994484153681186_n.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR