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Virginia Willis Book Signing at the Preservation Society of Charleston Bookstore and Gift Shop

In “Basic to Brilliant, Y’all” Virginia builds on her signature style, offering 150 soul-satisfying recipes and accompanying each with a new preparation technique, fresh presentation style, or creative recipe variation that transforms an already wonderful dish into an all-out show stopper.

Throughout “Basic to Brilliant, Y’all,” Virginia paints a vivid portrait of growing up in Louisiana and Georgia, spinning tales of close family and friends—and unforgettable food—interwoven with vignettes from her years living in and visiting France, drawing you in with vibrant accounts of cooking and eating at La Varenne in Burgundy.

Whether you choose the Basic or the Brilliant approach, this bounty of Southern flavors dressed up with time-honored French techniques delivers meals that will keep you and your kin coming back for more.

So come down and meet the author of this great cookbook and get your copy signed on October 8^th at the Preservation Society of Charleston!

 Preservation Society of Charleston | 147 King Street | 843.722.4630

Nancy Lucas Appearing at Second Sunday, October 8th, to Sign Copies of Her New Children's Book

 Charleston Mercury cartoonist, Nancy Lucas, has written and illustrated her first book in a series of five for her new Springer Spaniel Mysteries.  Nancy has been a Mercury cartoonist contributor since 2004.

In The Missing Boston Terriers of Smith Street, Scout searches the Charleston peninsula’s storm drains and sewers to rescue two dogs.  Along the way he encounters a terrifying boa constrictor, some unkind wharf rats and a chatty possum that’s obsessed with food. Don’t forget to pack your sense of humor and some extra palmetto bug snacks for this adventure!

 The second book in the series, A Ghostly Tail, will be available soon.  Scout and his friends persuade a ghost dog bully that all is well in Harleston Village and there is no need to frighten others.

The book is for ages eight and up and is available in paperback at the Charleston Preservation Society . Nancy will be signing copies at the October 8^th Second Sunday so join the rest of the community in supporting your local Charleston authors. For more information, please go to http://NancyLucas.com/blog/.

 

Charleston Mercury Cartoonist, Nancy Lucas, Releases First Mystery Book for Kids

Charleston Mercury cartoonist, Nancy Lucas, has written and illustrated her first book in a series of five for her new Springer Spaniel Mysteries. In the first book, In The Missing Boston Terriers of Smith Street, Scout searches the Charleston peninsula’s storm drains and sewers to rescue two dogs. Along the way he encounters a terrifying boa constrictor, some unkind wharf rats and a chatty possum that’s obsessed with food. Don’t forget to pack your sense of humor and some extra palmetto bug snacks for this adventure!

The second book in the series, A Ghostly Tail, will be available soon. Scout and his friends persuade a ghost dog bully that all is well in Harleston Village and there is no need to frighten others.

The first book is currently available at the Preservation Society Bookstore and Nancy Lucas will be there during October’s 2^nd Sunday on King Street to sign. Stop by the bookstore at 147 King Street in the Lower King Antique District to pick up a copy. 

Peg Eastman Book Signing at the Preservation Society of Charleston Bookstore and Giftshop

Prolific local author Margaret Eastman revives stories from the Holy City's colorful past in Old Charleston Originals. Preserved within these pages are tales about swashbuckling early settlers, the equestrian delights of the exclusive Jockey Club and the rise and fall of the maritime empire of George Alfred Trenholm, considered the inspiration for the iconic blockade runner Rhett Butler. Discover what caused a near massacre in the statehouse, how two determined Charleston ladies stopped a bulldozer, why a plantation home had to be floated down the Cooper River and many more stories from Charleston's rich cultural heritage.

Be sure to check out these stories and more, then join the author herself at the Preservation Society of Charleston on September 24th to get your copy signed and meet Margaret Pearlmen!

Preservation Society of Charleston | 147 King Street | 843.722.4630

Rick McDaniel Book Signing at the Preservation Society of Charleston Bookstore and Gift Shop

This isn't just a cookbook - this is a story. The book starts with the background of food arriving from distant shores before we were the United States. How the explorers and natives found ways to communicate through food and what stayed around to help foster our "Southern Roots".

Each section not only shares recipes, but shares how certain foods came to be claimed by the Southerners. Why it became "our" food. Not to mention the history lessons are great!

The artwork is wonderful - combining graphics and paintings from previous centuries, to modern photographs of wonderful food, presented as you want to see it sitting right in front of you. (A little secret, his wife took many of the pictures!)

So come out to the Preservation Society of Charleston on September 17th and meet the author of this amazing book of history and delicious recipes!

 Preservation Society of Charleston | 147 King Street | 843.722.4630

Sherman Carmichael Book Signing at Preservation Society of Charleston Bookstore & Gift Shop

Forgotten Tales Of South Carolina is a book about tales of strange and unusual happenings in South Carolina. It covers ghosts, haunted houses, haunted bridges, UFO's, strange weather, monsters, etc. Many of these stories have been handed down for hundreds of years.

The 144-page book contains 91 stories from across the state, including many from Georgetown and Horry counties and many others.

With illustrations by Kyle McQueen, the book features such stories as the origins of the swamp monster that slinks along the bottom of Lake Murray, as well as the moonshine bootleggers buried inside the Stumphouse Tunnel between Charleston and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Come down to the Preservation Society of Charleston's Bookstore/Giftshop and visit with Carmichael for what is sure to be an informative and interesting author interaction.

 Preservation Society of Charleston | 147 King Street Charleston, SC | 843.722.4630

Holly Herrick at Lily Charleston for Spoleto Soleil Book Signing Saturday June 4

Holly Herrick, award-winning cookbook author and food writer will appear at Lily Charleston, 196 King Street for a late afternoon book signing and conversation about food, recipes and her next book.  Holly is the author of Southern Farmers Market (2009) and The Charleston Chef's Table Cookbook - Extraordinary Recipes from the Heart of The Old South (2009). Her upcoming book, Tart Love - Sassy, Savory, and Sweet will be released October 1, 2011 and may be pre-ordered at Lily. Lily Charleston is hosting the event as part of a new series by peninsula galleries and shops to entertain and engage Spoleto patrons in late afternoon, Spoleto Soleil.

Lily Charleston, Purveyor of Life's Little Luxuries, is located at 196 King Street. Parking is available at the Queen Street Garage, Majestic Square or the surface lot on Market Street between King and Meeting.

Heirloom Book Co. Featuring Squire Fox Food Photography

Inquisitive cooks, food lovers and chefs alike will flock to lower King Street this spring with the arrival of Heirloom Book Co., a bookstore devoted exclusively to the culinary arts. This month Heirloom Book Co. will showcase work from Squire Fox food photography. Squire Fox is known for their incredibly rich, lush photography depicting, amongst other things, vivid food pieces. Voyeurs should waste no time in picking up a copy of Tyler Florence's immaculate cuisine inspired art work.

Located at 123 King Street, the store serves up an extensive selection of rare, out-of-print and new books, alongside prints, photographs, vintage first-editions, heirloom plants & seeds and other unique novelties — all catering to the food arts. Heirloom Book Co. will house thousands of publications relating to a breadth of subjects, from the perfect Southern cookbook, to literature about haute cuisine, international eats, at home beer brewing, cooking vegan and gluten-free, the art of wine pairing, farm-to-table favorites, craft cocktails and more.

 Heirloom Book Co. 123 King Street Charleston, SC |843.469.1717

Author Teresa Farris-Dacar to Sign Her Books Saturday and Sunday at Pauline Book & Media Store

Teresa Farris-Dacar will sign her two books "For God and King" and "From England to Barbados to Carolina 1670-1700" at Pauline Book & Media Center, 243 King Street on Saturday, April 9, from 11:30 - 2:00 and Sunday April 10, from 1:00 - 5:00 PM, during the Second Sunday on King Street event.

Pauline Books & Media
CHRIST IN EVERYDAY LIFE
243 King Street * Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 577-0175

Capital Bookfest Opens Saturday November 6

Celebrate Charleston's first Capital Bookfest on Saturday, November 6, the event's first year in Charleston. Many celebrity and nationally-known faces will be in town.

Look for Actress Victoria Rowell, Chefs Nathalie Dupree and Holly Herrick, Acclaimed Writers Dori Sanders, Jack Bass, Bret Lott, SC Poet Laureate Marjory Wentworth, Poets Ellie Davis, Linda Ferguson, Carol Ann Davis and Marcus Amaker, Acclaimed Poet/Activists Sonia Sanchez and Haki Madhubuti, Roscoe Orman (Gordon from Sesame Street), SC Authors Beth Webb Hart, Nicole Seitz, Cleo Scott Brown, AlTonya Washington, Sheila Martina, Savannah Frierson, 18 year-old Novelist Noni Carter, Nikki Giovanni, Mary Alice Monroe, Tananarive Due, Jack Bass, Margot Theis Raven, Marcus Amaker, Jenny Sanford, Dori Sanders and more. For more more details about Capitol Bookfest, visit their website at www.capitalbookfest.org.

Children's Story Hour at Blue Bicycle Books Saturday

Blue Bicycle Books will host a Children's Story Hour, Saturday, October 23, from 11:00 AM until Noon. Marc Hoffman, author, and Tony Waters, illustrator, will sign copies and read from their new children’s book "Sleep, Little Child."

Join Jonathan Sanchez on the carpet at Blue Bicycle Books for the author's reading, juice boxes and goldfish.

Everyone is always welcome at Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King Street near the corner of King and John, in the Upper King Design District in historic downtown Charleston.

Renowned Silhouette Artist Clay Rice Returning to Blue Bike

Renowned silhouette artist Clay Rice is returning to Blue Bike to cut personal silhouettes and sign copies of his book The Lonely Shadow on Wednesday, Sept. 15, from 3:00 – 6:00 PM.

Taught by his grandfather Carew, Clay Rice is a 21st century folk artist and a Lowcountry treasure. Watching him cut a child’s silhouette in five minutes has been called performance art in itself. Last year, we watched as he was actually able to capture a recognizable profile of Jonathan Sanchez' squirming one-year-old in less time than it takes to get her shoes on.

His national touring schedule keeps him on the road often, cutting more than 10,000 children’s silhouettes a year, so events back home in Charleston are rare!

Personal silhouettes start at $40 for two copies. We expect slots to fill up quickly. To book an appointment, please call Blue bicycle books at 843.722.2666.

Pat Conroy's favorite bookstore in the Holy City is Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King Street near the corner of King and John, in the Upper King Design District in historic downtown Charleston.

Blue Bicycle Books To Be Part of the Capital BookFest

Since 2005, the Capital BookFest has brought hundreds of authors, and thousands of readers, together for a FREE, festive and insightful day of readings, panels, storytelling, and exhibitors. This Fall the show is coming to Charleston Saturday, November 6, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM at the Charleston County Public Library, Gaillard Auditorium, Blue Bicycle Books and the College of Charleston.

Come and see authors like Wes Moore, Nicole Seitz, Tina McElroy Ansa, Leonard Pitts, Jr., Jack Bass, Dr. Anita Davis-Defoe, Dr. Richard Hughes, Batt Humphreys, Bertice Berry and hundreds more.

For  more information on the Capital Bookfest, stop in to see Jonathan Sanchez at Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King Street near the corner of King and John, in the Upper King Design District in historic downtown Charleston.

"Ripe: The Search for the Perfect Tomato" Author at Blue Bike

Blue Bike welcomes Arthur Allen, author of Ripe: The Search for the Perfect Tomato on Saturday June 19, from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Allen, a journalist, follows the history of tomato cultivation and breeding from the Chinese Army’s conquest for canned tomatoes to Italian farmers’ devotion to retaining their tomato traditions. Jonathan may even have some juicy heirlooms to sample.

The favorite bookstore in the Holy City is Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King Street near the corner of King and John, in the Upper King Design District in historic downtown Charleston.

Sue Monk Kidd at Blue Bicycle Books for Penguin Books 75th Anniversary Celebration

King Street’s wonderful little bookstore, Blue Bicycle Books, is one of 10 bookstores nationwide selected to celebrate Penguin Book’s 75th Anniversary with parties and prestigious authors in prestigious places. At Blue Bicycle Books, Sue Monk Kidd, best-selling author of Secret Life of Bees, will discuss and sign her books, Tuesday, June 22 from 4:00 - 6:00 PM featuring Penguin cupcakes, champagne, and, parked out front, the Penguin-mobile, a bright orange Mini Cooper.

The Blue Bike is one of only ten stops on the tour — other events include Garrison Keillor in Minnesota, Michael Pollan in Berkeley, CA and Jan Karon in Charlottesville, VA.

Sue Monk Kidd will sign copies of her latest novel, Traveling with Pomegranates (co-written with daughter Ann Taylor Kidd) as well as her other New York Times best-selling titles.

To commemorate the occasion, Penguin has donated 75 of its all-time bestselling paperbacks to Burke High School. (The Charleston film premiere of The Secret Life of Bees raised more than $20,000 for Burke’s poetry workshops, funding the student compilations So-Called Whisper and Kissing a Biting Spider.

The favorite bookstore in the Holy City is Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King Street near the corner of King and John, in the Upper King Design District in historic downtown Charleston.

Blue Bicycle Books Author Luncheon Series at Virginia's

The Blue Bicycle Books Author Luncheon Series continues Friday June 4, from Noon to 2:00 PM, with Lowcountry legends Louis Rubin and Ben Moïse at Virginia's on King. Tickets are $35 and advance reservations are required. For tickets please call 843.722.2666 or CLICK HERE.

Louis Rubin Jr. is the co-founder of Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, author of over 50 books, and editor of several southern literature and historical collections. He returns to his roots in his newest collection of short stories, Uptown/Downtown in Old Charleston, which explores his childhood in Charleston during the 1930’s and 40’s and the stark gradations among classes and neighborhoods. Experiencing first-hand both the traditions south of Broad Street and the working class mindset of uptown, Rubin brings you into, in Pat Conroy’s words, “the soul of the real Charleston, revealing its essence and depth.”

Moïse's memoir Ramblings of a Lowcountry Game Warden follows the author’s long career as a South Carolina game warden along the coastal woods and waters of the Lowcountry. Equal parts funny and dangerous, Ramblings features cigar-chomping fishers, game-law violators, stakeouts, shrimpers, lawyers, country judges and poachers. The talk and luncheon will be at Virginia's Restaurant, followed by a dessert-and-champagne book signing at the bookstore.

The best bookstore in the Holy City is Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King Street near the corner of King and John, in the Upper King Design District in historic downtown Charleston.

Blue Bicycle Books Hosts Author Joseph Dabney Thursday

Blue Bicycle Books welcomes renowned author Joseph Dabney, signing The Food, Folklore, and Art of Lowcountry Cooking, Thursday, May 27, from 5:00 – 7:00 PM.

There are a lot of wonderful foodie books about this food-crazed part of the world, but this one is so fun, so all-encompassing, ranging from recipes to history to the current restaurant scene. It’s a wonderful stew just like the picture of the Lowcountry Boil on the cover.

Dabney’s book celebrates the “foods, history and romance down from England, Africa, The Caribbean, France, Germany and Scotland. It’s a tall order, but Dabney, a James Beard award-winner for Cookbook of the Year, is up to the challenge."

Pat Conroy's favorite bookstore in the Holy City is Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King Street near the corner of King and John, in the Upper King Design District in historic downtown Charleston.

Best Selling Author Katie Crouch and Hit Recording Group "Youth and Valor" Friday at Blue Bicycle Books

Charleston's 2010 literary event of the year will be the release party for Katie Crouch's much-anticipated second novel, Men and Dogs at Blue Bicycle Books Friday May 21, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.

Plus, playing in the courtyard will be Youth and Valor, a Texas group featuring the intensely beautiful songs of Courtney Saunders. 

Jonathan Sanchez of Blue Bicycle Books said, " I really like Katie's writing, she’s young, she’s Southern, she sells, she’s current, definitely not a Ya-Ya sisterhood sensibility. We're trying to make this a big blow-out homecoming for her."

Katie Crouch is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel Girls in Trucks. Her writing has also appeared in The New York Observer, Tin House, Glamour and McSweeney's.

Come buy it now, and bring it back to get it signed at the blow-out party. Can't make it? Order a signed copy here.

Pat Conroy's favorite bookstore in the Holy City is Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King Street near the corner of King and John, in the Upper King Design District in historic downtown Charleston.

Baseball Historian and Author at Blue Bicycle Books

Blue Bicycle Books is welcoming author and baseball historian Joseph Wallace to sign copies of his debut novel, Diamond Ruby, Saturday May 15, from 11:00 – 1:00 PM.

Diamond Ruby is the story of Ruby Thomas who was always shy about her extra-long arms, but she never thought they would save her life. New York City in the 1920s was like a vast ocean swirling with treacherous currents: It was far easier to drown than to stay afloat. But young Ruby Thomas, newly responsible for her two nieces after a devastating tragedy, is determined to keep her family safe. She’s got street smarts, boundless determination, and one great skill: the ability to throw a ball as hard as the greatest pitchers in baseball-mad city.

Joseph Wallace is the author of many nonfiction books including four on baseball history, in addition to several short stories. Joseph will also be making a stop at the Joe Riley Park when the Charleston Riverdogs meet the Augusta Green Jackets Friday May 14 at 7:00 PM.

Pat Conroy's favorite bookstore in the Holy City is Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King Street near the corner of King and John, in the Upper King Design District in historic downtown Charleston.

Preservation Society Book Signing for "Indians’ Revenge" by William McIntosh May 1

The Preservation Society of Charleston will host a book signing with William McIntosh III for his narrative of the Yemassee Indian War, Indians’ Revenge at the Preservation Society’s Book & Gift Shop, located at 147 King Street, Saturday, May 1, from 1:00-3:00 PM.

The Yemassee Indian War lasted from 1715 to 1728 and nearly wiped out the province of South Carolina. Although the war is called the Yemassee Indian War, virtually every tribe in the southeast was involved. Despite the length of the war, until the publication of this book, it was virtually forgotten. In this account, Bill McIntosh has brought to light the first complete, factual history of the war, interwoven with details about South Carolina’s relations with the French in Louisiana and the Spanish in Florida at the time.

Bill McIntosh is a graduate of Tulane University. He is a past president of the Preservation Society of Charleston and in 2004 was awarded the Governor’s Award for Lifetime Preservation. The catalyst for this book was Bill McIntosh’s ancestor, Thomas Hepworth, who died in 1728 and is buried in St. Philip’s churchyard.

SC Poet Laureate Marjory Wentworth at Blue Bicycle Books

The party for SC Poet Laureate Marjory Wentworth at Blue Bicycle Books celebrating her new collection The Endless Repetition of an Ordinary Miracle, is Saturday, April 24, from 4:00 - 6:00 PM. The monotype on the cover is by Mary Edna Fraser, whose works are hanging in the store now. Come buy one today and ask about their local discount!

Wentworth roots her collection in the land of palmettos and pine and barrier islands, where the groan of the fishing boat's horn is the sound of her childhood, where days when lobsters washed up on the beaches in piles and she fed their claws to chickens, where the sudden winter rain exposed the skin lining her heart. "These ordinary miracles-first hidden, then revealed, in the endless repetition of tides-oh, anyone can view, but only a very perceptive poet like Marjory sees, knows, and interprets them with her precise, concrete diction, her heartrending syntax, and her mystical events of language," says Tom Lombardo, Poetry Editor of Press 53.

Pat Conroy's favorite bookstore in the Holy City is Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King Street near the corner of King and John, in the Upper King Design District in historic downtown Charleston.

Nick Smith Launching Newest Book at Blue Bicycle Books

Join us Friday April 16, from 5:00 – 7:00 PM, at Blue Bicycle Books for the launch of Nick Smith’s new minibook, Eat Happy, a collection of poetry, illustrations and vignettes. Nick, also an award-winning filmmaker and actor, can be found weekly in the Charleston City Paper. Born in England, Nick now lives here in Charleston with his family, cats and leopard gecko.

Nick Smith is a bestselling author, award-winning filmmaker, artist and actor born in Bristol, England. His books include Milk Treading, The Kitty Killer Cult, Undead on Arrival and The Age of Endarkenment.

Everyone is always welcome at Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King Street near the corner of King and John, in the Upper King Design District in historic downtown Charleston.

Holly Herrick Signing New Cookbook at The Preservation Society

The Preservation Society of Charleston will host a book signing with food writer Holly Herrick for her new cookbook The Charleston Chef’s Table: Extraordinary Recipes from the Heart of the Old South. The signing will be at the Preservation Society’s Book & Gift Shop, located at 147 King Street, Friday, April 9 from 2:00 - 4:00 PM.

Holly Herrick’s new sumptuously illustrated cookbook profiles more than 60 of the city’s best restaurants and includes a signature recipe from each. From roadside dives to upscale eateries, Southern to Chinese, she leaves no stone unturned as she winnows Charleston’s 1,500 restaurants down to her top picks. The Charleston Chef’s Table delivers all the goods that make Charleston an exciting place to live, visit, and dine.

Holly Herrick is a Cordon Bleu-trained chef and award-winning food writer who was previously the restaurant critic at Charleston’s Post and Courier. She is the author of The Southern Farmers Market Cookbook and was a columnist for Lowcountry Living Magazine. Her work has appeared in Bon Appétit, Gourmet, and Southern Living. She lives in Charleston.

The Preservation Society is in the King Street Antiques District in historic downtown Charleston. For more information, call (843) 722-4630, or visit their website at www.preservationsociety.org.

Blue Bicycle Books Featured in Pat Conroy's Tour of Charleston in USA Today

Blue Bicycle Books is Pat Conroy's favorite Charleston book store and once again Jonathan Sanchez' store in the Upper King Design District is featured in a major publication, USA Today. (Click here to read the entire article.)

Said Conroy in the article, "The independent used-book store on Upper King Street is in a part of Charleston which is coming back to great and vigorous life, and it's one of the most pleasant places just to go and browse."

Conroy most recently had a book signing at Blue Bicycle Books where more than 300 fans waited patiently in the cold for a chance to chat with the best-selling author about his latest novel about Charleston, South of Broad.

Everyone is always welcome at Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King Street near the corner of King and John, in the Upper King Design District in historic downtown Charleston.

Jonathan Sanchez Finishes Second on "Jeopardy!"

Jonathan Sanchez, owner of Upper King Street's Blue Bicycle Books, finished in second place on the long-running TV game show Jeopardy! earlier this week. Sanchez correctly answered the Final Jeopardy! question, demonstrating his Yale education, but could not get by the winner's total even with the correct response to a Shakespearean question.

Sanchez had an early lead in the first round but was edged out by the thumb-button dexterity of a computer engineer, the returning champion form the previous episode. Sanchez opted twice for the "Off the Record" category but drew a blank on the 16-million selling Eagles' album "Hotel California."

Sanchez received $2,000 for his runner-up spot.

Robert J. Kapsch Book Signing at Preservation Society

The Preservation Society of Charleston will host a book signing with author Robert J. Kapsch for Historic Canals and Waterways of South Carolina at the Preservation Society’s Book & Gift Shop, located at 147 King Street, Saturday, March 27 from 1:00 - 3:00 PM.

Historic Canals and Waterways of South Carolina is the first comprehensive account of the state’s canal history. The author relies on his experience as an engineer and historical researcher, as well as numerous maps and illustrations, to tell a fascinating and forgotten tale from South Carolina’s past. Robert Kapsch expertly recounts the complex history of innovation, determination, and improvement that fueled the canal boom in early-nineteenth-century South Carolina.

The Preservation Society is in the King Street Antiques District in historic downtown Charleston. For more information, call (843) 722-4630, or visit their website at www.preservationsociety.org.

Ben Moise at the Preservation Society Saturday

Meet author Ben Moise at the Preservation Society Book & Gift Shop, 147 King Street, Saturday, March 13 from  1:00 to 3:00 PM as he signs his new book, A Southern Sportsman: The Hunting Memoirs of Henry Edwards Davis.

Henry Edwards Davis (1879-1966) was a successful attorney in Florence, SC, and an avid sportsman, horticulturalist, furniture maker, and historian best remembered for his 1949 book, The American Wild Turkey, considered to be the definitive work on wild turkeys and turkey hunting. Between 1932 and 1949 he contributed technical articles on sporting guns, ammunition, and turkey hunting to the American Rifleman.

Published for the first time in Ben Moise’s new book, Davis’ collection of southern hunting tales describes his many experiences in pursuit of turkeys, deer, ducks, and partridge. His memoirs offer a lucid firsthand account of a time before paved roads and river-spanning bridges had penetrated the rural stretches of Williamsburg and Florence counties, when hunting was still one of a southerner’s chief social activities.

Ben Moise was a conservation officer with the SCDNR from 1978 to 2002. He is the author of Ramblings of a Lowcountry Game Warden: A Memoir and a frequent contributor to the Charleston Post and Courier, Charleston Mercury and Garden and Gun.

Food Writers Matt and Ted Lee at Blue Bicycle Books for Book Signing and King Street Peanut Boil

Blue Bicycle Books welcomes renowned food writers Matt and Ted Lee, signing copies of The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern, Sunday March 7 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM. The local boys-made-good will close out the weekend of the BB&T Wine + Food Festival with a sidewalk peanut boil on King Street.

Jonathan Sanchez first met Matt and Ted when they were fresh out of college running their mail-order business out of an office in the Confederate Home. Fifteen years later they are still selling boiled peanuts, Duke’s Mayonnaise and Piggly Wiggly t-shirts to exiled Southerners everywhere. They are also now frequent contributors to the New York Times dining section and have won two James Beard awards for The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook. NPR's Linda Wertheimer will be hosting a discussion with Matt and Ted at the Smithsonian on April 6th.

Their second book explores recipes that indulge in the flavors of the Deep South through healthy and everyday ingredients. More than 100 accessible recipes add their own twist of sophistication: cherry tomato and soybean salad, easy ambrosia, caesar salad with catfish “croutons,” to name a few. Simple Fresh Southern also offers instructions on a variety of techniques, ranging from smoking to cheesemaking.

Can’t make it? Buy a signed copy at BBB after March 8.

Everyone is always welcome at Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King Street near the corner of King and John, in the Upper King Design District in historic downtown Charleston.

Author/Artist at Blue Bicycle Books for SEWE King Street Stroll

It's only appropriate at Pat Conroy's favorite Charleston bookstore, Blue Bicycle Books, that a wildlife artist, who is also an author/illustrator, make a live appearance during the SEWE King Street Stroll. So, on Friday Feb.12 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, Wayne Caldwell Simmons will not only show off his art, and his book at Blue Bicycle Books. Simmons wrote and illustrated The Story of Jules Verne, A Watch Pocket Dog.

Simmons has been an artist most of his life. Sporting art, portraits of people, people and their pets, wildlife and landscapes all have their place in his work, but it's his dogs and their antics afield that offer recurring themes throughout his work.

Simmons wrote and illustrated The Story of Jules Verne, A Watch Pocket Dog, a medium-sized, coffee table book laced with colorful paintings of gun dogs, horses, wildlife and outdoor scenes.

Everyone is always welcome at Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King Street near the corner of King and John, in the Upper King Design District in historic downtown Charleston.

Preservation Society's "The Boykin Spaniel" Book Signing

The Preservation Society of Charleston will have a book signing for The Boykin Spaniel: South Carolina’s Dog in the Society’s Book & Gift Shop, 147 King Street in downtown Charleston, Saturday, February 13, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 noon.

Authors Mike Creel and Lynn Kelley offer an unparalleled resource on South Carolina’s state dog. The Boykin Spaniel offers a complete history on the breed profiling the Boykin spaniel’s distinctive characteristics.

Mike Creel is a South Carolina native and longtime writer for the SC Wildlife magazine. A graduate of the USC School of Journalism, in 1997 he won the Harry R. E. Hampton “Woods and Waters” Conservation Memorial Award. Lynn Kelley, a former dean and professor at colleges in Missouri, Kentucky and Pennsylvania, moved to South Carolina in 1991. 

The Preservation Society is in the King Street Antiques District in historic downtown Charleston. For more information, call (843) 722-4630, or visit their website at www.preservationsociety.org.

Sammy the Wonder Dachshund Missing on King Street

Have you seen Sammy the Wonder Dachshund? We're forming a search party to celebrate the release of his new book! Come help us search Wednesday, January 27 from 5:00 - 10:00 PM at 438 King Street, in the Upper King Design District of historic downtown Charleston (Look for the monkeys!)

Join us for food and drinks, meet author Jonathan Miller and pick up a hot-off-the-press copy of Sammy on Safari, the second book in The Adventure of Sammy the Wonder Dachshund series.

Blue Bicycle Books, at 420 King Street, has all of The Adventure of Sammy the Wonder Dachshund series available at the store or you can buy them online. (CLICK HERE TO BUY ONLINE)

Best Selling Young Adult Authors at Blue Bicycle Books

Blue Bicycle Books welcomes Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, the authors of the Young Adult novel Beautiful Creatures signing books Thursday, Jan. 21 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. Set in a fictional small town near Summerville, the book opened at #3 on the NY Times bestseller list. 

On their only book tour stop in the Lowcountry, the two writers will meet a diverse range of area teens visiting Ashley Hall and Burke High Schools, perhaps gathering material for the next novel in this five-book series?

They wrote Beautiful Creatures on a dare from some teenage friends, students of Kami’s who kept urging the new authors for more chapters. “Looking back, we wrote it sort of like the serialized fiction of Charles Dickens,” Garcia says. “Turning in pages to our teen readers every week. When we were getting texts in the middle of the night from teens demanding more pages, we knew we had to finish.” 

Their story of Ethan Wate and his mysterious, beautiful new friend Lena is number 5 on Amazon’s Editors’ List of the 100 books of 2009, and it was the top young adult book on the list. Warner Bros. has acquired the screen rights and Richard LaGravanese (P.S., I Love You) reportedly will write the script and direct.

Everyone is always welcome at Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King Street near the corner of King and John, in the Upper King Design District in historic downtown Charleston.

Charleston Classic Limited Edition TEEs at College of Charleston Bookstore

The Second Annual Charleston Classic college basketball tournament is coming back town at the Carolina First Arena November 19, 20, and 22.

And the College of Charleston Bookstore has these limited edition T-shirts are available  for just $20.00. You may also order shirts online at  www.cofc.bkstr.com. For more information about the actual event please visit www.charlestonclassic.com

The CofC Bookstore is at 160 Calhoun Street in the Upper King Design District just a few steps from the Francis Marion Hotel.

Preservation Society's 13th Annual Holiday Book Signing Set for December 3rd

The Preservation Society of Charleston announced its 13^thAnnual Holiday Book Signing, Thursday December 3 from 5:00 until 8:00 PM. The event is at the Society’s Book & Gift Shop at the corner of King and Queen Streets. Join fellow literary enthusiasts and enjoy refreshments and hors d’oeuvres on this special evening commencing the 2009 holiday season.

The public is invited to attend and there is no charge for admission. The Book Signing will feature over two dozen distinguished Society member authors whose works encompass a wide variety of topics related to Charleston, including historic preservation, architecture, social and cultural history, gardening and natural history, biography, art, culinary arts and history, children’s literature, and military history.

The Annual Holiday Book Signing has become one the Preservation Society’s most popular events. Proceeds from the book sales will benefit the Preservation Society of Charleston’s mission of preservation planning, advocacy and preservation education. For more information, please contact the Preservation Society at (843) 722-4630 or visit their website at www.preservationsociety.org.

Pat Conroy Coming to Blue Bicycle Books Sat. December 12

Pat Conroy is coming to his favorite Charleston bookstore, Blue Bicycle Books, Saturday December 12, from 1:00 to 3:30 PM. Conroy, the NY Times Best Selling Author, has graciously offered to come and sign copies of his blockbuster new novel South of Broad.

Just for the record, Blue Bicycle Books is about a mile north of Broad. This is Conroy's only book signing on the Charleston Peninsula.

South of Broad is already the best-selling book ever at Blue Bicycle Books and they have received hundreds of requests for autographed copies. Well this is your chance.

Everyone is always welcome at Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King Street near the corner of King and John, in the Upper King Design District in historic downtown Charleston.

Blue Bicycle Books Author’s Luncheon Series: Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor “Consider the Pomegranate”

The Blue Bicycle Books Author’s Luncheon Series continues Friday November 13 from noon to 2:00 PM with Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor, discussing and signing Traveling with Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Story.

A memoir of trips to Greece and France , Pomegranates goes back 11 years, when Sue is turning 50 and contemplating writing fiction for the first time, the seed for The Secret Life of Bees just starting to germinate. Daughter Ann has just graduated from college, suffering from depression with no clear picture for her life. A blend of humor and introspection, the Kidd women reflect on the ordinary and the eternal, from bad hamburgers to the Black Madonna.

The talk and a lunch of croque-monsieur, frites, and salad with pomegranate seeds is at Fish Restaurant prepared by Chef Nico Romo, 442 King Street. Lunch is followed by a champagne-and-dessert book signing two doors down at Blue Bicycle Books. $40. Advance reservations required. For tickets please call 843.722.2666. A portion of the proceeds will benefit My Sister’s House, a shelter for victims of domestic violence.

Coastal Conservation League Sponsoring Author Abby Sallenger at Blue Bicycle Books

Abby Sallenger, author of Island in a Storm, will be at Blue Bicycle Books Thursday November 5 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. His slideshow presentation, reception and talk are  sponsored by the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League. This event is free and open to the public.

Sallenger, a coastal geologist for the USGS, tells the story of Isle Derniere , a Louisiana barrier island resort that was destroyed by a Category 4 hurricane in 1856. Unlike today, the survivors concluded that the island was too hazardous for permanent settlement and decided not to rebuild scratching plans to expand it into one of the country’s largest resorts. This true story of romance and perilous escapes is also a cautionary tale of the dangers of living on the ever-changing Southern coast in a time of warming, rising seas.

Sallenger has been featured in the New York Times and on National Public Radio. For more information contact Nancy Cregg at the League, 723-9895, or Jonathan Sanchez at Blue Bicycle Books, 722-2666.

Blue Bicycle Books is at 420 King Street in the Upper King Design District in historic downtown Charleston.

22 Authors at Book Fair Hosted by CofC Bookstore

In conjunction with College of Charleston Family Week, the College of Charleston Bookstore is hosting the Local Author's Book Fair October 3 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. This is a marvelous outdoor affair on George Street between St. Philip and Coming Streets.

Of course, everyone is welcome; this great event is always open to the public. There will be 22 authors on George Street signing their books and discussing many of their works. Authors include Guests are not required to purchase anything. The College of Charleston Bookstore will be selling the author’s works. Make sure you pick up a flyer that details the books and authors at this well-done, annual event in downtown Charleston.

The CofC Bookstore is at 160 Calhoun Street in the Upper King Design District just a few steps from the Francis Marion Hotel. Call 843.953.5518 or visit them online at www.cofc.bkstr.com

Dan Brown's Latest Novel Debuts Tuesday at CofC Bookstore

There is still time to pre-order Dan Brown's latest novel and save 40% off the regular price at the College of Charleston Bookstore.

Not the typical textbook store, the College of Charleston Bookstore is the one-stop shopping place for everything Charleston in addition to all the latest best sellers and books on any topic. The CofC Bookstore is at 160 Calhoun Street in the Upper King Design District just a few steps from the Francis Marion Hotel. Call 843.953.5518 or visit them online at www.cofc.bkstr.com

Danny Crooks Signs Charleston is Burning at Charleston Preservation Society Book & Gift Shop

This coming Saturday one of our favorite local authors, Daniel J. Crooks will sign his new book, Charleston is Burning, at the Preservation Society of Charleston's Book and Gift Shop at King & Queen. After you've been to the Farmers Market and had your fill of Mozart & Moo Shu in Marion Square, meet Danny and pick up a signed copy of this wonderful book for your collection. Published by History Press, ISBN-10: 1596296356 and available at the Preservation Society Book and Gift Shop. You will not meet a nicer man, or anyone who has more local knowledge of Charleston, SC. His last book, On The Eve Of The Charleston Renaissance: The George W. Johnson Photographs was a delightful tribute and an unparalleled collection of Charleston's history.

Folly Beach Book Premieres at Plum Elements July 2

Meet Frank Melvin Braden, the photographer, and Ellie Maas Davis, the wordsmith of the incredible new book, The Humours of Folly, at the Opening Reception and Book Signing at Plum Elements, Thursday, July 2 from 5 - 7:30 PM.

Braden's fabulous Folly Beach photographs will be featured at Plum Elements from July 2 until August 2. Braden is serious about his art. "I try to invoke a mood.  My pictures often depict places of transition - doors, walkways, the movement of the city at night. Though these places hold their own energy, the life of the moment is really captured through the harmony, and disharmony, of color and black and white."

Plum Elements offers a unique collection of functional and visual art, as well as thoughtful items for mind, body and home that come from down the street and around the globe.

Plum Elements is at 161 1/2 King Street and is open Monday - Saturday 10ish AM till 6:00 PM and Thursdays till 7:00 PM in the King Street Antiques District in historic downtown Charleston.

For more information call 843-727-3747 or email at: info@plumelements.com

Fabulous Folly Beach Photography Book Opening at Plum Elements

Meet Frank Melvin Braden, the photographer, and Ellie Maas Davis, the wordsmith of the incredible new book, The Humours of Folly, at the Opening Reception and Book Signing at Plum Elements, Thursday, July 2 from 5 - 7:30 PM. Plum Elements is at 161 1/2 King Street in the Antique District of Lower King.

Braden's fabulous Folly Beach photographs will be featured at Plum Elements from July 2 until August 2. Braden is serious about his art. "I try to invoke a mood. My pictures often depict places of transition - doors, walkways, the movement of the city at night. Though these places hold their own energy, the life of the moment is really captured through the harmony, and disharmony, of color and black and white."

Plum Elements offers a unique collection of functional and visual art, as well as thoughtful items for mind, body and home that come from down the street and around the globe.

Plum Elements is at 161 1/2 King Street and is open Monday - Saturday 10ish AM till 6:00 PM and Thursdays till 7:00 PM in the King Street Antiques District in historic downtown Charleston.

For more information call 843-727-3747 or email at: info@plumelements.com

Best Selling Author to Launch New Novel at C of C Bookstore

Charleston best-selling author Dorthea Benton Frank will launch her latest novel, Return to Sullivans Island, Tuesday, June 30 at 12:00 PM at The College of Charleston Bookstore. This is the longed-for sequel to her NY Times Best-Seller Sullivan's Island.

This C of C Bookstore event is the world premier and first stop on Frank's book tour.

To guarantee that you will have the book on launch day, please pre-order by calling the Bookstore at 843.953.5518.

Born and raised on Sullivan's Island and a graduate of Bishop England High School, Frank is our favorite writer with lowcountry themes. Her other works include: Bulls Island, The Land of Mango Sunsets, The Christmas Pearl, Full of Grace, Pawley's Island, Isle of Palms, Shem Creek and Plantation.

Ms. Frank has appeared on NBC's Today Show, Parker Ladd's Book Talk and many local news outlets. A frequent speaker on creative writing and the creative process for students of all ages, she has also appeared at the National Arts Club, the Junior League of New York, Friends of the Library, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Post & Courier's Charleston Book and Author event.

The CofC Bookstore is at 160 Calhoun Street in the Upper King Design District just a few steps from the Francis Marion Hotel.

Call 843.953.5518 or visit them online at www.cofc.bkstr.com

Vintage Volkswagen Poster at Julia Santen Gallery

A convertible VW, a blonde babe and a windblown poodle make any day a delight! This beautiful vintage poster, now available at Julia Santen Gallery, is almost 50 years old and features the marketing of Volkswagen in this country during the '50s when imported cars were entering the automobile market.

Title: Volkswagen Her faithful friend
Artist: Brun
Year: 1955
Size: 32 1/4 x 47 inches (82 x 119 cm)
Reference Number: 1226

You can purchase this vivacious Volkswagen vintage poster and many more at Julia Santen Gallery in the King Street Antiques District in historic downtown Charleston, at 188 King Street. Or visit her web site at www.Julia Santen.com.

King Street on Live 5 News Charleston

Susan Lucas was on Live 5 News Wednesday telling greater Charleston to "Come to beautiful King Street for the Holidays." Her appearance on the 4 O'Clock news slot with Live 5 News Anchor Bill Sharpe included a sneak appearance by The Grinch from the Charleston Ballet Theatre who ran off with two of the luscious props supplied by Cupcake.

With a Jack Alterman photo of King Street in the forefront, Ms. Lucas took advantage of every second to promote the Charleston Ballet Theatre's extra performances of The Grinch, King Street businesses from Broad to the Crosstown, City of Charleston Parking Garages and CARTA Dash Buses and Holiday Magic in Historic Charleston at Marion Square.

"King Street is just so beautiful with the windows and decorations. And the shopping is just the best," said Lucas. "And there is plenty of parking especially with the 2-hour free parking vouchers provided by the City, available at all of the merchants. After parking buy a CARTA pass and jump on and off of the great Dash Buses to ride up and down King Street."

 

The Grinch is Stealing More Christmas

OVERWHELMING RESPONSE ADDS THREE EXTRA SHOWS

Due to overwhelming demand from its original November run, The Charleston Ballet Theatre will bring the Mean One back for more holiday cheer on Saturday and Sunday Dec. 20 and 21.

With all the nostalgia and magic of the original Dr. Seuss story and the classic holiday animated television special, CBT's The Grinch Who Stole Christmas is back to spread the holiday cheer one more time this season with added performances of the family-friendly snow-filled cheerfest with two performances Saturday Dec. 20 at 11am and 1:30pm and Sunday Dec. 21 at 3:00pm at CBT's Black Box Theatre at 477 King Street.

Tickets are only available by calling 723.7334 or visiting the CBT Box Office at 477 King Street and online at CharlestonBallet.org

Afterward, stop by Cupcake. The Holiday Flavors are fabulous! Cupcake is at 433 King Street in the Upper King Design District.

Preservation Society of Charleston Holiday Book Signing

The Preservation Society of Charleston is holding its 12th Annual Holiday Book Signing on Thursday, December 4, 2008 from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. Join fellow holiday shoppers as you enjoy a delicious array of appetizers and refreshments on this special evening. Browse through books and gifts reflecting the historic and cultural heritage of Charleston and the Lowcountry. There is no charge for admission. Join over two dozen distinguished Society member authors whose works encompass a wide range of topics related to Charleston including historic preservation, architecture, social and cultural history, gardening, natural history, biography, culinary arts, children’s literature, and military history. The annual Holiday Book Signing has become one of King Street's most popular events. The Preservation Society Book and Gift Shop is located at 147 King Street in the King Street Antique District.

Farmers Market HARVEST FARE

The City of  Charleston 's award-winning Farmers Market, produced and managed by the City of  Charleston 's Office of Cultural Affairs, will host a Harvest Fare Nov. 8, 2008 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in  Marion Square . The event, co-sponsored by Stage Presence, will highlight market vendors and their produce in a series of cooking demonstrations.

The demonstrations, hosted by John LaVerne, owner of Culinary Tours of Charleston and Bull Dog Tours, include: 

 9 a.m.-Putting Up: Farmers Market vendor and author of "Putting Up," Steve Dowdney of Rockland Plantation will demonstrate canning tricks and tips for preserving the fall harvest for the holidays. 

10 a.m.-From Farm to Plate: Sean Brock, Executive Chef at McCrady's Restaurant and  Wadmalaw Island farmer, will team-up with Farmers Market vendor and organic farmer Rita Bachmann of Rita's Roots. 

11 a.m.-Organic Table: Alluette Jones-Smalls, owner of the Upper King Street Design District's  Alluette's Café, and Helen and Joseph Fields, Johns  Island farmers, will prepare a traditional southern dish. 

12-Noon-From Sea to Plate:   Tressy Magwood Mellichamp, a Farmers Market vendor, and  Lily Herndon Weaks, co-authors of East Cooper: A Maritime Heritage, will prepare a shrimp dish with their catch-of-the-day.

Initiated by Mayor Joe Riley in 1989, the Charleston Farmers Market is produced by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs and was recently ranked by Travel and Leisure magazine as one of the top 10 best Farmers Markets in the nation. Located in Marion Square, in the heart of historic downtown Charleston, SC, the Farmers Market is open each Saturday, from April to December, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The Farmers Market is dedicated to the support and advocacy of Lowcountry farmers and growers and offers a variety of local produce, plants, herbs and cut flowers as well as breakfast and lunch vendors, live entertainment and an assortment of juried arts and crafts from local artisans.

For more information, please call (843) 724-7309 or e-mail FarmersMarket@ci.charleston.sc.us.