Writers, publishers, editors, storytellers and more will convene in Wadesboro on Saturday, April 2, for the third annual Carolinas Writers Conference. The free event will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Lockhart-Taylor Center.
Conference presenter Omar Tyree will give the opening address at 9 a.m. A popular writer of urban young adult books, Tyree is also known as a motivational speaker. Tyree will talk about “The Five Key Components of Literacy.”
Robert Macomber will open the afternoon session at 1:30 p.m. Macomber has just released the ninth title, “Honor Bound,” in his historical naval series. Macomber will share how he researches the background for his books by visiting the countries his hero, Peter Wake, sails to during his adventures.
Attendees have a choice of workshops or readings following the main addresses. From 9:55 to 10:40 a.m., Susan Sloate will share how to get on Amazon’s bestseller list; Jerry McGee will discuss writing the memoir; Linda Evans will tell how to self-publish and market your book; Dwayne Morgan will talk about being a teen author; and Zack Allen will reminisce about growing up in Anson County and his career as a columnist.
From 10:50 until 11:35 a.m. publisher RJ Morris will represent Wild Rose Press; storytellers Wayne and Jane Sims will entertain; Joanna Scott will read from her works; Dusty Rhoades will talk about writing the thriller; and Karen MacMurray will present “Keys to Historical Research.”
Following lunch, McGee, Rhoades, Evans and Sloate will repeat their sessions from 2:25-3:10 p.m.; and Morris, Allen, Scott and the Sims will do a repeat from 3:20-4:05 p.m.
Patricia Fry will give a workshop, “Take Charge of Your Book’s Success” from 2:25 until 4:05 p.m.
The conference will conclude with a panel discussion on “How to Get Published.”
Those who want to eat lunch with the authors may order a box lunch (chicken croissant) at www.ansoncountywritersclub.org. Cost is $10 and the deadline to order is today.
The Carolinas Writers conference is sponsored by the Anson County Writers’ Club, the H.B. Allen Library and South Piedmont Community College, with support from the North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Anson County Arts Council, the Elizabeth Burns Yost Trust, the William A. Smith Trust, the Effie Allen Little Foundation, Anson Bank and Trust and BB&T.
Concord publisher earns honor
CONCORD, N.C. — Concord-based Comfort Publishing, an independent general trade publisher, is proud to announce that one of its titles, “The Time of Eddie Noel,” by author Al Povall, has been nominated for “Book of the Year” in the True Crime category by ForeWord Magazine, a leading publication in the book publishing industry.
ForeWord is the only review trade journal devoted exclusively to books from independent houses. The winners will be announced in New York City this May.
Three hundred fifty publishers from across the country submitted titles for consideration of this award. Finalists were selected from 1,400 entries in 56 categories.
“Eddie Noel,” a story of murder and racial segregation in 1950s Mississippi, tells the story of a young black man named Eddie Noel who shot and killed a white honky-tonk operator named Willie Ramon Dickard. The killing took place in southwest Mississippi, a place drenched with violence and soaked with moonshine whiskey. Dickard’s killing led to formation of perhaps the largest posse in Mississippi history, its members fueled by hatred, outrage, and in some cases, white lightning. Noel took on elements of the posse in two gunfights, killing two more white men and wounding three others. Then he disappeared into the woods of southwest Holmes County, as one reporter said, “Like a whippoorwill.”
Noel was never caught, never tried. And though he confessed to the three killings, he avoided both a lynching and a date with “Old Sparky,” Mississippi’s electric chair. In the end, he spent the last 22 years of his life living peacefully in Fort Wayne, Ind.
ForeWord Reviews’ Book of the Year Awards program was established to help publishers shine an additional spotlight on their best titles and bring increased attention to librarians and booksellers of the literary and graphic achievements of independent publishers and their authors.