Take a Local Author to the Beach
What a difference a year makes! Last June, Bob O’Brien started Prose Press to publish his first novel “The Toppled Pawn” and a joint effort with Ted Gagliano (“Circle of Twelve”). This May at the South Carolina Book Festival in Columbia, Prose Press set up a booth to promote the ten books and nine authors published in less than a year! Since they were a smaller publishing house and signed up after the big boys were booked for presentations, they drew the last slot on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. for their panel discussion on senior authors and small press opportunities. Their loved ones warned them that few would still be around so late in the day, hoping to temper disappointment.
Jim R. Rogers' book is filled with humor and insight and invites readers to share their own observations, dreams, successes and failures.
Instead … the stars of Prose Press spread humor, encouragement and inspiration to a standing-room-only crowd!
The newest author to join their ranks, Jim R. Rogers of Surfside Beach, did a reading of his unconventional, free verse poems and scattered narratives found in his personal memoir “Starts and Stops Along the Way.” This universal look at how it feels to grow older, and the multiple life experiences that take us up to the heights and down to the pits, welcomes others on the same journey to live their lives fully. The book reminds readers to stay connected to the best traveling partner they can find: themselves. After a West Coast career in radio, television and motion pictures, Rogers returned to the Grand Strand to earn his master’s degree in early childhood education from Coastal Carolina University. His 15-year-long parenting column for “Parent News” is shaping up nicely for book #2.
With the variety of styles available from Prose Press – from children’s books (Goffinet McLaren’s “Sullie Saves the Seas”), to history (Thomas Moore’s “No Villains, No Heroes”), to memoirs (Valerie Abrams’ “Free Baby”), to action adventures (Barry Kelly’s “Justice Beyond Law” and, in a few weeks, “Justice Without Mercy”), to thrillers (T. Allen Winn’s “Road Rage” and “Dark Thirty”), to poetry (John Rutenberg’s “Shift Change” and Rogers’ new book), to mystery and intrigue (the two books that launched this venture) – there is “pritnear” something for everyone!
The Prose Press panel at the SC Book Festival: (l to r) John Rutenberg, Jim Rogers, Goffinet McLaren, Tom Winn, Bob O'Brien and Tom Moore.
You can pick up a Prose Press book from Litchfield Books on the Waccamaw Neck and Harborwalk Books in Georgetown, or go to Amazon.com and type in the author and title. The Prose Press website is www.prosepress.biz. If you’d like to invite one of these authors to talk to your book club, e-mail prosencons@live.com
The Moveable Feast
This popular series is presenting its fourteenth season of exciting authors talking their new books at Waccamaw Neck restaurants, followed by lunch and a book signing. Held every Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., paid reservations are requested by the Wednesday prior to the feast. Each feast is $25. The 2012 schedule is available at the CLASS office inside the Chocolate & Coffee House (Litchfield Exchange behind Applewood House of Pancakes on U.S. 17), online at www.ClassAtPawleys.com, or by phone, 843-235-9600.
Ladies, bring your fellas to lunch – they will love this guy!!
Jeffrey M. "Jeff" Shaara, son of Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Shaara, has continued his father's series on American wars.
June 8 – Jeff Shaara (“A Blaze of Glory”) at Inlet Affairs. After the monumental task of completing the four-volume series on World War II, award winning and New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction, Shaara begins a new trilogy marking a literary return to the Civil War. The first in the series, set more in the “Western” theater, covers the Battle of Shiloh and coincides with the 150th Anniversary year of that momentous event. The title, “A Blaze of Glory,” comes from a marvelous quote from General (later President) James Garfield, who was present at the battle. The next two works, featuring Vicksburg and Sherman’s March, will be released a year apart, 2013 and 2014.
Tuesday, June 12 – Dorothea Benton Frank (“Porch Lights”) at Ocean One. New York Times bestselling author Dottie Frank is back home in the Carolina lowcountry, spinning a tale that brims with the warmth, charm, heart, and humor that has become her trademark. Although Dottie’s Moveable Feast is full, you can meet her and get this new book signed at Litchfield Books at 2 p.m. (after the feast).
June 15 – Maryann McFadden (“The Book Lover”) at Capt. Dave’s Dockside. Ruth Hardaway has had one passion all her life: books. For thirty years she’s devoted her life to her book store, trying to bury her painful past. But now the store is in jeopardy, and the past is catching up with her. Lucinda Barrett lost everything in a life-shattering betrayal. Desperate, she goes after one last dream – to be an author. Alone and broke, she embarks on a journey, eventually landing on Ruth’s doorstep. Ruth takes Lucy under her wing, championing her book and even offering her refuge at a nearby lake cabin. In return, she wants Lucy to keep an eye on her son, Colin, who’s recovering from a war injury. As the two women grow closer and begin to face the past, neither has any idea that their toughest decisions lie ahead – or that their friendship is about to fall apart because of a little white lie.
An Artful Event Under the Oaks
It’s not too late to donate artwork or to get your tickets to The Friends of the Waccamaw Library (FOWL) live and online art auction Saturday, June 23, at the beautiful home of Caroline and Rich Drummond in Prince George River. The event under the oaks will raise matching funds for The Library Center – Waccamaw (TLC), a new facility to be constructed on Willbrook Boulevard in Litchfield.
Auctioneer Joe Exum will be handling the auction on his website www.ExumAuctions.com and in person at the event. In addition to donations of works by well known artists who have passed (e.g., David Bellucci, Tallulah McInvaill, Kathy Metts, Bob Ripley and Elizabeth O’Neill Verner), many of the area art instructors have donated major pieces, including Danny McLaughlin, Barnie Slice, Jef Sturm, Zenobia Washington, Kathy Welde and Jane Woodward.
Brookgreen Gardens’ photographer Anne Malarich is donating her time to photograph the donations for uploading to the website, with additional works added as they are collected. Art donations will be accepted through early June at Art Works in the Chocolate & Coffee House inside the Litchfield Exchange.
The event begins at 4 p.m. with the auction starting at 5 p.m. The $50 per person ticket includes wine, beer and heavy hors d’oeuvres by the pool under the oaks. If you would like to attend this casually elegant event, please contact Kim Fox at 843-979-0561 or email TLCWaccamaw@gmail.com.