Come one, come all to the inaugural Summerville Book Festival February 15th!!! The information below will help you plan your day as downtown Summerville becomes THE hub for all things books…
MEET OUR PARTNERS
It takes a village: We couldn’t do this without Summerville DREAM, our Summerville Journal Scene newspaper, the Flowertown Players, the Timrod Library, and of course, readers. When we all work together, it’s a win for us, our community, and YOU!
DREAM works with small businesses, orgs and specialty vendors around town to encourage economic vitality, entertainment, and community outreach, including the Farmers Market, Sweet Tea Festival, Third Thursdays, Christmas Parade and now the Summerville Book Festival! DREAM celebrates the shop local approach. Community Partners are recognized as trusted advisors who embrace “I am because we are” — together we all succeed.
The Mission of The Flowertown Players, Inc. is to produce and present quality community theatre, to encourage and promote educational and literary performing arts projects for all segments of the tri-county population, and to provide a venue for thespians, artists, techs, writers and other creatives to practice their crafts. Through the arts, we help provide an enriching experience in our Summervlle community.
We bring the news of each community to the readers of our print editions with a strong emphasis on local content and local writers. Our newspapers are an integral part of the communities they represent. The Summerville Journal Scene, founded in 1940, is published every Wednesday and delivered weekly to nearly 25,000 households in Dorchester County and parts of Berkeley County. For more info, call 843-873-9424.
The Timrod Library began in 1897, when a group of young Summerville women, inspired by the Chautauqua literary movement, formed a reading circle. In 1908, it was chartered as the Timrod Literary and Library Association. The Timrod continues to serve as a hub of literary events. Board members, employees, and volunteers continue their literary mission: serving the community and caring for the historic building.
MEET YOUR AUTHORS!
We have several different “stages” and staging areas at the Summerville Book Festival, including our Bestsellers Stage at the Flowertown Theatre (paid programming includes books!); our free Children’s Stage (Saturday morning) and Lowcountry Stars Stage (Saturday afternoon) on Hutchinson Square; a “Writing for Stage & Screen“ (ticketed) workshop in the Backbox Studio behind the Flowertown Players Theatre; an Active Voice Novel Writing Panel at the Timrod Library; Poetry Bookmark making at Public Works Arts Center; and a tour of the Summerville Journal Scene offices and archives on Journal Alley!
BESTSELLERS STAGE AT FLOWERTOWN THEATRE
Bestsellers Stage Programming takes place at the Flowertown Players Theatre. Doors open at noon and the first keynote begins at 1 p.m. The final keynote ends at 5:30 p.m.
Your Bestsellers Stage VIP ticket includes:
- ALL programming at the Flowertown Players Theatre (two keynotes and three themed panels shown below, with more authors still to be confirmed).
- A signed copy of each of the keynote speakers’ featured titles; including one The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan AND one Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix. (Additional copies will be available for sale/signing in the theatre bookstore and at Main Street Reads.)
- PLUS: VIP ticket holders enjoy 10% off the purchase of any panel author’s book in the theatre bookstore or at Main Street Reads.
- PLUS, VIP ticket holders enjoy exclusive admission to the Authors/Sponsors/VIP Reception at Main Street Reads at 5:30 p.m., following the festival (food and drink included).
- (A general admission ticket is also available without reception or discounts included, but does include your choice of just one of the keynote speakers’ books.)
- Buy your tickets now – the Bestsellers Stage WILL sell out before February 15th. Tickets available only via the link below or at Main Street Reads.
Kate Fagan: The Three Lives of Cate Kay (Opening Keynote 1:00 pm)
Giving the opening keynote at 1:00 pm (Flowertown Theater) will be New York Times bestselling author Kate Fagan, whose newly released The Three Lives of Cate Kay was just named the January 2025 Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick!
Grady Hendrix: Witchcraft for Wayward Girls (Closing Keynote 4:30 pm)
Presenting the closing keynote is New York Times bestselling author, the incomparable Grady Hendrix, who further cements his status as a “horror master” with his new release, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls.
BESTSELLERS STAGE: A FAB FANTASY PANEL
E.M. Etheridge: She Tames the Sea (Fantasy Panel)
E.M. Etheridge, one of Summerville’s own, will join the fantasy panel with her dark fantasy novel, She Tames the Sea: – already a big debut success at Main Street Reads!
Dorothy McFalls: Moonlight Dragon Duo (Fantasy Panel)
Dorothy McFalls writes fantasy, Regency romances, and bestselling mysteries too (under pen name Dorothy St. James) and will be featured on this year’s Fab Fantasy panel!
Winnefred Tataw: Child of Tempus (Fantasy Panel)
Winnefred Tataw will on the Fantasy panel to discuss her series that launched with the Child of Tempus . Winnie is an artist, entrepreneur, and bestselling author of The Gods’ Scion.
BESTSELLERS STAGE: KISS & TELL ROMANCE PANEL
Rebecca Wrights: Feels Like Coming Home (Romance Panel)
Rebecca Wrights is a Charleston-based romance author, who will be part of the Romance panel at the Flowertown Players Theatre, chatting about her second chance romance novel Feels Like Coming Home.
Nadine Theiss: Starcrossed Nocturne (Romance Panel)
Author Nadine Thiess will join the festival’s Kiss & Tell Romance Panel with insights into her new vampire romance, Starcrossed Nocturne.
Christina Sinisi: Why They Call It Falling (Romance Panel)
Christina Sinisi is a professor at Charleston Southern University and the author of several Christian Romance novels, including Christmas Confusion, Sweet Summer, and Why They Call it Falling.
BESTSELLERS STAGE: THRILL IN THE ‘VILLE THRILLER PANEL
Yasmin Angoe: Not What She Seems (Thriller Panel)
Yasmin Angoe will be featured on our Thriller panel at the Flowertown Players theater, discussing her latest award-winning work, Not What She Seems. She is also the author of the Nena Knight series!
Connie Froman Davis: Death Writes Itself (Thriller Panel)
Joining the Thriller panel is local Connie Froman Davis, former Homeland Security training professor and newly minted author of the thriller Death Writes Itself:
Roger Newman: Declan Murphy Series (Thriller Panel)
Charleston-based Roger Newman, MD writes medical thrillers AND historical fiction – he’ll be featured on our Thriller panel and again in the afternoon out on Hutchinson Square with his latest work, The Boys.
STORIES ON THE SQUARE KIDS STAGE: HUTCHINSON SQUARE 9:30 – 11:30 am
Marybeth Wishart: Parker Discovers the Blues (Children’s)
Hear Marybeth’s wonderful Parker adventures during our Stories on the Square morning at the Summerville Book Festival, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. The morning will be led by our resident storyteller, Auntie Leslie!
Martha Jawarowski: At First Sight Series (Children’s Stage)
Martha Jaworowski will join us on the children’s stage at Hutchinson Square (9:30 – 11:30) reading from her popular “At First Sight” books, including Sports at First Sight and Trucks at First Sight!
Peter Cotton: Fred the Snake Series (Children’s Stage)
Peter Cotton, a regular hit at Main Street Reads, will read from his Fred the Snake series of award-winning children’s books, including When Fred the Snake and Friends Explore Charleston!
ACTIVE VOICE: AUTHORS TALK WRITING AT THE TIMROD
This ticketed event features a moderated authors panel AND breakfast at the Timrod Library, beginning 9 a.m. until noon, featuring well-known authors talking about their craft and the writing life. Each participant will also receive a Timrod Library tote bag with writerly gifts tucked inside.
Tickets can be obtained directly from the Timrod Library special page set up for this, will all proceeds benefiting our Timrod Library. Tickets are $50 member/$75 non-member. Click below for more info and to get your tix. Space IS limited!
WRITING FOR STAGE & SCREEN: STUDIO WORKSHOP
Thomas & Judy Heath: Writing for Stage & Screen
With a special ticketed workshop benefitting the Flowertown Players and the South Porch Artists Residency, award-winning playwrights and screenwriters Thomas and Judy Heath are “in the house!”
Join Thomas and Judy Heath, and South Porch Artists’ Brad Erickson in a two-hour stage and screen workshop! Held behind the Flowertown Theatre in the Backbox Studio; space is limited to 50 participants. Doors open at 9 a.m. to enjoy coffee and continental breakfast; workshop takes place 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. This is a TICKETED EVENT: All proceeds support the Flowertown Players Theatre and South Porch Artists Residency, both impacting the arts in our community!
Brad Erickson: Writing for Stage & Screen
Brad Erickson is the man behind South Porch Artists Residency in Summerville. An actor and award-winning playwright, he’ll join Thomas & Judy Heath in this special workshop, proceeds of which will benefit the FPT and the South Porch.
LOWCOUNTRY STARS ON THE SQUARE: MEET AUTHORS AND THEIR BOOKS ALL AFTERNOON FROM 1:00 – 5:00 pm
Timrod Library board chair Leslie Koehler will emcee an afternoon of amazing books and amazing authors. Books will be for sale at the Main Street Reads tent near the stage. All Hutchinson Square programming is free and open to all. *We have a limited number of chairs; feel free to bring a lawn chair and while you’re there, enjoy snacks from local eateries or the food trucks and exhibitors at the festival… Author list growing daily – watch here for details!
MEET YOUR VENDORS!
All along Hutchinson Square, you’ll have the opportunity to shop books, crafts, food, AND learn about the amazing arts organizations right here in Summerville…More exhibitors will be listed here as they confirm. Want to be an exhibitor on the big day? CLICK HERE to sign up!
- Book Girlie Creations
- Lowcountry Romance Writers
- Main Street Reads
- Public Works Arts Center
- Rebecca Wrights (Author)
- South Porch Artists Residency
- Summerville DREAM
- The Design Demon
- The Timrod Library
THE “WHY SUMMERVILLE” CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION
There’s still time to enter the Why Summerville Creative Writing Competition, sponsored by The Summerville Journal Scene! With adult and young writer categories in Fiction, Non-Fiction and Poetry, this is your chance to shine!
Cash prizes for winners, who will be introduced on Hutchinson Square at the Summerville Book Festival, immediately following the Stories on the Square Children’s Stage programming. You can then also meet the winners at the Summerville Journal Scene building, as well as tour the newspaper offices and view the archives!