Teddy Bear Picnic Read Aloud with Daylo May 2025
2025-05-03 09:30 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Port Royal Farmers Market, 1615 Ribault Rd, Port Royal, SC, 29935, United States
Saturday May 3, 2025 – 9:30 a.m. to noon EDT
Price: Free
Venue: Port Royal Farmers Market | Ribaut Rd & Pinckney Blvd, Port Royal, SC 29935
Website: Facebook Event Page
On the first Saturday of every month, you can join the student volunteers of DAYLO: Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization for a Teddy Bear Picnic read-aloud at the Port Royal Farmers Market (1615 Ribaut Rd.). In collaboration with the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, high school and college student volunteers from the Beaufort-based chapters of DAYLO gather at the gazebo in Naval Heritage Park from 9:30 a.m. to noon to read diverse, inclusive picture books to children and their families, inspiring a love of stories, books, reading, and peer-to-peer mentoring.
Cozy blankets, a plethora of stuffed animals, and some snacks help the students make a welcoming environment in this free community literacy program. Several times a year, National Park Service Ranger Katherine Freeman also joins in for Read with a Ranger, a literacy and art project thematically connected to the missions of DAYLO, the Conroy Center, and the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park.
DAYLO is a student-led diversity themed book club and community service group founded at Beaufort High School and now with chapters across South Carolina. Learn more at: https://linktr.ee/DAYLOBFT.

This program and others like this would not be possible without your financial help for which, as always, Pat Conroy Literary Center gratefully thanks you.

May 2025 Virtual Open Mic Night
2025-05-08 18:00 - 19:30 | Online – Facebook Live
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.
When: Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 6 PM – 7:30 PM EDT
Price: Free · Duration: 1 hr 30 min
Where: Virtual – Facebook
Interested in reading as part of Open Mic? Let us know at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org
We 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!
Event Facebook Page
About our author:
James 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.
“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.
“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.

This program and others like this would not be possible without your financial help for which, as always, Pat Conroy Literary Center gratefully thanks you.

An Afternoon with Annelore Harrell, author of Et Cetera Y’all
2025-05-31 14:00 - 15:30 | Pat Conroy Literary Center, 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, 29902, United States
Saturday, May 31, 2025 – 2:00-3:30 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
Website: Facebook Event Page
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.
About the Book and Author
“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
Get 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.
Annelore 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.
By 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.
Transitioning 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.
In 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.
In 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.
Annelore’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.
Even 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.
Annelore Harrell’s story is a testament to living with passion, resilience, and an unquenchable thirst for adventure.

This program and others like this would not be possible without your financial help for which, as always, Pat Conroy Literary Center gratefully thanks you.

Teddy Bear Picnic Read Aloud with Daylo June 2025
2025-06-07 09:30 - 12:00 | Port Royal Farmers Market, 1615 Ribault Rd, Port Royal, SC, 29935, United States
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.).

Free

Camp Conroy: 2025 Summer Camp for Young Writers & Artists ages 9 to 12
2025-06-09 08:00 - 17:00 | Pat Conroy Literary Center, 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, 29902, United States
Robert Smalls Leadership Academy 43 W. K. Alston Drive, Beaufort, SC, United States

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 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.

$250

June 2025 Open Mic Night
2025-06-12 18:00 - 19:30 | Pat Conroy Literary Center, 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, 29902, United States
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.
When: Thursday, June 12, 2025 at 6 PM – 7:30 PM EDT
Price: Free · Duration: 1 hr 30 min
Where: Conroy Center (601 Bladen St.)
Interested in reading as part of Open Mic? Let us know at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org
We 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!
Event Facebook Page
About our featured author:
Doris 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.
“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

This program and others like this would not be possible without your financial help for which, as always, Pat Conroy Literary Center gratefully thanks you.

Camp Conroy: 2025 Summer Camp for Young Writers & Artists ages 13 to 16
2025-06-23 - 2025-06-25 | Robert Smalls Leadership Academy, 43 W. K. Alston Drive, Beaufort, 29906, United States
REGISTRATION: Eventbrite
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.
This 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.
During 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.
Campers 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.
Camp 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.
The $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.
In 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.
Scholarships: 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.
Sponsorships: 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.
Facebook Page

Teddy Bear Picnic Read Aloud with Daylo July 2025
2025-07-05 09:30 - 12:00 | Port Royal Farmers Market, 1615 Ribault Rd, Port Royal, SC, 29935, United States
Saturday July 5, 2025 – 9:30 a.m. to noon EDT
Price: Free
Venue: Port Royal Farmers Market | Ribaut Rd & Pinckney Blvd, Port Royal, SC 29935
Website: Facebook Event Page
On the first Saturday of every month, you can join the student volunteers of DAYLO: Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization for a Teddy Bear Picnic read-aloud at the Port Royal Farmers Market (1615 Ribaut Rd.). In collaboration with the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, high school and college student volunteers from the Beaufort-based chapters of DAYLO gather at the gazebo in Naval Heritage Park from 9:30 a.m. to noon to read diverse, inclusive picture books to children and their families, inspiring a love of stories, books, reading, and peer-to-peer mentoring.
Cozy blankets, a plethora of stuffed animals, and some snacks help the students make a welcoming environment in this free community literacy program. Several times a year, National Park Service Ranger Katherine Freeman also joins in for Read with a Ranger, a literacy and art project thematically connected to the missions of DAYLO, the Conroy Center, and the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park.
DAYLO is a student-led diversity themed book club and community service group founded at Beaufort High School and now with chapters across South Carolina. Learn more at: https://linktr.ee/DAYLOBFT.

This program and others like this would not be possible without your financial help for which, as always, Pat Conroy Literary Center gratefully thanks you.

July 2025 Virtual Open Mic Night
2025-07-10 18:00 - 19:30 | Online – Facebook Live
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.
When: Thursday, July 10, 2025 at 6 PM – 7:30 PM EDT
Price: Free · Duration: 1 hr 30 min
Where: Virtual – Facebook
Interested in reading as part of Open Mic? Let us know at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org
We 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!
Event Facebook Page
About our author:
Abagail 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.

About After the Storm
June 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.

This program and others like this would not be possible without your financial help for which, as always, Pat Conroy Literary Center gratefully thanks you.

An Evening with Katherine Scott Crawford author of The Miniaturist's Assistant
2025-07-17 17:00 - 18:30 | Pat Conroy Literary Center, 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, 29902, United States
Thursday, July 17, 2025 – 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
Website: Facebook Event Page
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 Thursday, 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.
ABOUT THE BOOK
The 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.
2004: 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.
1804: 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.
“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
“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
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Katherine 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.

This program and others like this would not be possible without your financial help for which, as always, Pat Conroy Literary Center gratefully thanks you.

Silent Book Club Beaufort
2025-07-19 16:30 - 18:30, 2025-08-23 16:30 - 18:30 | Pat Conroy Literary Center, 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, 29902, United States
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.

Silent Book Club Beaufort is co-sponsored by the Conroy Center and the student book club DAYLO (Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization).
Unlike traditional book clubs, Silent Book Club Beaufort has no assigned reading, no deadlines, and no discussions required. Whether you prefer ebooks, audiobooks, comic books, textbooks, or paperbacks, readers are invited to bring their book of choice, settle in, and savor the joy of uninterrupted reading among like-minded individuals.

Silent Book Club Beaufort also features a book swap: Leave a book, take a book.

The casual meetups provide an excellent opportunity to discover new book recommendations, make friends, and reconnect with the love of reading. Whether you’re a lifelong bookworm or just getting back into reading, everyone is welcome.

Silent Book Club Beaufort is free to attend and proudly supports local businesses and organizations. Additional dates and locations will be announced via the SBCB Instagram page at www.instagram.com/silentbookclubbeaufort.

An Evening with New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Novelist Karen White, Author of That Last Carolina Summer
2025-07-23 17:00 - 19:00 | Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce, 711 Bladen St, Beaufort, SC, 29902, United States
Register: Register at EventBrite
Wednesday, July 23, 2025 · 5 – 7pm EDT
Cost: $40 (no refunds)
Venue: Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce | 711 Bladen Street Beaufort, SC 29902
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, 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.
Advance 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.
Learn more and register at EventBrite
Website: Facebook Event Page
ABOUT THE BOOK
Beloved bestselling author Karen White returns with a captivating Southern drama about sisterhood, secrets and one woman’s reckoning with the past.
As 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.
As 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.
But 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.
“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
“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
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Karen 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.

This program and others like this would not be possible without your financial help for which, as always, Pat Conroy Literary Center gratefully thanks you.

An Evening With Best Selling Author Kiese Laymon - City Summer, Country Summer
2025-07-24 18:00 - 19:30 | Robert Smalls Leadership Academy, 43 W. K. Alston Drive, Beaufort, 29906, United States
MacArthur Genius Grant Honoree and Children’s Book Author Kiese Laymon Visits Beaufort on July 24
The Storybook Shoppe children’s bookstore will host award-winning author Kiese Laymon for an evening of stories on Thursday, July 24, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m., at Robert Smalls Leadership Academy (43 W. Alston Dr., Beaufort). This free program for families will include a writing opportunity inspired by our lowcountry summers as well as discussion of Laymon’s debut picture book City Summer, Country Summer in conversation with local students E Achurch and Emily Alaia from DAYLO (Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization). Books will be available for sale and signing. This special event is a community collaboration between the Storybook Shoppe, Robert Smalls Leadership Academy, DAYLO, and the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center.

ABOUT THE BOOKCity Summer, Country Summer is a lyrical and evocative picture book that captures the transformative power of friendship. The story of three Black boys as they embark on a lifechanging summer. The boys spend one special summer exploring the Mississippi woods—and the woulds and coulds of sharing the kind of freeing friendship that is love. Watched over and given space to discover by Grandmama and Mama Lara, New York, Country, and little C find camaraderie in their contrasts and all the unspoken things between them while playing games of Marco Polo in the thick garden and sledding on cardboard by the underpass. With text brimming with love City Summer, Country Summer illustrates the tenuous bonds of friendship Black boys forge with one another.
“A heartfelt, elegantly wrought, and triumphant tribute to Black boy kinship. On the sunny porches of their grandmothers’ neighboring houses and in the cool shadows of the surrounding woods, hesitation becomes tenderness, anxiety becomes laughter, and difference becomes safeness.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Laymon’s text is lyrical and specific…Franklin’s digital illustrations…clearly centers each emotion the boys experience…deeply moving…reveling as it does in the tender bonds of Black boy friendship.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

ABOUT THE AUTHORKiese Laymon is a Black Southern writer from Jackson, Mississippi. Laymon is also the author of the genre-bending novel Long Division and the bestselling memoir Heavy: An American Memoir, winner of the 2019 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, the 2018 Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose, the Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media, and named one of the 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years by The New York Times. He was also the recipient of the 2020-2021 Radcliffe Fellowship at Harvard and a MacArthur Genius grant. He currently teaches English and creative writing at Rice University.

ABOUT THE INTERVIEWERSE Achurch is founding president of the DAYLO chapter at The Complete Student and Emily Alaia is president of the Battery Creek High School chapter of DAYLO. Both are rising juniors.

Lowcountry Children's Book Fair
2025-07-26 10:00 - 14:00 | SC
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center’s annual Lowcountry Children’s Book Fair will be held on Saturday, July 26, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Port Royal Sound Foundation Weezie Educational Pavilion (310 Okatie Hwy).
A dozen local and visiting writers will be on hand with books for sales and signing, along with art activities and readings throughout the day.

Presented in partnership between the Conroy Center, the Port Royal Sound Foundation, the Storybook Shoppe children’s bookstore, and DAYLO (Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization), this free community event is made possible by the generous support of Oyster Cay Collection of Beaufort.

Angela May, the New York Times bestselling co-author of The Islanders middle-grade novels, will be reading at 11:00 a.m. National Park Service Ranger Katherine Freeman will host a special Read with a Ranger program at noon. Michael B. Moore will read from his debut children’s book, Freedom on the Sea, inspired by the life of Beaufort’s iconic historical figure (and Moore’s ancestor) Robert Smalls at 1:00 p.m.

DAYLO student volunteers will be hosting read-alouds and bookmark art projects throughout the day, and local artist Hank Herring will also be teaching free art projects and Lowcountry Wind Symphony will be offering music projects as well. A food truck will be available midday. The Maritime Center will also be freely open to the public from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Other participating authors and artists include Joy Corley, author of Percy Goes Camping…Maybe; Margie Cowles Hamner, Magic Ball of Light, Mary T. Jacobs, author of the Big Daddy Series; Martha Jaworowski, author of Sports at First Sight; Carole Marsh, author of the Real Kids, Real Places series; Emma McClure, author/artist of Beautiful Beaufort: A Coloring Book; Nancy Merrill, author of Elf Dust; Ryan Q. Milling, author of Bob’s Truck; Robin Prince Monroe, author of The Glades; Susan Montanari, author of My Dog’s a Chicken; Susan Diamond Riley author of the Delta & Jax Mysteries; Katherine Robinson, author of The Crabs on Calhoun; and Beryl Title, author of Adventures of Roxy the Unicorn. The Storybook Shoppe will have additional local books available for sale.

About the Featured Authors
Angela May is the co-author of The Islanders, a New York Times bestselling middle-grade novel series created with Mary Alice Monroe. The first book in the series, The Islanders, earned several honors, including the South Carolina Children’s Book Award nominee and the Triple Crown Award. Angela is a lowcountry native who now lives in Mount Pleasant with her husband and their two children.

Michael Boulware Moore is the great-great grandson of Robert Smalls, whose heroic journey from slavery to the U.S. Congress is the inspiration for Moore’s first children’s picture book, Freedom on the Sea. He served as the founding president of the International African American Museum in Charleston, and he is a frequent keynote speaker for universities, conferences, museums, and other organizations across the country. He lives in Charleston with his family.

Learn more about the Pat Conroy Literary Center at www.patconroyliterarycenter.org.
Learn more about the Port Royal Sound Foundation at www.portroyalsoundfoundation.org.

An Afternoon with USA Today Bestselling Novelist Jennifer Moorman, Author of The Charmed Library
2026-01-10 16:00 - 17:30 | Pat Conroy Literary Center
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an afternoon with USA Today bestselling novelist Jennifer Moorman, author of The Charmed Library, on Saturday, January 10, at 4:00 p.m., at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort). Moorman will be in conversation with Conroy Center executive director Jonathan Haupt. This free event is presented in partnership with the Storybook Shoppe. Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited; please call in advance to reserve: 843-379-7025.
ABOUT THE CHARMED LIBRARY
Like many other public libraries, the one in Blue Sky Valley, North Carolina, is a haven for readers. But it’s also unlike any other. In this library, fictional characters step off the page into real life. Assistant librarian Stella Parker has no idea. Still reeling from her father’s death and–more recently–a breakup, she hasn’t noticed. All she knows is she’s stuck in a job she’s overqualified for and stumped about what to do with her life.
Everything changes when she burns her beloved journal. Words matter to Stella. For as long as she can remember, she’s seen them. Words appear–in varying colors and fonts–rising from surfaces, bouncing over objects, and even wiggling out of people. Words give her insight into emotions and untold stories. But the words change for Stella after she burns her journal. Suddenly they’re demanding, urgent–and painful.
Then Stella stumbles upon strange characters in the library after hours. One is an oddly familiar World War II soldier who introduces himself as Jack—Jack Mathis, the main character from her favorite book. A fictional hero and Stella’s first crush. Standing in front of her in the flesh.
Jack tells Stella about the magic hidden in the library. Skeptical, Stella rashly invites a villain to visit, and chaos ensues. As she discovers the importance of protecting the library’s secret and gets to know the real Jack, words continue to appear. What are they trying to tell her? Much too quickly, Stella is faced with the reality that all stories must end, and magic comes at a price. The characters who visit the library can only stay for fourteen days. And Jack’s time is almost up.
“Moorman delivers the perfect blend of magical realism and romance in this sweet tale about the power of books . . . With enough surprises to keep it from being predictable, Moorman’s delightful story will charm readers.”—Library Journal
“Moorman examines the consequences of losing oneself to grief and the magical, healing power of books. This enchanting and delightful read is a must for book and library lovers.”—Booklist
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jennifer Moorman writes enchanting novels inspired by the everyday magic and whimsy in the world around her. She is the bestselling author of the magical realism Mystic Water series, The Baker’s Man, and The Magic All Around. Born and raised in Southern Georgia, Jennifer has a deep love for nature, a fondness for honeysuckle, and childhood memories of whippoorwills singing her to sleep. When she’s not writing, you can find her testing a new recipe, chasing rainbows, or stargazing. She lives in a magic house in Nashville, Tennessee.

Pains Tapestry: A Writing Workshop Led by Will Davis
2026-01-17 10:00 - 12:00 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Chaplain and poet Will Davis (Tethered Wrds) will lead a community workshop on reflection and restorative writing as opportunityto breathe again, speak truth, and let go of what has weighed you down. This workshop is an invitation to speak life back into those places, to honor the parts of you that were stretched or wounded in the process. Words can be used as swords by hurt, but they can also become a shield, a balm, and a path toward healing. Come ready to write, release, and rebuild.
This is an in-person writers workshop, held at the Pat Conroy Literary Center (601 Bladen St, Beaufort) on Saturday, January 17, from 10:00 to noon. Limited to 15 participants with advance registration; free to attend. Please call 843-379-7025 to reserve your spot.
About the Instructor
Will Davis, known as Tethered Wrds, is a self-proclaimed steward of stories and the creator of a writing style he calls liminara. Rooted in the sacred tension, of what is and what could be, his work seeks to speak life, inspire dignity, and do good. He is the author of the debut poetry collection, Threads of Resilience: Weaving the Human Spirit Through Poetry, a firsthand account of the lived experiences of migrants and immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. His second collection, Upon the Jet Stream, takes flight across Cuba, Africa, and Ukraine, exploring themes of war, hope, and the healing power of beauty. Beyond the page, he is an educator, immigration and human rights advocate, and a passionate believer in the power of storytelling to bridge divides and honor our shared humanity.

Silent Book Club Beaufort
2026-01-17 16:30 - 18:30, 2026-02-21 16:30 - 18:30 | Pat Conroy Literary Center
Silent Book Club Beaufort, a unique take on the traditional book club, meets at the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center (601 Bladen St.) on third Saturdays from 4:30 to 6:30PM. Co-sponsored by the Conroy Center and the student book club DAYLO (Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization), .this community gathering invites book lovers to enjoy their current reads in a welcoming and peaceful atmosphere.
Unlike traditional book clubs, Silent Book Club Beaufort has no assigned reading, no deadlines, and no discussions required. Whether you prefer ebooks, audiobooks, comic books, textbooks, or paperbacks, readers are invited to bring their book of choice, settle in, and savor the joy of uninterrupted reading among like-minded individuals.
Silent Book Club Beaufort also features a book swap: Leave a book, take a book.
The casual meetups provide an excellent opportunity to discover new book recommendations, make friends, and reconnect with the love of reading. Whether you’re a lifelong bookworm or just getting back into reading, everyone is welcome. Additional dates and locations will be announced via www.instagram.com/silentbookclubbeaufort.

Grassroots Marketing for Authors: Workshop Led by Helen P. Bradley
2026-01-24 10:00 - 11:30 | Pat Conroy Literary Center
GRASSROOTS MARKETING FOR AUTHORS
A Writers Workshop Led by Helen P. Bradley, Author of Breach of Trust
Today’s social media landscape is more saturated than ever, making it hard for new writers to stand out, connect with their target readers, and sell more books. In this writers workshop, instructor Helen P. Bradley will share how she promoted her debut novel Breach of Trust on a tight budget by using tried-and-true old school marketing.
You’ll learn how to: create community, find book clubs and events, write an elevator pitch, organize a book launch, create a mailing list, and more. Even if you’re an introvert and marketing sounds more painful than a sunburn, you can promote your book to your ideal audience with these authentic, ethical marketing tools.
This workshop is for published authors as well as those still on the writing journey. It’s never too early to think about marketing. Come hang out with other writers and bring something to write with like old school pen and paper or your favorite device.
Location and Cost
This is an in-person writers workshop, held at the Pat Conroy Literary Center (601 Bladen St, Beaufort). Limited to 15 participants with advance registration required; $50/person.
About Our Instructor
Helen P. Bradley’s debut novel, Breach of Trust, was released in April 2023. It draws from her experiences during twenty-seven years heading a nationally-recognized crime victim advocacy program. It’s about one woman’s fight to protect crime victims and expose corruption within the district attorney’s office that leads her on a harrowing and life-changing journey.
Helen was nominated for 2024 Georgia Author of the Year for a debut novel. She recently was voted Best Local Author and Breach of Trust Best New Local Book in Connect Savannah’s Best Of contest. More than 100 people attended her book launch and broke all sales records for the bookstore selling her books. In August 2022, she won first place in NextTribe’s essay contest. The essay about raising her grandson was selected out of a field of 55 entries from across the country.
For a decade (pre-Covid) she mentored middle school student writers through the Deep program which was recognized by First Lady Michelle Obama (www.deepcenter.org). She helped young people write their powerful stories and they, in turn, inspired her to write hers.
She’s written curricula, essays, and articles for The National Organization for Victim Assistance, The National Victim Center, and the Georgia Victim Assistance Academy. She was a journalist at two daily South Carolina newspapers and has had essays published in The Savannah Anthology, Savannah Magazine, The Savannah Morning News, and Law Enforcement Magazine.After her victim advocacy career, she started a wedding officiant business, Savannah Simple Weddings.
Helen has a degree in English from Clemson University and earned a master’s in public administration from Georgia Southern University. She served as a trainer for the National Organization for Victim Assistance, The National Victim Center, and numerous other organizations. She lives in Savannah, Georgia, with her husband, teen grandson, and an antisocial rescue cat. She enjoys practicing yoga, gobbling chocolate, and reading obituaries.

Pat Conroy as Nature Writer
2026-01-25 15:00 - 17:00 | 21A-1 Market Street. Beaufort, SC 29906
On Sunday, January 25, at 3:00-5:00 p.m., at Village Social of Habersham, Pat Conroy Literary Center executive director Jonathan Haupt and poet Tim Conroy will discuss the nature writing of Pat Conroy, the bestselling author of The Water Is Wide, The Great Santini, The Prince of Tides, and more. From his obscure boyhood poetry to his beloved lyrical adult prose, Conroy wrote about the beauty of our natural world as both wondrous and perilous, using the lowcountry not only as a setting but as the central character of his many books. This presentation will highlight representative examples of Conroy’s nature writing from across the span of his writing life, drawing attention to how Conroy’s relationship with nature is also ultimately a relationship with his deeply felt spiritual and humanistic faith.
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By popular demand, this program is now being offered twice: January 25 AND 26.
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The $25 registration fee includes the presentation, refreshments, and a donation in support of the year-round educational mission of the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center. Register in advance for this event and others in this series at
https://www.villagesocialhabersham.net/upcoming-events
About Our Presenters
Jonathan Haupt is the executive director of the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, the past director of the University of South Carolina Press, and co-editor of the anthology Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy, winner of 17 book awards. He is a frequent guest book reviewer for the Pulitzer Prize-winning Charleston Post and Courier. 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.
Tim 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.

Pat Conroy as Nature Writer
2026-01-26 18:00 - 20:00 | 21A-1 Market Street. Beaufort, SC 29906
On Monday, January 26, at 6:00-8:00 p.m., at Village Social of Habersham, Pat Conroy Literary Center executive director Jonathan Haupt and poet Tim Conroy will discuss the nature writing of Pat Conroy, the bestselling author of The Water Is Wide, The Great Santini, The Prince of Tides, and more. From his obscure boyhood poetry to his beloved lyrical adult prose, Conroy wrote about the beauty of our natural world as both wondrous and perilous, using the lowcountry not only as a setting but as the central character of his many books. This presentation will highlight representative examples of Conroy’s nature writing from across the span of his writing life, drawing attention to how Conroy’s relationship with nature is also ultimately a relationship with his deeply felt spiritual and humanistic faith.
– – –
By popular demand, this program is now being offered twice: January 25 AND 26.
– – –
The $25 registration fee includes the presentation, refreshments, and a donation in support of the year-round educational mission of the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center. Register in advance for this event and others in this series at
https://www.villagesocialhabersham.net/upcoming-events
About Our Presenters
Jonathan Haupt is the executive director of the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, the past director of the University of South Carolina Press, and co-editor of the anthology Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy, winner of 17 book awards. He is a frequent guest book reviewer for the Pulitzer Prize-winning Charleston Post and Courier. 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.
Tim 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.

An Evening with Award-Winning Journalist Steve Oney, Author of On Air
2026-02-05 17:00 - 18:30 | Pat Conroy Literary Center
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening with award-winning journalist, author, and longtime Pat Conroy friend Steve Oney, author of On Air: The Triumph and Tumult of NPR, on Thursday, February 5, at 5:00 p.m., at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort). Oney will be in conversation with Conroy Center executive director Jonathan Haupt. 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
“A lively and engaging new history of the organization . . . Oney’s account of how all this developed has plenty of color and sweep.”—Washington Post
“Engrossing and entertaining . . . A major work of media history.”—New York Times Book Review
“A raucous history . . . Oney’s fleet-footed storytelling and immersive prose bring to life the network’s colorful personalities. The result is an entertaining window into the creative but rancorous scene at one of journalism’s most hallowed institutions.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Founded in 1970, NPR is America’s most powerful broadcast news network. Despite being overshadowed by the larger and more glamorous PBS, public radio has long been home to shows such as All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and This American Life that captivate millions of listeners in homes, cars, and workplaces across the nation. NPR and its hosts are a cultural powerhouse and a trusted voice, and they have created a mode of journalism and storytelling that helps Americans understand the world in which we live.
In On Air, a book fourteen years in the making, journalist Steve Oney tells the dramatic history of this institution, tracing the comings and goings of legendary on-air talents (Bob Edwards, Susan Stamberg, Ira Glass, Cokie Roberts, and many others) and the rise and fall and occasional rise again of brilliant and sometimes venal executives. It depicts how NPR created a medium for extraordinary journalism—in which reporters and producers use microphones as paintbrushes and the voices of people around the world as the soundtrack of stories both global and local. Featuring details on the controversial firing of Juan Williams, the sloppy dismissal of Bob Edwards, and a $235 million bequest by Joan B. Kroc, widow of the founder of McDonald’s, On Air also chronicles NPR’s daring shift into the digital world and its early embrace of podcasting formats, establishing the network as a formidable media empire.
Fascinating, revelatory, and irresistibly dishy, this is a riveting account of NPR’s chaotic ascent, cultural triumph, and imperiled future.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Steve Oney is a longtime journalist who worked for many years as a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Magazine and Los Angeles magazine. He has also contributed articles to many national publications, including Esquire, The Wall Street Journal, New York magazine, GQ, and The New York Times Magazine. His history of the lynching of Leo Frank, And the Dead Shall Rise, won the American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel Award and the National Jewish Book Award. He is also a contributing writer to Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy and a featured presenter at the 2026 Savannah Book Festival. Oney was educated at the University of Georgia and at Harvard, where he was a Nieman Fellow. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Madeline Stuart.

Monthly Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud with DAYLO
2026-02-07 09:30 - 12:00 | Port Royal Farmers Market
On the first Saturday of every month, you can join the student volunteers of DAYLO: Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization for a Teddy Bear Picnic read-aloud at the Port Royal Farmers Market (1615 Ribaut Rd.). In collaboration with the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, high school and college student volunteers from the Beaufort-based chapters of DAYLO gather at the gazebo in Naval Heritage Park from 9:30 a.m. to noon to read diverse, inclusive picture books to children and their families, inspiring a love of stories, books, reading, and peer-to-peer mentoring.
Cozy blankets, a plethora of stuffed animals, and some snacks help the students make a welcoming environment in this free community literacy program. Several times a year, National Park Service Ranger Katherine Freeman also joins in for Read with a Ranger, a literacy and art project thematically connected to the missions of DAYLO, the Conroy Center, and the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park.
DAYLO is a student-led diversity themed book club and community service group founded at Beaufort High School and now with chapters across South Carolina. Learn more at: https://linktr.ee/DAYLOBFT.
The Pat Conroy Literary Center is a nonprofit interpretive and learning center advancing the legacy of beloved, bestselling writer, educator, and mentor Pat Conroy (1945-2016), author of The Water Is Wide, The Great Santini, The Prince of Tides, and more. Learn more at: www.patconroyliterarycenter.org.

Open Mic Night--Featuring Ifetayo J. White, Author of Reiki Heart and Soul
2026-02-12 18:00 - 19:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
The Pat Conroy Literary Center’s monthly Open Mic Night will be held at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St.) on Thursday, February 12, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Our featured author will be Ifetayo J. White, author of Reiki Heart and Soul. Open Mic will also include short readings of 3 to 5 minutes each by other writers in many genres.
Interested in reading as part of Open Mic? Let us know at contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org.
About Our Featured Author
Ifetayo J. White, an influential figure in the realm of Reiki and wellness, hails from Washington, DC, but now calls St. Helena Island her home. She established the Lowcountry School of Reiki and CHOICES Birthing and Wellness Support, contributing significantly to healing practices in the area since 2000. A Howard University graduate, she pursued diverse paths before dedicating herself to healing modalities such as reflexology, Jin Shin Do Acupressure, and massage therapy. As a Usui Reiki Master Teacher since 1999, Ifetayo continues to share her expertise through sessions, workshops, and her own Reiki certification program. Her heart is also filled with love for her family, crafting, cooking, and beach walks.
About the Book:
REIKI HEART and SOUL: Many Stories, One Bright Light is an enlightening anthology, presenting the narratives of U.S. Reiki Teachers and Practitioners whose family and spiritual backgrounds expand the globe. This collection of experiences offers a distinctive rhythm and tone, contributing to the expanding Reiki community. This body of individuals is as diverse as humanity itself, encompassing various races, cultures, locations, and Reiki lineages.
From urban to rural, from ministers to retirees, from the African American to the Jewish and Ifa communities, each story shines a unique light on the practice of Reiki. These narratives are the lifeblood of a global community, united in their commitment to Reiki’s powerful healing energy. They echo a singular, potent message – We are ONE. This mantra encapsulates the unity within diversity that is the essence of the Reiki community.

An Evening with South Carolina Novelists Dorothy McFalls and Linda Lovely
2026-02-19 17:00 - 18:30 | Pat Conroy Literary Center
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening conversation for readers and writers with two South Carolina authors whose work spans multiple genres—Dorothy McFalls and Linda Lovely–on Thursday, February 19, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at the Conroy Center, 601 Bladen St. Free and open to the public, with books available for sale and signing. Seating is limited; please call 843-379-7025 in advance to reserve a spot.
Authors McFalls and Lovely are both avid readers who relish everything from cozy mysteries, gritty thrillers, and historical fiction to steamy romance and otherworldly fantasy.
McFalls and Lovely also have chosen to write in more than one literary niche. McFalls has published 10 cozy mysteries, 3 steamy romantic fantasies, and 9 romances. Lovely’s 12 published titles explore a mix of mystery, suspense, thriller, and romance subgenres.
In their conversation at the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, the authors will share their experiences and discuss the risks and rewards for writers who stray beyond their established niche—including both the creative and marketing aspects of shifting or blending genres They’ll also discuss how this growing author practice can benefit readers.
ABOUT DOROTHY McFALLS
Award-winning author Dorothy McFalls was born in New York but raised in South Carolina. She makes her home on an artsy beach community in South Carolina with her husband, neurotic dog, and persnickety cat. Though writing has always been a passion for her, she pursued an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Biology and a graduate degree in Public Administration and Urban Planning. She then put her educational experience to use, having worked in all branches and all levels of government including local, regional, state, and federal. She even spent time during college working for a non-profit environmental watchdog organization.
Switching from government service and community planning to fiction writing wasn’t as big of a change as some might think. Her government work was all about the stories of the people and the places where they live. As an urban planner, Dorothy loved telling the stories of the people she met. And from that, her desire to tell the stories that were so alive in her heart grew until she could not ignore it any longer. In 2001, she took a leap of faith and pursued her dream of writing fiction full-time.
Now multi-published author since 2005, Dorothy enjoys writing in several different genres. Her works have been nominated for many awards including: Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, Reviewers International Organization Award, National Reader’s Choice Award, CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Award, and The Romance Reviews Today Perfect 10! Award. Reviewers have called her work: “amazing”, “perfect”, “filled with emotion”, and “lined with danger.” She writes mysteries as Dorothy St. James.
ABOUT LINDA LOVELY
A journalism major who spent most of her career in PR. Linda Lovely now focuses on her first love—fiction. She’s published 12 mystery/suspense novels, including traditional and humorous cozy mysteries, romantic suspense thrillers, and a stand-alone historical suspense set in 1938.
“I write in genres I love to read,” Lovely comments, “and I’m hooked on all mystery/suspense/thriller genres.”
For the past four years, Lovely has served as secretary of the six-state Southeast Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. A long-time member of Sisters in Crime, she presided as president of the Upstate SC Chapter for five years. She also belongs to International Thriller Writers and the Authors Guild. Lovely teaches craft classes and often visits with book clubs.
An Iowa native, Linda now lives with her husband beside a South Carolina lake. Her hobbies include reading, swimming, kayaking, tennis, and gardening.

Our Prince of Scribes: Featuring Tim Conroy, Cassandra King, and Ellen Malphrus
2026-02-23 18:00 - 20:00 | 21A-1 Market Street. Beaufort, SC 29906
Best-selling writer Pat Conroy (1945–2016) inspired a worldwide legion of devoted fans numbering in the millions, but none are more loyal to him and more committed to sustaining his literary legacy than the many writers he nurtured over the course of his fifty-year writing life. In sharing their stories, his fellow writers honor his memory and advance our shared understanding of his lasting impact on literary life in and well beyond the American South. Winner of 17 book awards, the anthology Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy is a collection of remembrances from 67 writers befriended, beloved, taught, mentored, and championed by Conroy—and no two stories are the same. Neither are any two panel discussions among the contributors.
Join us at Village Social of Habersham on Monday, February 23, 6:00-8:00 p.m., for a lively conversation, moderated by Our Prince of Scribes co-editor and Pat Conroy Literary Center executive director Jonathan Haupt and featuring a trio of contributing writers: Conroy’s brother Tim (author of two poetry collections, most recently No True Route), Conroy’s widow Cassandra King (New York Times bestselling author of fiction and nonfiction, most recently Tell Me a Story), and USC Beaufort writer in residence Ellen Malphrus (author of Untying the Moon).
The $25 registration fee includes the presentation, refreshments, and a donation in support of the year-round educational mission of the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center. Register in advance for this event and others in this series at
https://www.villagesocialhabersham.net/upcoming-events

An Evening with Novelist Carolyn Hooker, Author of Leaving Edgefield
2026-02-26 17:00 - 18:30 | Pat Conroy Literary Center
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening with historical novelist Carolyn Hooker, author of Leaving Edgefield, on Thursday, February 26, 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 NOVEL
“Carolyn Hooker’s Leaving Edgefield is an absolutely beautiful novel, full of unquestionably genuine souls fighting to maintain dignity, faith, and affection in their lives. You will feel their love, fall into their hope, ache from their pain, and experience the fullness of their humanity in this remarkable story about one family’s fight to stay together and control their destiny.”–Jeffery Blount, Author of Mr. Jimmy from Around the Way
“Carolyn Hooker writes with courage, imagination, and keen insight, and the result is a haunting tale of unflinching motherly love despite often crippling powerlessness. From the first page of Leaving Edgefield, there’s an urgency in Carrie Butler’s story that will stay with readers long after the last, perfectly nuanced sentence. Hooker is a masterful, empathetic story teller and Leaving Edgefield is a triumph you’ll not soon forget.”–Michel Stone, author of The Iguana Tree and Border Child
In the shadows of early 20th-century Edgefield, South Carolina-a town steeped in tradition, hierarchy, and secrets-young Carrie Butler lived a life both ordinary and extraordinary. Born into a world that barely acknowledged her existence, Carrie was thrust into the domestic service of one of Edgefield’s most powerful families. There, her fate would become entangled with that of Strom Thurmond, a future US Senator and staunch segregationist, in ways history has long ignored.
Leaving Edgefield reclaims the voice of a woman history nearly erased. Based on the real-life mother of Strom Thurmond’s biracial daughter, this sweeping and lyrical work of historical fiction breathes life into the story of a young Black woman whose resilience becomes her legacy. From the rolling fields of Edgefield to the streets of Philadelphia, from whispered betrayals to whispered prayers, Carrie’s journey is one of unyielding spirit in the face of exploitation, loss, and silence.
Carolyn W. Hooker paints a deeply moving portrait of a woman who, though deemed invisible in her own time, now claims her rightful place in the American story. For readers of The Bluest Eye and The Color Purple, Leaving Edgefield is both a vital act of remembrance and a literary triumph-a tale of heartbreak, dignity, and the quiet defiance of survival.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Carolyn W. Hooker is a South Carolina-based writer and educator whose work explores the intersections of history, identity, and resilience. With Leaving Edgefield, she was moved to reimagine the silenced story of Carrie Butler through careful research and literary imagination, creating a work of historical fiction designed to honor a woman deemed invisible in her own time. Hooker has deep ties to Spartanburg and Charleston, grounding her work in the landscapes where this history still reverberates.

Celebrating Pat Conroy: A Legacy of Literary Inspiration
2026-03-02 14:00 | 311 Scott St, Beaufort, SC 29902-5556, United States
Join us for a heartfelt tribute to the extraordinary life and legacy of Pat Conroy as we mark the 10th anniversary of his passing.
Join us for a heartfelt tribute to the extraordinary life and legacy of Pat Conroy as we mark the 10th anniversary of his passing. Whether you’re a long-time admirer or new to his captivating storytelling, this event invites you to engage in the mission of promoting the literary arts. Together, we can inspire future generations to discover the transformative power of reading and writing!
Pat famously said, “When I started out as a kid in Beaufort who wanted to be a writer, I didn’t have the slightest notion how to become one… What I owe South Carolina is not repayable.” His words continue to resonate, reminding us of the profound impact literature can have on lives.
Event Date: March 2, 2026
Time: 2 PM – 3 PM
Location: Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort, SC 29902
Host: Marly Rusoff, Pat Conroy’s esteemed literary agent
Price: Free
Itinerary:
Gather with fellow book lovers for an engaging discussion led by Marly Rusoff, who will share fascinating insights about Pat Conroy’s life, his literary journey, and the enduring influence he’s left on the Lowcountry and beyond.
This is more than just an event; it’s a chance to celebrate a literary icon in the beautiful surroundings of Beaufort. Connect with fellow enthusiasts and let’s honor Pat Conroy’s legacy while inspiring creativity for generations to come.
Don’t miss your chance to be part of this significant milestone. Reserve your spot today and join us in celebrating the lasting impact of Pat Conroy’s work!

Tenth Annual March Forth
2026-03-02 14:00 - 2026-03-08 15:30 | 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC, United States, South Carolina 29902
Save the Dates!
Commemorating the anniversary of Pat Conroy’s passing on March 4, 2016, by engaging with major themes of his writing and teaching life, the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center’s tenth annual March Forth will be a week long series of educational programs and experiences, spanning Monday, March 2, to Sunday, March 8–including events in Beaufort, Bluffton, Charleston, Daufuskie Island, Port Royal, and St. Helena Island.
Details and registration information will be announced in mid January: https://marchforth2026.eventbrite.com
~ SCHEDULED TO APPEAR “~
Coming Soon
~EVENTS SCHEDULE~
Coming Soon
