STATESVILLE ó A group of ladies at St. John’s Lutheran Church of Statesville enjoy curling up with a good book, and are holding a “Meet the Author” event at the end of this month as a part of their book read project.
The Women of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), will welcome author Jan McCanless on Sunday, Aug. 30, at 4 p.m. The event is open to the public.
McCanless will be available for book signings and will share excerpts from her work in progress. There will also be books available for purchase.
A regular columnist for the Salisbury Post and Senior Savvy magazine, McCanless is the author of “Beryl’s Cove and the Elvis Man,” “The Case of the Doomed Diplomat” and “Great Scott.”
Mariner’s Chapel, the Lutheran Church in Beryl’s Cove, is prominent in all three books. Her first novel was published in 2007, the second in 2008 and the third in 2009.
McCanless, who lives in Rowan County, is active in her community. She served as the president of the N.C. Chapter of the National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse. As president of the local chapter of the Status of Women Council, she founded and served as executive director of the Rowan County Rape, Child Abuse and Family Crises Council, which operates the Battered Women and Children Shelter in Salisbury.
She’s written position papers on family violence prevention and self defense for women.
McCanless was named Woman of the Year in Rowan County in 1978 and was nominated for International Woman of the Year in 2005.
McCanless serves on the board of directors of the Rufty-Holmes Senior Center in Salisbury and is their trip coordinator.
The retired high school teacher was named Volunteer of the Year for 1986-87 when serving as vice chair of the Community Resource Council in Salisbury.
At St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Statesville, McCanless is a Sunday school teacher, sings in the choir and serves as a lay ministry shepherd.
She is the wife of Bob, mother of three and grandmother of eight.
“Currently, I am writing a fourth novel in the Beryl’s Cove series, entitled ‘The Ghost of Mariner’s Chapel ó A Beryl’s Cove Mystery,’ ” says the author, noting that it’s about one-third finished. “I will be reading a portion of the book at the book signing and discussing anything anyone wants to about my writing or how I got into it. No question will go unanswered unless it involves age and weight.”