Pat Conroy Literary Center

Author Event with Robert Gwaltney and Bren Mcclain
2026-04-23 17:00 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening with novelists Robert Gwaltney and Bren McClain, on Thursday, April 23, at 5:00 p.m., at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort). Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited for this free event; please call in advance to reserve: 843-379-7025.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
ROBERT GWALTNEY
Robert Gwaltney is the author of Sing Down the Moon (Mercer University Press, 2026) and The Cicada Tree (Moonshine Cove Publishing, 2022), works of Southern literary fiction that explore inheritance, identity, and the fragile boundary between the living and the dead. Rooted in the landscapes and histories of the American South, his writing blends the gothic tradition with elements of magical realism to illuminate the forces that shape who we become.
Raised in Cairo, Georgia, alongside three younger brothers in the rash-inducing subtropical heat of the region, Gwaltney is a lifelong resident of the South — a circumstance that has left an indelible mark on his voice as a writer. Sense of place remains central to his work, where memory, myth, and longing intertwine.
By day, he serves as Vice President of Easterseals North Georgia, championing early childhood literacy and strengthening families at critical stages of development. In all the hours between, he writes.
He lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his partner.
BREN McCLAIN
I got set for life at the age of three. My two loves – writing and animals – were born.
My daddy tells me I can’t possibly remember. But I do. The pickup truck had wooden railings around the back, and it came around the side of our house. I was standing by our kitchen table, watching out the window. Inside those railings was our milk cow. I called her Mama Red. And she was leaving.
I had no idea back then that what I had witnessed and felt that day with that milk cow would shape me as a writer.
Fast forward through getting a BA in English from Furman University in Greenville, SC, and teaching high school English for one year. Writing drew me again, but this time as a journalist, writing for my hometown newspaper, The Anderson Daily Mail; working as a radio reporter, and as a television reporter and anchor at various stations across the Southeast. But then I switched to corporate America, where I became desperate to be creative and picked up a legal pad – oh yes, I remember the date, September 18, 1988 – and began writing a short story called “Desperation Dance.”
I’ll cover a lot of ground fast here: I wrote two failed novels, got a literary agent, lost a literary agent. But, when I returned to what was set in motion in a three-year-old Anderson, South Carolina, farm girl – writing and animals – my literary career changed, and my novel, One Good Mama Bone, was born. I even went so far as to write about a mama cow. I named her Mama Red. And I love her. My heart first opened with that milk cow.
Things I wanted to say but couldn’t get worked in:
-​2017 Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction
-2019 Patricia Winn Award for Southern Literature
-Long-listed for the Southern Book Prize, Southeastern Independent Booksellers Association
-A 2017 Great Group Reads selection by the Women’s National Book Association
-Named top book of 2017 by Lit Picks
-A Southern Independent Booksellers Association Okra Pick
Finalist for The Crook’s Corner Book Prize for a debut novel set in the American South
-Named Pulpwood Queen Book of the Year 2017
-An excerpt from One Good Mama Bone was named a 2012 Finalist for the Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Award for a
Novel-in-Progress.
-South Carolina Arts Commission awarded me the Fiction Fellowship in 2005.
I’m a two-time winner of the South Carolina Fiction Project (2003 and 2007).
I grew up on a seventy-two acre beef cattle and grain farm in Anderson, South Carolina.
I have a twin, and, to this day, we’re known as “the McClain twins.” Which is fine by me.
I’m at work on my next novel, Took, which features another farm animal, chickens. Happy to say it has won the 2016 William Faulkner-William Wisdom prize for Novel-in-Progress.

An Afternoon with Author Greg Howard
2026-04-25 14:00 - 15:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an afternoon with Greg Howard, young adult author of several books including The Whispers, on Saturday, April 25, at 2:00 p.m., at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort). Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited for this free event; please call in advance to reserve: 843-379-7025.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Greg Howard was born and raised in the South Carolina Lowcountry where his love of stories blossomed at a young age. Originally set on becoming a songwriter, Greg followed that dream to Nashville, Tennessee, where he spent years producing the music of others before eventually returning to his childhood passion of writing stories. Greg writes about LGBTQ characters and issues as his focus is writing the kind of books he wishes he’d had access to as a gay kid growing up in the South. He currently resides in Nashville with his three rescued fur babies–Molly, Toby, and Riley.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A middle grade debut that’s a heartrending coming-of-age tale, perfect for fans of Bridge to Terabithia and Counting By 7s.
Eleven-year-old Riley believes in the whispers, magical fairies that will grant you wishes if you leave them tributes. Riley has a lot of wishes. He wishes bullies at school would stop picking on him. He wishes Dylan, his 8th grade crush, liked him, and Riley wishes he would stop wetting the bed. But most of all, Riley wishes for his mom to come back home. She disappeared a few months ago, and Riley is determined to crack the case. He even meets with a detective, Frank, to go over his witness statement time and time again.
Frustrated with the lack of progress in the investigation, Riley decides to take matters into his own hands. So he goes on a camping trip with his friend Gary to find the whispers and ask them to bring his mom back home. But Riley doesn’t realize the trip will shake the foundation of everything that he believes in forever.

Author Event with Marybeth Whalen
2026-05-07 17:00 - 18:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening with author Marybeth Whalen in conversation with Cassandra King, at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort) on May 7 from 5-6:30. Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited for this free event; please call in advance to reserve: 843-379-7025.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Marybeth Mayhew Whalen is the author of Every Moment Since and 9 previous novels. Marybeth received a BA in English with a concentration in Writing and Editing from NC State University a long time ago and has been writing ever since. She is the co-founder of The Book Tide, an online community of readers where “a rising tide raises all books.” Marybeth and her husband Curt are the parents of six kids who are now all in various stages of adulting. A native of Charlotte, NC, Marybeth now calls Sunset Beach, NC home.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A story about finding hope in the face of hardship and connection in the face of crisis, Handle with Care is a novel for our time.
“Rich with complex characters, a tightly woven plot and natural suspense.” –Belle Burden, author of Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage
Three women walk into a post office. This is no joke–it’s the spark that ignites a life-altering crisis.
On a quiet spring afternoon, an ordinary small-town post office becomes ground zero for a domestic dispute. A husband draws a weapon and seals the doors, holding four women captive: his frightened wife, a young woman searching for meaning amid uncertainty, a mother on the brink of letting go as her only daughter graduates, and an elderly woman concealing a secret that could shatter everything she knows.
Outside, the negotiator works to keep a fragile peace, forced to confront her own issues as every word becomes a lifeline.
Each of the three women who walked into the post office is carrying something that, if mailed, would profoundly change her life. As minutes become hours in this daylong siege, these strangers forge lasting bonds. Handle with Care shines a light on hope found even in the darkest moments, and illuminates how even strangers, thrown together by chance and hardship, have the power to change each other’s lives.
This heartwarming women’s fiction novel is laced with depth and humor–it’s perfect for book clubs. Discussion questions are included to prompt lively conversations.

Virtual Open Mic Night -- Featuring William Walsh, Author of Haircuts for the Dead
2026-05-14 18:00 - 19:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
The Pat Conroy Literary Center’s monthly Open Mic Night will be presented as a virtual event, live-streamed to our Facebook page, on Thursday, May 14, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Our featured presenter is novelist William Walsh, author of Haircuts for the Dead. Open Mic will also feature short readings of 3 to 5 minutes each by other writers in many genres.
Interested in reading as part of virtual Open Mic? Let us know at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org.
About Our Featured Author:
William Walsh is the author of ten books and is the editor of the James Dickey Review. He teaches at Reinhardt University and directs the undergraduate creative writing program, as well as the low-residency MFA program. Walsh lives in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Haircuts for the Dead is his second novel.
“Those fortunate enough to have read William Walsh’s first novel, LAKEWOOD, know he is a vital voice in contemporary fiction. Now with HAIRCUTS FOR THE DEAD we can welcome a story addressing the most important concerns of our time: race, choice in sexual identity, the burdens of the past, and challenges to faith. Walsh portrays the elusive dynamics within families in this era of rapid change, as a story-within-a-story illuminates each. You will be moved by this novel of the search for a home and love, to be found in unexpected places.” –Robert Morgan, author of GAP CREEK
“In Hannah Gardner’s search for both a place and a love that feel like home, William Walsh has given us a rollicking tale of a charming heroine healing an injured heart and conquering a small part of a great big world.” –Jessica Handler, author of THE MAGNETIC GIRL

An Evening with Sallie Ann Robinson
2026-05-22 17:00 - 18:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Friday May 22 – 5:30-6:30 PM EDT
Price: Free
Registration: Seating is limited; please call to reserve your spot: 843-379-7025.
Venue: Pat Conroy Literary Center | 601 Bladen St., Beaufort
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sallie Ann Robinson was born on Daufuskie Island before natives began selling their ancestral land to private corporations and individuals in the 1960s and began moving inland While she is an author in her own right, Robinson’s literary debut actually came as the character named Ethel in Pat Conroy’s classic memoir, The Water Is Wide.
She is the author of Gullah Home Cooking the Daufuskie Way: Smokin’ Joe Butter Beans, Ol’ ’Fuskie Fried Crab Rice, Sticky-Bush Blackberry Dumpling, and Other Sea Island Favorites and Cooking the Gullah Way, Morning, Noon, and Night and coauthor of Daufuskie Island.
ABOUT THE EVENING:
Sallie Ann will regale attendees with stories of her time on Daufuskie and her time with Pat Conroy. In addition, her latest project is to help her and her family save their historical Gullah house on Daufuskie Island. The building was built around the 1930’s and is in need of restoration. This house and others are a part of the island history. Sallie, her grandmother, mother and many other were born in this house.

An Author Event with Brynn Barineau, joined by NJ Mastro
2026-05-30 14:00 - 15:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Set against Henry Ford’s audacious—and ultimately disastrous—attempt to industrialize the Amazon, Jungle of Ashes is a sweeping novel of ambition, exploitation, and hope. Centered on Joanna Rogge, the daughter of an American manager, and Rafael Caetano, a Brazilian mechanic, the story unfolds within Fordlandia, the real-life rubber plantation where cultural imposition, dangerous labor conditions, and political upheaval collide.
Through the eyes of two star-crossed lovers, the novel reveals the human cost of unchecked power and the resilience found in connection across languages, cultures, and continents. Vividly researched and deeply empathetic, Jungle of Ashes will resonate with readers of immersive historical fiction, cross-cultural narratives, and character-driven epics.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
BRYNN BARINEAU
From Atlanta to Washington DC to Rio de Janeiro to Vitoria, Brazil and finally back to Atlanta in June 2020. (Yes. 2020.) In high school, I studied French. In college, Arabic. In grad school, I studied political campaigns in India. I considered a lot of life possibilities but living in Brazil, anywhere in South America, was never one of them. Then I met and married the smartest man I’ve ever known, who happened to be from Rio de Janeiro.
After four years in Rio, we moved to Vitoria. After my daughter was born in 2011, I tried to find picture books in English about Brazil for my little Brazilian-American and came up with almost nothing. I expanded my search to chapter books, young adult and with growing disbelief I looked for any fiction book with a connection to Brazil.
My research made one thing clear. In the United States, it’s easier to find a book set in outer space than in Brazil.
Eventually I had a radical idea. Maybe I could write the books I wanted to find.
After nine years of writing, three shelved novels, around 200 query letters, two years out on submission to editors, my first novel, Jaguars and Other Game, debuted in November, 2022. My second novel, Jungle of Ashes will launch with History Through Fiction on May 19, 2026 along with the re-release of Jaguars and Other Game.
N.J. MASTRO is a historical fiction writer and book blogger who publishes Herstory Revisited, a blog dedicated to biographical novels about audacious women from the past, Mastro has a master’s degree and a doctorate in educational leadership. Besides being an experienced public speaker, she is also an avid reader, master cook, and wine enthusiast.

Mary Kay Andrews in conversation with Cassandra King
2026-06-04 11:00 - 13:00 | Rotary Community Center at Oscar Frazier Park, Bluffton
Mary Kay Andrews shares her new book, Road Trip, in conversation with Cassandra King. Ticket price includes a copy of Mary Kay’s book. Don’t forget to get it signed while you’re at the event!
MARY KAY ANDREWS is the New York Times bestselling author of 30 novels (including Road Trip; Holiday Hideaway; Summers at the Saint; Bright Lights, Big Christmas; The Homewreckers; The Santa Suit; The Newcomer; Hello, Summer; Sunset Beach; The High Tide Club; The Weekenders; Beach Town; Save the Date; Ladies’ Night; Christmas Bliss; Spring Fever; Summer Rental; The Fixer Upper; Deep Dish; Blue Christmas; Savannah Breeze; Hissy Fit; Little Bitty Lies; and Savannah Blues), and one cookbook, The Beach House Cookbook.
CASSANDRA KING is an award-winning author of five books of fiction and two nonfiction works.

An Afternoon with Tommy Hays in conversation with Mindy Friddle
2026-06-07 14:00 - 15:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Sunday June 7, 2-3:30 PM EDT
Price: Free
Registration: Seating is limited; please call to reserve your spot: 843-379-7025.
Venue: Pat Conroy Literary Center | 601 Bladen St., Beaufort
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tommy Hays is an acclaimed Southern writer, whose fiction grows out of his emotional connections to places he’s lived and known—Greenville, South Carolina; Asheville, North Carolina; and Atlanta. His novels are The Pleasure Was Mine (St. Martin’s Press 2005), In the Family Way (Random House, 1999), Sam’s Crossing (Atheneum 1992), and YA novel What I Came to Tell You (Egmont, USA 2013). He has published stories, profiles and book reviews in magazines, newspapers and literary journals such as Redbook, Our State, The Atlanta Constitution, The Charlotte Observer, Smoky Mountain Living, Still: The Journal, The Chattahoochee Review, and storySouth.
The winner of many literary awards, he is founder and formerExecutive Director of the Great Smokies Writing Program, UNC Asheville’s community writing program as well as Lecturer Emeritus in the Master of Liberal Arts program.
ABOUT THE BOOK-The Marriage Bed:
A freak accident comes on the heels of a startling revelation—laying bare the foundation of a marriage, and a husband is left to grapple with the aftermath.
A poetry professor at a small college in Asheville, NC, Asa Flowers, comes home one stormy evening to find his wife Betsy inexplicably distraught. As the evening goes on, the couple end up in a heated argument that sends Asa to sleep out in their garage apartment for the first time intwenty-five years of marriage. The next morning, he wakes to blue sky and an altered world.
Unfolding over a few tense weeks and told from multiple points of view, this novel explores how a tragedy can assume as many shapes as the people it touches. Asa finds himself reckoning with torn feelings about his marriage and confusion about how to proceed in his complicated relationships with his adult children. As he gradually absorbs revelations—so much he didn’t know or understand during his long marriage—he finds himself drawn uneasily toward a new world, one in which he must shed much of his old identity if he is to survive and, more important, rededicate himself to being a father.
ABOUT MINDY FRIDDLE:
Mindy Friddle’s first novel, The Garden Angel, was selected for Barnes and Noble’s Discover Great New Writers program. Secret Keepers, her second novel, won the Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction. Regal House published Mindy’s third novel, Her Best Self, in 2024. Mindy’s short fiction has appeared in Hard to Find: An Anthology of New Southern Gothic, storySouth, Orca, LitMag, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Southern Humanities Review, and many other journals. Mindy holds an MFA in fiction from Warren Wilson. She lives on Edisto Island, South Carolina.

Open Mic Night-Featuring Melissa Whiteford St. Clair
2026-06-11 18:00 - 19:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Share your writing at Open Mic Night! Whether you are published or not, whether you’ve written a novel, poem, short story or something else of interest we want to hear YOU! It’s easy, and great exposure and practice.
If you’re interested in reading as part of Open Mic night? Just email ginger@patconroyliterarycenter.org and you’ll be added to the list
Open Mic this month will feature Melissa Whiteford St. Clair, and her books will be available for sale and signing.
We will also feature short readings of 3 to 5 minutes each by other writers in many genres..
About Our Featured Writer
Founder of White Girl Advocacy, Melissa Whiteford St. Clair is a poet and social justice advocate. Melissa has published three books of poetry “Home Work A Collection of Poems Sparked by One White Woman’s Journey on the Matter of Race,” “Heart Work A Heart-Centered Collection of Poems,” and “Origins + Crossroads Poems Traversing Time with the Intrepid Harriet Tubman,” and “White Girl Homework,” a self-guided workbook. She is also a contributing poet to the “South Carolina Bards Poetry Anthology” 2023-25, and “Finding Common Ground Leaning In To Listen.” She was named the “Rise and Shine: What America Means To Me” State Winner by the South Carolina Society of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) with the entry of a photo and accompanying poem. Her poem, “Harriet’s Feat to Freedom” was included in the Hilton Head Island Poetry Trail (Mitchelville, November 2024 to May 2025). She was part of the Piccolo Spoleto Sundown Poetry Series (2025). Melissa’s poem, “There’s No Bull in Back Issues of Bon Appetit” was selected for The Petrigru Review Fall 2025.

Author Event with Kerry Peresta
2026-06-18 17:00 - 18:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Thursday June 18 – 5:00-6:30 PM EDT
Price: Free
Registration: Seating is limited; please call to reserve your spot: 843-379-7025.
Venue: Pat Conroy Literary Center | 601 Bladen St., Beaufort
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kerry Peresta is a former advertising account executive and copywriter turned thriller whisperer, whose sharp wit and Southern roots fuel gripping tales of suspense. After decades of crafting punchy headlines and captivating campaigns, she traded the corporate world for full time writing and the salty air of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. She is the author of the Olivia Callahan Suspense series, a five-book collection, and standalone thriller Back Before Dawn, all published by Level Best Books. Creator of the weekly humor column “The Lighter Side,” 2009-2011, Capital Journal, Pierre, SD; she’s also written articles for Local Life Magazine, Lady Lowcountry Magazine, Bluffton Breeze, and Island Events Magazine; contributed a short story for the anthology Rock, Roll & Ruin, published by Down & Out Books; and co-created the mystery podcast “Guns, Knives & Lipstick.” She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Island Writers Network, South Carolina Writers Association, and Int’l Thriller Writers. Discover more at kerryperesta.com.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
In The Shaking, book five of Kerry Peresta’s suspense series, Olivia Callahan faces her most perilous case yet. Years after surviving a traumatic brain injury that reshaped her identity, Olivia is now a seasoned P.I. navigating the shadows of her past and the dangers of her present. When a seemingly routine investigation spirals into a web of deceit, betrayal, and a chilling conspiracy tied to her own history, Olivia must confront forces that threaten to unravel everything she’s fought to rebuild. As secrets surface and the stakes escalate, Olivia’s courage and cunning are pushed to the limit in a race against time to uncover the truth before it destroys her.

Camp Conroy Week Two: Summer Camp for 12-14 Year Olds Starts Soon!
2026-06-22 09:15 - 2026-06-26 14:45 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Camp Conroy’s AI: Artful Intelligence Camp for ages 12–14 runs June 22–26. Young writers and artists will explore creativity, storytelling, art, and technology with professional writers, teachers, and artists.
Space is limited and registration is filling quickly, so if you are interested, register your child (or grandchild) today!
To register, use this Eventbrite link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/camp-conroy-2026-day-camp-for-young-writers-artists-tickets-1986852598607?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
June 22-26 for 12-14 year olds
Space is limited to 10 campers
Hosted by the non-profit Pat Conroy Literary Center and held at the Center’s campus at 601 Bladen Street in Beaufort.
This years’ camp theme is AI-Artful Intelligence, Creativity and Technology. We will discover how AI can sometimes enhance (not replace!) human creativity by building a book together-creating both individually and collaboratively. The campers will write, design, critique, edit all in preparation for publication of a book.
Campers will be guided through their creative endeavors by Camp Conroy’s talented counselors, 3 full-time adult instructors, and special guests presenters and instructors. Campers will each receive a copy of the camp anthology on publication after the camp concludes.
Adult instructors include:
Miho Kinnas, a Japanese poet/writer residing on Hilton Head. She is the author of three poetry collections and one book (about to be two books). This is her 9thyear as an instructor at Camp Conroy.
Deidre Garr Johns, a writer and 20-year veteran teacher also residing on Hilton Head, and is a published author of poetry and children’s fiction This is her second year as an instructor at Camp Conroy.
Thomas ‘TJ’ Belasco, taught English literature and composition for 34 years and lives in Beaufort. TJ, a newly-appointed board member of the Conroy Literary Center, is also a published author
Linda Warner Constantino- a few words of background as a designer:I am a natural teacher. I love to learn how to create new things. I taught Illustration for 20 years at Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia. My students fed my enthusiasm for creativity. I like to think I did the same.
Camp Conroy invites diversity and inclusivity among our campers with respect to race, religion, ability and all others aspects of identity. Scholarships are available to assist campers who might not otherwise be able to take part in this experience.
The $250 registration fee includes one week of instruction, camp activities and healthy daily snacks. (This is a day camp; overnight lodging and meals are not included.
Sponsorships: WE welcome your tax-deductible donations to the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center to sponsor a camper, camp counselor, instructor or guest presenters.
Questions: Email us at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org

Author Event with Paul Attaway
2026-07-30 17:00 - 18:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening with author Paul Attaway at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort) on July 30 from 5-6:30. Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited for this free event; please call in advance to reserve: 843-379-7025.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Paul was born and raised in the Atlanta, Georgia area, met his wife, Lyn, in college at Georgetown University and they now live in Charleston, South Carolina. After college graduation in 1985, Paul received his law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1988. Paul and Lyn then married and settled in Phoenix, AZ where they raised three children.
Paul was a lawyer for two years before moving into the business world, and over the next thirty years, Paul started several successful businesses before retiring from this life and moving to Charleston, South Carolina.
When Paul and Lyn aren’t spending time together or being grandparents, Paul is working on his next book, Substack post, or guiding walking history tours around Charleston. Learn more about Paul, upcoming appearances, and his next novel at www.paulattaway.com.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Blood Rivalry, an Atkins Family Low Country Saga, is Paul
Attaway’s third book in a series of interlocking stories surrounding
the lives of two brothers, Eli and Walker Atkins, living in
Charleston, South Carolina.
In Blood Rivalry, the year is 1994 and Eli and Walker, married,
pursuing careers and raising families, find themselves entangled
with the ruthless and powerful Dunsmore family, a family that will
stop at nothing to put their son, the governor of South Carolina, in the White House. Either Walker and Eli stop them, or they’ll be
crushed by the Dunsmore’s quest.

Author Event: Emily Carpenter in Conversation with Kimberly Brock
2026-08-27 17:00 - 18:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Thursday August 27 from 5-6:30.
Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited for this free event; please call in advance to reserve: 843-379-7025.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Like a gender-flipped Saltburn set amidst the moss-draped, haunted beauty of Savannah, this intoxicating blend of Southern suspense and modern witchcraft from bestselling author Emily Carpenter casts a spell of class, power, and possession.
In a city where ghosts linger in the moss and money buys salvation, a struggling psychicis drawn into Savannah’s glittering elite, as obsession and need curdle the lines between magic and madness, seduction and salvation, pirates and protectors…
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
EMILY CARPENTER is a bestselling author of suspense novels including Burying the Honeysuckle Girls, The Weight of Lies and Gothictown.
Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, she graduated from Auburn University and worked in New York City as an actor, producer, screenwriter, and behind-the-scenes assistant for the CBS shows As the World Turns and Guiding Light before returning to her southern roots.
She now lives with her family outside Atlanta, Georgia, and can be found online at EmilyCarpenterAuthor.com.
KIMBERLY BROCK is the award-winning author of The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare and The River Witch. She is the founder of Tinderbox Writers Workshop and has served as a guest lecturer for many regional and national writing workshops including at the Pat Conroy Literary Center. She lives near Atlanta with her husband and three children.

Dana Ridenour Book Launch- All the Hidden Pieces
2026-09-05 17:00 - 19:00 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Saturday September 5, 5:00-7:00PM EDT
Price: Free
Registration: Refreshments will be served and space is limited; please call to reserve your spot: 843-379-7025.
Venue: Pat Conroy Literary Center | 601 Bladen St., Beaufort
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dana Ridenour is a retired FBI agent and the award-winning author of the Lexie Montgomery thriller series. Behind the Mask was named one of the best indie books of 2016 by Kirkus
Reviews, while Beyond the Cabin won the 2018 Royal Palm Literary Award for best thriller or suspense novel, and Below the Radar was the 2020 Readers’ Favorite gold-medal winner in
the thriller genre as well as the 2021 Feathered Quill Book Awards gold/first-place winner for best adult fiction. Dana has also written two television screenplays. Her screenplay for Below
the Radar was a finalist for an Atlanta International Screenplay Award.
An avid kayak angler and hiker, Dana lives in Beaufort, South Carolina, where she is working on her fifth novel.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
When Julia Chandler’s husband dies in a late-night car crash, grief and betrayal drive her to do something impulsive: hike all 2,190 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Joined by three of her oldest friends, each carrying secrets of their own, Julia sets out to rediscover herself. What begins as an escape soon becomes a test of endurance, courage, and trust. As the friends tackle brutal climbs, raging storms, and dangerous wildlife encounters, they begin to shed the layers of guilt, fear, and regret that have long defined them. But when a heart-stopping accident
occurs on the trail, their strength and courage are pushed to the next level. From Georgia to Maine, each mile forces them to face the truths they’ve buried for years. An emotional, heart pounding story about the unbreakable bonds that carry us through life’s roughest miles and the transformative power of nature, All the Hidden Pieces invites readers to reflect on the hidden pieces we all carry and the beauty of finding wholeness again.

Author Event: An Evening with Susan Beckham Zurenda in Conversation with Cassandra King
2026-09-10 17:00 - 18:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Thursday September 10 – 5:00-6:30 PM EDT
Price: Free
Registration: Seating is limited; please call to reserve your spot: 843-379-7025.
Venue: Pat Conroy Literary Center | 601 Bladen St., Beaufort
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Her latest novel, No Way Out but Through, scheduled for August 2026, continues her exploration of Southern life and human connection. Two women of different generations—one scarred by an abusive teen marriage and the other by an alcoholic husband—come together to grapple with their inner demons and confront their untold stories.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Susan Beckham Zurenda- taught English for 33 years on the college level and at the high school level to AP students. Her debut novel, Bells for Eli (Mercer University Press, March 2020; paperback edition March 2021), was selected the first place winner for Best First Book—Fiction in the 2021 IPPY (Independent Publisher Book Awards), a Foreword Indie Book Award finalist, a Winter 2020 Okra Pick by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, a 2020 Notable Indie on Shelf Unbound, a 2020 finalist for American Book Fest Best Book Awards, and was nominated for a Pushcart Prize for 2021. Susan has won numerous awards for her short fiction, including winning the South Carolina Fiction Prize twice. Her second novel, The Girl From the Red Rose Motel (Mercer University Press, September 2023), was the recipient of the 2024 Patricia Winn Award in Southern Fiction, Gold Medal winner in the 2024 IPPY Awards for Southeast Fiction, a 2024 Pushcart Prize nominee, a Shelf Unbound 2023 Notable 100 books, and a finalist in the American Book Fest Awards. The author lives in Spartanburg, SC.
CASSANDRA KING- is the award-winning author of two books of non-fiction and five novels, Making Waves, The Sunday Wife, The Same Sweet Girls, Queen of Broken Hearts, and Moonrise, as well as numerous short stories and articles.The Sunday Wife was a Book Sense Pick and a People magazine Page Turner of the Week; on release, The Same Sweet Girls was the number one Book Sense selection nationwide. Queen of Broken Hearts, was a Book of the Month Club and Literary Guild selection. Her latest book, Tell Me a Story, was named SIBA’s non-fiction Book of the Year. In 2025, Cassandra was the recipient of the Harper Lee Prize, a lifetime achievement award presented by the Harper Lee Foundation. A native of L. A. (Lower Alabama), Cassandra resides in Beaufort, South Carolina, where she is honorary chair of the Pat Conroy Literary Center.

10th Annual Book Club Convention-Save the Date!
2026-09-26 10:00 - 18:00 | Beaufort, South Carolina, Beaufort, SC, US
Mark your calendars for the 10th Annual Lowcountry Book Club Convention, hosted by the Pat Conroy Literary Center, on September 25–26, 2026!
For ten years, book clubs, book lovers, authors, and literary friends have gathered to celebrate stories that connect us, inspire us, and spark unforgettable conversations. This milestone year promises engaging author discussions, memorable keynote speakers, opportunities to connect with fellow readers, and plenty of literary magic along the way.
Whether you’ve joined us from the beginning or this will be your very first convention, we can’t wait to celebrate a decade of books and community together.
📚 Save the dates: September 25–26, 2026
📍 More details and featured guests coming soon!

Author Event: Book Launch and Lowcountry Celebration with Author Lynn Seldon
2026-10-01 16:00 - 18:00 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Thursday October 1 – 4:00-6:00 PM EDT
Price: Free
Registration: Refreshments from the Pat Conroy Cookbook will be served and space is limited; please call to reserve your spot: 843-379-7025.
Venue: Pat Conroy Literary Center | 601 Bladen St., Beaufort
Join us for a book launch and lowcountry celebration in honor of Lynn Seldon’s new book:Pat Conroy’s Lowcountry.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Discover the landscapes, culture, and communities that shaped one of the South’s most beloved literary voices through an immersive journey across South Carolina’s storied Lowcountry. From the tidal marshes and historic streets of Charleston to the quiet charm of Beaufort, readers are invited to explore the places that inspired a lifetime of storytelling by Pat Conroy. This engaging history and travel narrative highlights the region’s rich heritage, coastal beauty, and vibrant culture while tracing the author’s deep personal connection to the communities he called home.
Follow the path through beloved Lowcountry destinations including Fripp Island, St. Helena Island, and Daufuskie Island―locations that appear frequently in Conroy’s novels and memoirs. The journey also explores formative chapters of his life, from his time as a cadet at The Citadel to his years teaching in Beaufort County schools and on remote coastal islands.
Blending literary history, regional storytelling, and practical travel inspiration, this richly detailed guide offers readers a unique perspective on the South Carolina Lowcountry. Along the way, it highlights historic landmarks, Gullah Geechee heritage, scenic waterways, renowned coastal cuisine, and authentic local experiences that continue to define this extraordinary region.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lynn Seldon is a veteran travel journalist who has written for Southern Living, Garden & Gun, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and hundreds of other print and online publications. He has also authored or coauthored more than a half dozen books, including 100 Things to Do in the South Carolina Lowcountry Before You Die, 100 Things to Do in Charleston Before You Die, and 100 Things to Do in Savannah Before You Die (with Cele Seldon);
Our Vanishing Americana: A South Carolina Portrait (with Cele Seldon and Mike Lassiter); and Virginia’s Ring and Carolina’s Ring, the first two novels of his “Ring Trilogy.” Seldon’s friend and mentor Pat Conroy called Virginia’s Ring “a triumph and a tour de force,” while Cassandra King called Carolina’s Ring “an unforgettable story of love, loss, and redemption.” Seldon and his wife, fellow travel journalist Cele Seldon, live in Beaufort, South Carolina

11th Annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival
2026-10-22 17:00 - 2026-10-25 16:00 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Go ahead and hold the dates.
The 11th Annual Conroy Festival will be held on Thursday October 22,through Sunday, October 25, as a series of free and ticketed events in Beaufort, SC, featuring author discussions, writers workshops, poetry readings, a screening of one of a film adaptation of one of Pat’s beloved novels, and more.
Held in locations throughout Beaufort and surrounding lowcountry, this is sure to be an amazing journey.
