Founded in 1986, the South Carolina Academy of Authors serves as the state's literary hall of fame, and 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of the academy. Pat Conroy was among the first inductee. The first inductees did not receive any commemoration, but since then each honoree gets an engraved crystal book. the SCAA board voted to award the Pat Conroy Literary Center the award in appreciation of what would have been Pat's nearly forty years ago. Please join us, along with several SCAA Board of [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Wednesday April 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 [...]

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, [...]

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 [...]

9th Annual Camp Conroy for Young Writers and Artists! Camp Conroy will continue to appreciate special human ability and the joy of creating art while examining how technology can help us. Campers will read, write, and create art independently and collaboratively under the guidance of experienced instructors and artists. To register, use this Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/camp-conroy-2026-day-camp-for-young-writers-artists-tickets-1986852598607?aff=ebdssbdestsearch Choose the right camp for your child: June 8-12 is for 8-11 year olds June 22-26 for 12-14 year olds Space is limited to 20 campers (10 each week) [...]

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. [...]