Coming Author Events in Georgia

First, and of certainly minor consequence, my new website www.gabookevents.org will hopefully be up soon. Again, my goal is to give book buffs in Georgia a one-stop spot to look for author signings, writer’s conferences, and other literary events taking place throughout the State. I will be drawing from many different sources (at this point, some 200 plus that I have accumulated over the past ten years). I hope to update it at least once or twice a week. Hope. In addition, the plan is to also include book reviews, author interviews, and venue reviews on the site.

You can link to the site now. But there isn’t anything there yet. So, here are a few of the events taking place soon that might be of interest. Incidentally, this past weekend I took a cursory look at some half dozen sources for information about upcoming book signings in Georgia (out of 200 plus sources). It yielded some 150 author and other literary events taking place in April, May and June. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. I also heard from someone affiliated with the Dahlonega Literary Festival (http://www.literaryfestival.org/.).

The Athens, Georgia Writer’s Chapbook

April 3 (tomorrow)—Terry Kay
Townsend Prize award-winner and Georgia Writer’s Hall of Fame inductee Terry Kay will discuss and autograph copies of his latest novel The Book of Marie (2007, Mercer University Press) at the Book Exchange on Canton Road in Marietta. The program begins at 6:30 PM. Reservations are required and there is a $5 admission fee. Call the Book Exchange at 770-427-4848 or visit them on line at www.bookexchangemarietta.com for more information.

Kay is the author of the award-winning novel To Dance with the White Dog, Taking Lottie Home, and Valley of Light, among others.

Attention all Louisiana Transplants!

April 5—Laura Knorr
Georgia illustrator Knorr will read from and autograph her new children’s book, A Isn’t For Fox: An Isn’t Alphabet (Sleeping Bear Press). Knorr is also the illustrator for P is for Pelican: A Louisiana Alphabet and Papa Noell—A Louisiana Christmas Story. She is a tremendous artist and an outstanding storyteller. Laura will be appearing at Borders Books and Music, in the Alps Shopping Center, Athens. The event begins at 11 a.m. The store can be reached at 706-583-8647.

Laura will also be appearing at Borders Books and Music at the Mall of Georgia later that day, beginning at 4 pm. The Borders at Mall of Georgia can be reached at 678-482-0872.

Visit Atlanta’s Biggest Indy at their New Location in One of the City’s Greatest Communities

April 5—Pulitzer Prize-Winning (Georgia) Poet Natasha Trethewey
Presents Best New Poets 2007, featuring poets Catherine Pierce, David Welch, and Laura Newbern. The event takes place at Wordsmiths Books at its new location at 141 East Trinity Place in Decatur. The event begins at 2 pm. For more information, call Wordsmiths at 404-378-7166, or visit their website at www.wordsmithsbooks.com (true bibliophiles, plan on staying a while). I haven’t been to Wordsmiths since they opened up the new place, but am very anxious to go visit.

At the Carter Center

April 6—Dorothy Allison and Elizabeth Anderson
Charis Books & More teams up with the Jimmy Carter Library to present a little Literary Rabble-Rousing featuring the author of Cavedweller and Bastard Out of Carolina. The event begins at 6:30 pm. Call 404-524-0304 for more information or visit Charis Books at http://charis.booksense.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp. Both venues located in Atlanta’s Little Five Points District.

Georgia Writer’s Hall of Fame

April 10 and11—Georgia Writer’s Hall of Fame Writer’s Salon.
At the Georgia Center in Athens. 706-542-3879 for information.

Also in Atlanta’s L5P

April 18—Herschel Walker
Collegiate football’s greatest running back in forever, will be autographing his new book Breaking Free: My Life with Dissociative Identity Disorder. At the Carter Center and presented by A Cappella Books. For more information, visit the Carter Library at 404-865-7100, or A Cappella Books at www.acappellabooks.com. The signing will take place between 7-9 pm. HEAD’S UP: this is a book signing only and is a ticketed event.

Mr. Walker will also be autographing copies of his book earlier in the day at the University of Georgia Bookstore in Athens. The signing will be from 12:30 to 2:30 and, again, the author will ONLY be autographing copies of his new book. For information, call the UGA bookstore at 706-542-7239.

Presented by the Georgia Center for the Book

April 24—Townsend Awards
Wordsmiths teams up with the Georgia Center for the Book to present this year’s Townsend Award ceremony beginning at 7:30 at the Old Decatur Courthouse (great place for a wedding reception, too). This year’s nominee’s include Pearl Cleage (Baby Brother’s Blues), Bob Cupp (The Edict), Renee Dodd (A Cabinet of Wonders), Jim Grimsley (Forgiveness), Greg Johnson (Women I’ve Known), Sheri Joseph (Stray), Terry Kay (The Book of Marie), Nathan McCall (Them), Jack Pendarvis (Your Body is Changing) and Karin Slaughter (Beyond Reach). The reception is free and there will be a cash bar. For more information, contact the Georgia Center for the Book at 404-370-8450 ext 2225 or visit them online at www.georgiacenterforthebook.org. Or call Wordsmiths Books.

The Margaret Mitchell House and Center for Literature

May 14—Tony Horwitz
This is jumping ahead a little bit, but don’t miss this. Horwitz is the author of thConfederates in the Attic, among others. He is also the spouse of Geraldine Brooks (People of the Book). He will be discussing his new book, A Voyage Long and Short. Ought to be good. Visit the Margaret Mitchell House at http://gwtw.org for more details.

As always, events may change. Contact the venues to verify times, dates, and other details.