Awards aplenty accrue for Mary Alice Monroe — a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author; several time winner of the Southern Independent Book Alliance (SIBA) award; International Book Award for Green Fiction. Best award of all for the USCB Lunch With Author Series is her appearance as guest author for the SIXTH time. Monroe is a talented writer and an inspiring speaker.

Come enjoy Happy Hour with the “Don,” Saturday, April 14^th, from 6 to 8 pm. Don De Luca is the protagonist of Guy J Tirondola’s debut novel, THE ACCIDENTAL DON: A Man Caught Between Two Identities. Guy’s grandfather, Joe Malizia, inspired the creation of Don De Luca. “Papa Joe” owned the legendary Joe’s Spaghetti House, which occupied the same building that currently houses the Port Royal Pasta Company, and is the setting for the novel.

Short Story America, the Beaufort-based publisher of contemporary and classic short stories, has chosen Beaufort as the location for the first Short Story America Festival and Conference. Scheduled for September 21-23, the festival will feature readings and signings by top writers of short stories, seminars and discussions for aspiring and emerging authors of short fiction, and opportunities for readers to discuss short stories with authors.