Tag Archives: events

The Moveable Feast during June

Tues., June 6 ~ Marie Bostwick (Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly) at 21 Main ($35)

(719 North Beach Boulevard, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582)

Following the success of The Restoration of Celia Fairchild, Marie Bostwick brings us Esme Cahill Fails
Spectacularly – a novel about family, friendship, and finding your true path in life. Esme Cahill thinks she has failed spectacularly: fired from her New York City publishing job, divorced from her husband, and possessing little more than a broken-down car and a pile of unfinished manuscripts, she drives home to Asheville at the request of her late grandmother, Adele, who had begged her, just before she died, to return to the place she grew up. There she discovers the once-charming lakeside retreat run by her family is sliding toward financial ruin, so with the help of her grandfather, George; estranged mother, Robyn; and a travelling chef Dawes (maker of the world’s best grilled cheese sandwich) they set to work. In the attic, Esme unearths a trove of museum-worthy art quilts, sewn by Adele. Piecing together the inspiration behind them, Esme discovers a forgotten chapter in her family history and her grandmother’s untold story, that of a gifted artist who never received her due. This is an always-emotional, sometimes humorous, very human novel of what it means to be family—the ties that bind us together and the unintentional hurts that can rend us apart. And, along the way, Esme learns that failure can be the
first step toward the life you’re meant to find.

Tues., June 13 ~ To be announced

Mon., June 19 ~ Katherine Reay (A Shadow in Moscow) at Litchfield Country Club ($35)

(619 Country Club Drive, Pawleys Island 29585)

Award-winning, bestselling author of The London House, The Printed Letter Bookshop, Dear Mr. Knightly, and others with echoes from the days of Jane and Emily, Chicago-based Reay brings her love of books and history to her stories. In her new release, A Shadow in Moscow, “Reay builds an immersive world behind the iron curtain, full of competing loyalties and a constant, chilling sense of paranoia. Readers will be enthralled” (Publisher’s Weekly). A betrayal at the highest level risks the lives of two courageous female spies: M16’s best Soviet spy Ingrid Bauer and the CIA’s newest Moscow recruit Anya Kadinova. Alternating between Ingrid’s 1950s and Anya’s 1980s points of view, the past catches up to the present when an unprecedented act of treachery in 1985 threatens all undercover agents operating with the Soviet Union, and both women find themselves in a race against time and KGB.


Tues., June 27 ~ Laurie Larsen et al. (Charleston Light) at Pawleys Tap & Pour ($35)

(13089 Ocean Hwy, Pawleys Island 29585)

A collection of faith-filled novellas all inspired by Charleston Light, the wonderfully awkward-looking
lighthouse that sits on the shore of Sullivan’s Island, SC. The stories range from sweet romance to time
travel to fantasy to a modern retelling of a beloved fairy tale. You will definitely find something you
love on these pages! Eight Lowcountry authors contribute novellas, and all proceeds on the sales of this
book go to Sanctuary of Unborn Life (SOUL) of Charleston. Lighthouse of the Fireflies by Kelsey R
Budd; Second Time Lighthouse Love by Melissa Henderson; Looks Aren’t Everything, a Modern Day
Retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s classic Fairytale, The Ugly Duckling, by Laurie Larsen;
Hosanna’s Light, by Dianne Miley; Shattered Darkness, by Laurie Ingram Sibley; The Gold Note, by
Christina Sinisi; Homecoming, by Jody Stallings; Following His Plans, by Annette Wiley.

Luncheons with exciting authors, artists, musicians & historians at area eateries
For 25 years, the Moveable Feast, founded and managed by Linda Ketron, has been held at local restaurants throughout the year on Fridays (and some Tuesdays). Now, the Moveable Feasts are held on Tuesdays, unless the presenter or the preferred venue is unavailable. The presentation precedes the meal. For each Feast, the chef prepares a special menu, typically unavailable during the restaurant’s public hours. Food allergies are accommodated with advance notice; vegetarian option always available. Individuals, couples, friends, book clubs, and other small groups are assigned table seating. We will call to confirm your reservation 10 days prior to the event. *Each feast is $35 (or three for $100 paid in advance), unless additional expenses dictate a higher fee. The three-fer could be for future feasts, or for three guests at a single feast. After lunch, authors will adjourn to My Sister’s Books (13057 Ocean Hwy # C) to sign stock and chat with fans.

Military Appreciation Events Update and Memorial Day Weekend Outlook

Myrtle Beach’s weather forecast for Memorial Day Weekend has worsened.  The National Weather Service weather reports call for inches of rain and high wind gusts.  To respond to potential flooding and emergencies, Ocean Rescue equipment and first responders will be staged throughout the city.  Unless conditions improve, the ocean will be closed to swimmers, with double red flags posted along the beaches.  

Myrtle Beach’s Military Appreciation Days Parade and Family Picnic are cancelled (Saturday, May 27).  However, the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall will be available as scheduled throughout the weekend near Crabtree Memorial Gym.  The official opening ceremony also will occur as scheduled.  As of today, the fourth annual Veterans Victory Walk at Grand Park is still planned for 6:00 a.m. on Saturday. 

Jack Platt Veterans Walk will be on Ocean Boulevard at 9:00 a.m. this Monday.  The walk is from 16th Avenue North to the former Pavilion site, where the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association will conduct the Battlefield Cross. 

The traditional Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony is at 11:00 a.m., Monday, May 29, in Ballroom ABC at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.  Then, enjoy the documentary movie at 2:00 p.m. at Grand 14 Cinemas at The Market Common.

Sunset River Gallery presents Hearts + Arts fundraiser for Lower Cape Fear LifeCare on June 2

Sunset River Gallery in Calabash, NC will host Hearts + Arts, the gallery’s first annual fundraiser, on June 2 from 5 – 7 p.m. This year’s beneficiary is Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, the area’s largest nonprofit provider of hospice, palliative, and grief care covering Brunswick, New Hanover, Columbus, Pender, Onslow, Robeson, Bladen, and Duplin Counties in North Carolina; and Horry, Georgetown, and Marion Counties in South Carolina.

Tickets are $20 per person. The evening will include entertainment by the AfterHours jazz ensemble, heavy hors d’oeuvres by local chef Philip Laura, complimentary wine bar and a fine art silent auction. One hundred percent of ticket and auction sales will go to Lower Cape Fear LifeCare.

Fine art pieces for the silent auction include works by some of the area’s most acclaimed artists. Marcus McClanahan’s “Two Boats” is an oil painting on board, which demonstrates McClanahan’s signature brushstrokes and broken color. Janet B. Sessoms, known for her mastery of light and shadow also donated an oil painting, “Toes in the Sand II.”  The gallery’s former owner Ginny Lassiter donated a pair of her seemingly spontaneous acrylic abstracts titled “Day at the Beach I and II.” Raleigh, NC artist Chantal Tomiello’s offering is “La Vie En Rose,” a large acrylic still life in which she has deconstructed her realistic subject into abstraction. Ruth Cox, who teaches both acrylic and oil at the gallery, has donated her acrylic painting “Peaceful Moment” for the event. Rich Flanegan’s, “Dusk on the Coast,” is oil on canvas and depicts a coastal scene resplendent with white capped waves and moving clouds. From stained glass artists Diane Flanegan comes a 20- x 20-inch brilliantly colored floral panel. Also up for auction is a generous $1,000 gift certificate for a photo session with Vann Fine Art Portraits of Elizabethtown, NC.

Pottery lovers will not be disappointed. The grouping includes a surface-carved 15-inch cobalt platter from Jeffcoat Pottery. This came from the collection of Tonda Jeffcoat, whose husband and pottery-making partner Joe passed away in 2020.  Wilmington, NC clay artist Brian Evans donated a tall (23-inch) faceted vessel for the auction. Betsy Sellers, whose father was served by Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, created her piece, “Remembering Daddy” in clay, especially for this event.

Tickets are available through the gallery, which is located at 10283 Beach Drive SW in Calabash, NC. Checks and cash are requested. For further information, call the gallery at 910.575.5999 or visit the website: sunsetrivergallery.com. Updates and images of the Fine Art Silent Auction pieces may be found on the gallery’s Facebook page.

The gallery wishes to thank the event’s generous sponsors: Gold: Victoria’s Ragpatch, Calabash Creamery; Silver: Studio 8, Mike & Deb Hutchinson, Ginny & Joe Lassiter, Roseann Cutrone & Larry Johnson; Bronze: Crissy & Trey Maynard, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage; Family: The Yardbird Emporium, Thomas Seashore Drugs

ArtFields

A quick walk through downtown Lake City for ArtFields 2023.

Studio 8 art show opens in Calabash

Sunset River Gallery announces that Diversity by Studio 8 will open Monday, May 22 and run through
Saturday, July 1. A reception to meet the artists is set for Friday, June 16 from 5 to 7 p.m.

Studio 8 is a group of artists who paint together weekly at Sunset River Gallery. It includes Judi Moore, Brenda Riggins, Vicki Neilon, Linda Karaskevicus, Donn McCrary, Rachel Sunnell, Barbara Kohn, and Linda Hester. Studio 8 formed early in 2020, evolving from another painting group at the gallery.

The show is a selection of new works in various styles and media. The pieces range from conceptual to
traditional to contemporary. Viewers will see vibrant acrylic landscapes by Sunnell. She also created a
conceptual piece for the show, which is titled “Who Do I Reflect?” It features a series of mirrors with
faces superimposed on them. Riggins, who is known for her portraiture in watercolor, has also created a
number of acrylic coastal scenes.

Judi Moore is working large for this show and will be showing a 36” by 36” hydrangea painting. Barbara
Kohn began painting with watercolor, then switched to oil, and now loves the immediacy of soft pastels.
Vicki Neilon works in both watercolor and acrylic, and currently enjoys combining abstract with
representational, resulting in her distinctive stylized images. Linda Hester also paints in both acrylic and
watercolor. She says, “I absolutely love the peace and calm that comes when I am working on a painting.
Painting has allowed me to see my environment in a totally new way. It’s a joy to see ideas come to life
on paper or canvas.” Linda Karaskevicus has recently found a passion for painting Carolina coastal
scenes. She says acrylics allow her to work more quickly, resulting in a spontaneous brush or painting
knife application. Her painting style is impressionistic realism.

Individually speaking, the talents of this group are impressive. Collectively, the artists pull from each
other’s energy, humor, and love for diverse art styles. Says McCrary, who is known for his use of vibrant
colors and simple designs and is the only male in the group, “These girls don’t hold back! Their critiques
are direct and helpful.”

A strong supporter of both the Sunset River Gallery and the community, Studio 8 recently stepped up as
a major sponsor for the Hearts + Arts fundraiser for Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, which will be held at the
gallery on June 2.

About Sunset River Marketplace
Located in coastal Brunswick County, Sunset River Gallery caters to both area visitors and a growing
local community of full-time residents seeking fine art for their homes and businesses. Featuring work
by over 100 fine North and South Carolina artists, the gallery is well known in the area for its collection
of oil paintings, watermedia, pastels, photography, hand-blown glass, fused glass, pottery, and clay
sculptures, turned and carved wood, unique home décor items and artisan jewelry.

A selection of 20th century art features investment-grade fine and modern art, primarily impressionist
and abstract. Artists represented include Wolf Kahn, Emile Gruppè, Angel Botello, Raimonds Staprans,
Ed Mell, Vladimir Cora, Moses Soyer, Raphael Soyer, Tadashi Asoma, Hunt Slonem, Ida Kohlmeyer, Rolph
Scarlett, Jean Xceron, folk artist Mose Tolliver, and sculptors Glenna Goodacre and Milton Hebald.
There are two onsite kilns and five wheels used by the gallery’s pottery students. Art classes and
workshops are currently being offered on a limited basis. Current class listings are on the gallery website, with frequent updates on the gallery Facebook page.


The gallery address is: 10283 Beach Drive SW, Calabash, NC 28467. Hours are Monday – Saturday, 11
a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information, call 910.575.5999 or visit the website at sunsetrivergallery.com.
Daily updates are available on the gallery’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
The FrameCenter, located within the gallery, is open Wednesday through Friday, 12 noon – 5 p.m. and
by appointment. Call master framer Louis Aliotta directly at 910.368.7351.

The Moveable Feast during May

Luncheons with exciting authors, artists, musicians & historians at area eateries
For 25 years, the Moveable Feast, founded and managed by Linda Ketron, has been held at local restaurants throughout the year on Fridays (and some Tuesdays). Now, the Moveable Feasts are held on Tuesdays, unless the presenter or the preferred venue is unavailable. The presentation precedes the meal. For each Feast, the chef prepares a special menu, typically unavailable during the restaurant’s public hours. Food allergies are accommodated with advance notice; vegetarian option always available. Individuals, couples, friends, book clubs, and other small groups are assigned table seating. We will call to confirm your reservation 10 days prior to the event. *Each feast is $35 (or three for $100 paid in advance), unless additional expenses dictate a higher fee. The three-fer could be for future feasts, or for three guests at a single feast. After lunch, authors will adjourn to My Sister’s Books (13057 Ocean Hwy # C) to sign stock and chat with fans.

Tues., May 2 ~ Susan M. Boyer (Big Trouble on Sullivan’s Island) at The Village House ($35)

(13089 Ocean Hwy, Building E, Pawleys Island 29585)

After a dozen murders on fictional Stella Maris, author Boyer finds a real and bigger Lowcountry island on which to kill! Meet Hadley Cooper…some would say she’s the best private investigator in the state of South Carolina, albeit a tad eccentric. She drives a Ford Fairlane convertible that’s older than she is, listens to eighties Southern rock, refuses to carry a gun, and eats nothing but plants. Who knew there was such a thing as vegan pimento cheese? Eugenia Ladson’s husband—retired judge Everette Ladson—is engaging in marital misbehavior—she’s certain of it. But to activate the clause in her pre-nup, she needs proof, and is willing to pay for as many hours of surveillance as it takes. When Eugenia turns up dead, Hadley is in Greenville, South Carolina—three and a half hours away—where she’s followed Everette. Every instinct tells Hadley Everette is responsible for Eugenia’s death, but she is regrettably his alibi. Hadley reckons with the skeletons in her own closet as she races to find the truth about what happened to Eugenia and bring a killer to justice.


*WED., May 10 ~ Jennie Holton Fant (The Regions of the Rice Planter) at Ocean One ($35)

(1 Norris Drive, Pawleys Island, SC 29585)

Writer, editor, librarian Fant established her credibility as a charming traveling companion through the Charleston lowcountry with her prior books: The Travelers’ Charleston (Accounts of Charleston and Lowcountry, South Carolina, 1666-1861) and Sojourns in Charleston, South Carolina, 1865-1947 (From the Ruins of War to the Rise of Tourism). Here, she turns her attention to chronicling the impressions of travelers on historic journeys around Georgetown and the Waccamaw River Regions of South Carolina, from 1734 to 1875. These first-hand narratives of visiting clergy, statesmen, ladies companions, continental relatives, botanists, and adventurers reveal a South no longer noticed by its residents. The writers – each eloquent regardless of station in life – document the challenges posed by early geography and allow us to see old plantations, houses and buildings, churches and slave chapels. They reveal forgotten sights, old taverns, the food consumed, as well as encounters with early residents.
They allow us to witness slavery as they did, the day-to-day lives of the enslaved on the plantation, to experience their plight, to hear the haunting beauty of their songs. That said, some of these travelers are opposed to slavery, others are sympathetic to it, and many are downright offensive regarding the enslaved Africans. As the reader journeys via the travelers’ eyes, layer by layer, a larger history comes into focus, a window into time where Jennie’s footnoted comments bring people, places and events into their historical context with enlightening observations.

Tues., May 16 ~ Jackie Layton (A Killer Unleashed) at Hot Fish Club ($35)

(4911 US-17 Business, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576)

In Layton’s fifth cozy mystery (Bite the Dust, Dog-gone Dead, Bag of Bones, Caught and Collared), featuring adorable, resilient “investigator” Andi Grace Scott, there are puzzles, pretenses and possibilities when a client’s dog turns up missing and her husband turns up dead. Our Low Country dog walker will have to rely on dogged determination to track down the killer, amidst ransom demands, her own wedding plans, and a widow more upset about her missing puppy than her dead hubby. The trail of clues leads Andi Grace to a scheme more nefarious than her suspicion that the whole thing was a setup.

Tues., May 23 ~ Brian Livingston (The Habits of Squirrels) at Quigley’s Next Door ($35)

(251 Willbrook Blvd., Pawleys Island, SC 29585)

In this charming, thoughtful meditation on all of life’s journeys, Brian Livingston finds humor, grace, and sunburn on one of America’s great hikes. Gabe Jenkins spent his career driving in circles. For thirty years, his life revolved around his mail route. Upon retirement, this accumulated inertia steers Gabe onto the Great Eastern Trail, the meandering pathway running south to north through the sprawling Amicola Mountains. As he walks, he encounters the Trail’s eccentric inhabitants, who will help him, challenge him, and ultimately shape his journey. As a new Gabe ambles toward the Great Eastern Trail’s northern terminus, he is forced to reckon with how he has lived his life and to determine what kind of person he wants to be—as a husband, as a father, as a human being— and how he wants to spend his remaining years.

MILITARY APPRECIATION DAYS 2023

Please join the City of Myrtle Beach, Military Appreciation Committee and the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce as we collectively host a series of events this May to celebrate our military! To observe the city’s military history of nearly 50 years, Myrtle Beach Military Appreciation Days commends those who serve, or have served, our great nation.  In addition to the regularly scheduled annual events in our month-long celebration, we will also welcome the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall, Veterans Victory Walk and a Festive Brass concert performance to our 2023 line-up.  

As part of fundraising efforts for The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall, The Veterans Café and Grille is hosting a fundraiser from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m., Sunday, April 30.  All proceeds from the luncheon event will go towards The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall and Quilts of Valor.  The cost is $15 per person.  The menu includes hamburgers, hot dogs, coleslaw, potato salad and a drink.  Everyone is welcome.  The Veterans Café and Grille is located at 3544 Northgate Drive in Myrtle Beach.

Military Appreciation Days kicks-off at 9:00 a.m., Saturday, May 6, with the Horry County Junior ROTC Drill Meet at the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Stadium parking lot, 1251 21st Avenue North.  Ten area high schools are expected to participate this year in 10 different team and individual events including armed and unarmed versions of Regulation Squad and Platoon, Exhibition, Knockout and Color Guard.  Immediately following the Drill Meet, the Military Family Members Social will be hosted inside Pelicans Stadium at 12:00 p.m.  This lunch is for Drill Meet participants, plus anyone who has family preparing to enter the military or on active duty.

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans host Military Appreciation Night Saturday, May 20.  Gates open at 5:00 p.m., and the game begins at 6:05 p.m.  The Myrtle Beach Pelicans will face-off against the Augusta GreenJackets.  Military Appreciation Night features specialty jerseys worn by Pelicans players and then raffled-off to military members in attendance only.  Active or retired military personnel will receive a free raffle ticket for the chance to win a jersey.

The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall will be in Myrtle Beach from Thursday, May 25, through Sunday, May 28. The wall will be free and available to the public for visitation 24 hours a day.  It’s expected to arrive with an escort of up to a thousand motorcycles in the late afternoon of Thursday, May 25.  The wall is scheduled to depart Myrtle Beach after the Closing Ceremony, Sunday, May 28.

You can visit the wall at the field next to Crabtree Memorial Gym, 1004 Crabtree Lane.  Parking is along Forbus Court and Crabtree Lane.  The wall is six feet tall from its center, and spans nearly 300 feet. The wall’s visit is made possible by more than a hundred volunteers, partners and sponsors, including The Myrtle Beach Vet Center, The Veterans Café and Grille and the City of Myrtle Beach.

  • Opening Ceremony – 1:00 p.m., Friday, May 26, 2023
  • Remembrance Ceremony – 2:00 p.m., Saturday, May 27, 2023
  • Closing Ceremony – 1:00 p.m., Sunday, May 28, 2023

MOVEABLE FEASTS

Mostly Tuesdays, 11 AM-1 PM, Mostly $30*

Luncheons with exciting authors, artists, musicians & historians at area eateries
For 25 years, the Moveable Feast, founded and managed by Linda Ketron, has been held at local restaurants throughout the year on Fridays (and some Tuesdays). Going forward, Moveable Feasts are scheduled for mostly Tuesday unless the presenter or the preferred venue is unavailable. In addition to authors, the Moveable Feasts will feature artists and musicians, historians and folks of interest! The presentation precedes the meal. For each Feast, the chef prepares a special menu, typically unavailable during the restaurant’s public hours. Food allergies are accommodated with advance notice; vegetarian option always available. Individuals, couples, friends, book clubs, and other small groups are assigned table seating. We will call to confirm your reservation 10 days prior to the event. *Each Feast is $30 unless additional expenses dictate higher. For reservations, 843.235.9600 or visit www.ClassAtPawleys.com.

Tues., Feb. 14 ~ Jill Trinka (Appalachian Songs of Love) at Litchfield Country Club

(619 Country Club Drive, Pawleys Island 29585)

Love songs come in all manner of styles – ballads, lyric songs, and “just for fun” pieces – encompassing the myriad facets of love: courtship, coquettish, mysterious, teasing, true, absent, unrequited, lost, false, and old. Don’t miss this Musical Moveable Feast with Jill’s selection of love songs from Appalachia (and somewhat beyond). Jill’s performances and recordings are beloved around the world and especially in the United States, where she researches, records, and teaches teachers, children, and people just like you!

Tues., Feb. 21 ~ John Cribb (The Rail Splitter) at Pawleys Tap & Pour

(13089 Ocean Hwy, Pawleys Island 29585)

The author of the acclaimed novel Old Abe has penned a new work of historical fiction that brings Abraham Lincoln to life as never before. The Rail Splitter tells the story of Abraham Lincoln’s remarkable journey from a log cabin to the threshold of the White House—a journey that turns him into one of America’s most beloved heroes. We walk beside him on every page of this spellbinding novel and come to know his hopes and struggles on his winding path to greatness. John’s previous work includes coauthoring The American Patriot’s Almanac and The Educated Child, both New York Times bestsellers; co-editing The Human Odyssey, a 3-volume world history text; and developing on- line history courses. John also worked as former US Secretary of Education Bill Bennett’s collaborator on the New York Times #1 bestseller The Book of Virtues. He has appeared on numerous TV, radio, and podcast shows such as
C-SPAN’s Washington Journal and Fox News’s Fox & Friends, and his writing has been published in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, FoxNews.com, The Hill, Real Clear Politics, and several other publications.

Tues., Feb. 28 ~ Ron Daise (Geechee Literature Series) at The Village House

(13089 Ocean Hwy, Building E, Pawleys Island 29585)

Not one to rest on his laurels, Ron Daise has authored two new books. He is the former Vice President for
Creative Education at Brookgreen Gardens, the former star of Nick Jr. TV’s “Gullah Gullah Island,” a former
chairman of the federal Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission, a recipient of The Palmetto Award of SC, The Governor’s Award, and the Jean Lacey Harris Heritage Award. Experience from each of these affiliations are echoed in We Wear the Mask – Unraveled Truths in a Pre-Gullah Community and Turtle Dove Done Drooped His Wings – A Gullah Tale of Flight or Fight, the first two novellas of his “Geechee Literature Series.” The books showcase Gullah Geechee culture as contemporary through historical and literary fiction. Each story connects the past, present, and future. Rest assured that a “talk” by Ron is going to be a riveting “performance.”

Tues., March 7 ~ Laurie Loewenstein (Unmentionables) at Inlet Affairs

Loewenstein applies her brilliant journalistic research to an award-winning historical fiction account of the dress reform advocate who shocked Chatauqua audiences a century ago in the midwest, inspiring young women to fight for the vote and equal opportunities, to leave the prejudicial expectations of their small-town society and find their way in big-city Chicago and war-torn France. A vivid tale of different times and issues, many of which are still unresolved today.


Tues., March 14 ~ Stephanie Alexander (Tipsy Collins Trilogy) at Pawleys Plantation (Sawgrass)
The trilogy – Charleston Green, Haint Blue, and Palmetto Rose – is an exploration of women’s everyday trials and tribulations, with a hefty dose of southern charm and supernatural intrigue. New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand praises Charleston Green as “skillful and clever and funny.” Kirkus Reviews calls it “an enchanting novel of a woman finding her way out of a midlife (and mid-death) crisis.”

Tues., March 21 ~ C. Hope Clark (Edisto Island Mysteries) at Hot Fish Club

A decade after her first Moveable Feast and more than that many new mysteries under her pen, Hope Clark returns with the 9th book (Badge of Edisto) in her third mystery series (preceded by the Carolina Slade and Craven County series). Retired Police Chief Callie Jean Morgan is having second thoughts about her half-assed “good ol’ boy” replacement in the town of Edisto – with lethal cause. Hope Clark’s books have been honored as winners of the Epic Award, Silver Falchion Award, the Imaginarium Award, and the Daphne du Maurier Award.

Tues., April 11 ~ Teri M. Brown (Sunflowers Beneath the Snow and An Enemy Like Me)

at Pawleys Tap & Pour

After garnering six awards in 2022 for her first historical fiction, Teri Brown has written a compelling second novel. In Sunflowers Beneath the Snow, she explored the tenacity of women, showing that even in grueling circumstances (i.e., Ukraine under Soviet control), they can, and do, experience all the good things life has to offer – compassion, joy, love, faith, and wonder. Now, in An Enemy Like Me, Brown uses the backdrop of World War II to show the angst experienced by her first-generation American protagonist, his wife, and his four-year-old son as he left for and fought in a war he did not create. Here, she explores the concepts of xenophobia, intrafamily dynamics, and the recognition that war is not won and lost by nations, but by ordinary men and women and the families who support them. We are watching this drama play out again.

Tues., April 18 ~ Liz Newall (You Don’t Have to Tell Everything You Know)

at Quigley’s Next Door

Liz Newall grew up in the tiny cotton town of Starr in upstate South Carolina where she heard many a-story, some joyfully repeated, others barely whispered. She’s been a teacher, peach picker, freelance writer, and longtime managing editor of Clemson World alumni magazine. Now retired, she lives on the family farm in the Wild Hog community of Pendleton, S.C., with her husband, Billy, and their dogs, King and Jessi. Her first work of historical fiction tracks the life of Isamar Woods Jones McGee, born in upstate South Carolina into a second family in 1865, one month after the Civil War ended. Her life is a product of unsettled times, family dynamics, and the human condition. She tells her story and those of the people around her through journal entries, which she annotates and amends in her final days. Her travels take her down the Savannah River and to the 1901 Charleston Exposition where she meets Beautiful Jim Key, billed as the world’s smartest horse, and a young Nancy Columbia, the Inuit star of stage and screen in the early 1900s. Isamar’s life and times offer a fascinating, often funny, sometimes complex testament to the joys and sorrows of the human heart — regardless of era.


*Tues., April 25 ~ Patricia Kolencik & Jane Petrone (Wachesaw & Richmond Hill Plantations:

A Short History) at Kimbel’s, Wachesaw ($50 incl. signed book)

After several years researching, fact checking, writing, editing, polishing and proofing, Patty & Jane are ready to share the fascinating history of their community. Step back in time as these two lifelong educators take you on a captivating journey through the centuries to reveal the complex historical account of two intertwined antebellum rice plantations, Wachesaw and Richmond Hill. This intriguing trek through the passage of time will take the reader through the early Native American settlements to colonization, the rice culture, the Civil War and Reconstruction, northern investment, and southern development, highlighting the families whose lives revolved around the two estates. Whether a history buff or just a curious reader, this short history brings the whispers from the past alive as one journeys through the victories and struggles of these plantations, which are now recognized in the National Register of Historic Places. (Registration priority granted to WPC members and Wachesaw
residents.)

Hilton Head Island Honors and Embraces
Black History Month with Cultural Celebrations

February is Black History Month, a month honoring the shared stories and contributions of African Americans who have shaped our nation and also Hilton Head Island.

During this month-long celebration, the Town of Hilton Head Island encourages you to take advantage of the many incredible events being hosted to highlight the Island’s Gullah Geechee culture and other significant contributions of local African Americans. Experience live musical performances, special gatherings, art gallery shows, festivals and more. These wonderful celebrations are fun and educational opportunities for the whole family to enjoy.

Freedom Day Celebration Hosted by Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park
Saturday, February 4 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park
40 Harriet Tubman Way, Hilton Head Island
This free program explores black resistance in the fight for freedom and honors the life and legacy of Robert Smalls, who was born into slavery in Beaufort, South Carolina. Smalls later won freedom for himself and his family, and became a prominent leader in the community during the Reconstruction era, including service in both the state and national legislature. Special guests include Michael Boulware Moore, the great-great grandson of Robert Smalls; Gullah artist Quentin Smalls and the Claflin University Concert Choir. Visit exploremitchelville.org for more info.

Family and Friends Day
Tuesday, February 7 at 7 p.m.
Historic First African Baptist Church
70 Beach City Road, Hilton Head Island
Cost: Free
Join the Historic First African Baptist Church for its annual family and friends program, featuring traditional and contemporary Gullah songs and samples of authentic Gullah food! Visit gullahcelebration.com for details.

Gullah Celebration’s Patrons and Friends Party
Wednesday, February 8 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Art League Gallery
14 Shelter Cove Lane Hilton Head Island
Cost: Free
Spend the evening with the 2023 featured artist Lisa Rivers and many other exhibiting artists at the Hilton Head Island Gullah Celebration’s Patrons and Friends Party. Complimentary food and beverages. Visit gullahcelebration.com for more details.

A Taste of Gullah
Saturday, February 11 from 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Art League Gallery
14 Shelter Cove Lane Hilton Head Island
An afternoon filled with gumbo, conch stew, fried fish and shrimp dusted in traditional Gullah seasonings and more favorites, storytelling, music, and other activities. Free admission but food is available for purchase. Visit gullahcelebration.com for more details.

Gullah Market and Block Party: An Arts, Crafts and Food Expo
Saturday, February 18 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Historic Honey Horn
70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island
Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for youth. Children 5 and under admitted for free.
An all-access experience to Gullah culture featuring Gullah and African crafts and food, traditional storytelling, music entertainment, and more. Events will proceed rain or shine. Visit gullahcelebration.com for more details and tickets.

Celebration of African American Authors
Saturday, February 25 from 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Rotary Community Center
11 Recreation Drive, Bluffton
An afternoon experience that shines the light on African American authors and the important narratives revealed in their latest publications. The featured guest author is former NFL player Aaron Maybin. A complimentary lunch will be provided at this free event.

For more information on local events celebrating Black History, visit the websites for the following organizations:

Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park
Native Islander Business & Community Affairs Association’s Gullah Celebration
Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra

Art Under the Oaks at Litchfield Village Commons

Saturday, Oct. 22, 9 AM-4 PM

Sixty vendors (art, crafts, books, food and music) will stretch around the oak-covered corner of Willbrook Blvd. and Ocean Highway. A great day for browsing, noshing, shopping and just welcoming the fall.

Visit CLASS Publishing’s tent where a dozen authors will be available to chat and sign their books – thoughtful and appreciated choices for the gift giving season!