What’s Love Got to Do With It?
Check true love off your bucket list, whether at an amusement park, small town, resort, or academy.
Vanessa Riley, A Wager at Midnight
Amy Ratcliffe, Thrill Ride
Cassie Verano, 90 Days to Love
Synithia Williams, Frenemies with Benefits
Injustice in Focus
Experience the fight for civil rights in South Carolina through William’s life and photography.
Cecil Williams, Photographer
Claudia Smith Brinson, Injustice in Focus: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams
Hub City 30th Anniversary
Reflect on Hub City’s first 30 years, sharing joys, challenges, and goals for the next chapter.
Betsy Teter, North of Main: Spartanburg’s Historic Black Neighborhoods of North Dean Street, Gas Bottom, and Back of the College
Meg Reid, Executive Director Ray McManus, The Last Saturday in America
Headliner: Patti Callahan Henry In conversation with Carla Damron
Patti Callahan Henry is a bestselling author of 18 novels, including Southern contemporaries and historical fiction like The Secret Book of Flora Lea
Ooh Scary!
Spooky Southern charm with taxidermy, off-kilter hospitality, and a touch of melancholy.
Julia Elliott, Hellions: Stories
Emily Carpenter, Gothictown
Nathan Ballingrud, Crypt of the Moon Spider
The Cheese Biscuit Queen Tells All Queen Mary Martha says, ‘Kiss my aspic!’ while sharing juicy stories and delicious recipes.
Mary Martha Greene, The Cheese Biscuit Queen Kiss My Aspic!
Jeffrey Dale Lofton, Moderator
It’s Emotionally Complicated! With twists, turns, and betrayal, will they find love and passion in their future?
Aries Skye, Love on the Rebound
KC Mills, You Could Do Damage
Kimberly Brown, Courage to Love Again
B Love, The Loyal Wife
Echoes of the Past
Discover the emotions and motivations of imagined women characters rooted in historical Southern events.
Vanessa Miller, The American Queen
Rhonda McKnight, Bitter & Sweet
Diane C. McPhail, Follow the Stars Home
Donna Everhart, When the Jessamine Grows
Public Poetry and Politics
Poets laureate share their stories, poetry, and experiences promoting poetry across South Carolina.
Marjory Wentworth, One River, One Boat
Jennifer Bartell Boykin, Traveling Mercy
Angelo Geter, More God than Dead
Marcus Amaker, Hold What Makes You Whole
Ed Madden, A Pooka in Arkansas
Clues and Conspiracies
Mystery lurks in small towns and resorts, with clues leading to dark secrets waiting to unfold.
C. Hope Clark, Edisto Storm Carla Damron, The Orchid Tattoo Allie Pleiter, One Sharp Stitch
Headliner:
DéLana R.A. Dameron
In conversation with Roni Nicole Henderson
DéLana R. A. Dameron, author of Redwood Court (2024) and poetry collections
How God Ends Us and Weary Kingdom is an artist who tells powerful stories.
Beavers and People Beavers shape landscapes and water sources. How can humans and beavers better co-exist?
Cassie Premo Steele, Beaver Girl
Dr. Rhonda Grego, Moderator
Headliner: Mike Curato
In conversation with Valerie Byrd Fort and DAYLO students
Mike Curato, author and illustrator of Little Elliot and Flamer, winner of multiple honors, including the 2020 Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Young Adult.
Picturing the Past
Discover the power of photography and the work of Richard Samuel Roberts, connecting us to the past.
Dianne Johnson Feelings, H is for Harlem
Vennie Deas Moore, Palmetto Portraits
Dr. Bobby Donaldson, Moderator
Over the Top, Just South Southern men must face the long shadow of their past and its impact on modern masculinity.
Ray McManus, The Last Saturday in America
David Joy, Those We Thought We Knew Chris Koslowski, Kayfabe
SUNDAY | MARCH 30
SCHEDULE
Headliner: Abbott Kahler
In conversation with Laura Conte
Abbott Kahler, author of four New York Times bestsellers, is known for her narrative nonfiction, including Sin in the Second City, American Rose, and Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy
Love and Belonging
Find a friend, lover, or your place in the world, whether on a soccer team or in a new city.
Jonny Garza Villa, Futbolista
Mike Curato, Flamer
Coming of Age
Explore the journey of facing challenges that lead to resilience and determination.
Rachel Hanson, The End of Tennessee
Jeffrey Dale Lofton, Red Clay Suzie
Not a Hoax: Book Banning and Intellectual Freedom
Experts explore current events, their impact on young readers, and the outlook ahead.
Valerie Byrd Fort, Instructor, University of South Carolina School of Information Science
Jordan Henry, School Librarian
Cassie Owens Moore, Intellectual Freedom Chair, SCASL
Ashley Snelgrove, Librarian
Josh Malkin, ACLU
McKenzie Lemhouse, Academic Librarian
Thrills and Chills
Feel something’s off? Is there menace around the corner, or is your perfect life less perfect?
Yasmin Angoe, Not What She Seems
Terri Parlato, Watch Your Back
Emily Carpenter, Gothictown
Kugels and Collards
Food connects us to places and brings us together with South Carolina Jewish stories and recipes.
Rachel Gordin Barnett, Kugels and Collards: Stories of Food, Family, and Tradition in Jewish South Carolina
Headliner: Brendan Slocumb
In conversation with Jonathan Haupt
Brendan Slocumb, a music educator and author of The Violin Conspiracy and Symphony of Secrets, will release The Dark Maestro in 2025.
Rights and Freedom
What does it take to secure civil rights, and how do past stories resonate today?
Millicent Brown, Another Sojourner Looking for Truth: My Journey from Civil Rights to Black Power and Beyond
Carolyn Click, The Cost of the Vote: George Elmore and the Battle for the Ballot
You’ll Do
Marriage isn’t just for love. From Colonial times to today, it hasn’t always been used for good.
Marcia Zug, You’ll Do: A History of Marrying for Reasons Other than Love
Emily Suski, Moderator
