Blue Bicycle Books » Events

Mary Alice Monroe releases Beach House Memories , May 7

bbb — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:20:02 +0000

Follow us to the South Carolina Aquarium for the release party of Mary Alice Monroe’s anticipated new novel, Beach House Memories, Mon., May 7, 6 pm.

Monroe is known for her intimate portrayals of women’s lives and for drawing parallels with nature and human nature. An active environmentalist, she draws on her own experiences in the Lowcountry. Her 13th book, Beach House Memories, is no exception.

The story follows Lovie Rutledge back in time, from her family’s old cottage on Isle of Palms to her struggle for liberation from Southern society in the 1970s. Lovie had always done what was expected—marrying the son of a historic Charleston family and turning over her fortune and fate to his control. One summer, everything changes when Lovie meets a handsome biologist and is forced to make one of the most agonizing decisions of her life. She risks losing everything: her reputation, her wealth, even her precious children.

Come meet Mary Alice Monroe and get your book signed. We will donate a portion of the proceeds to the SC Aquarium’s new Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Clinic.

(Gallery Books, hb., 400 pp. $26)

###

Upper King Street Design Walk this Thursday!

bbb — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:22:24 +0000

Stop in for a glass of wine during the Upper King Street Design Walk and meet the authors of Janie Mitchell, Reliable Cook, Lisa Foster and Mary Lou Coombs. The authors will be in the store this Thurs., Apr 19, 5-7:30 pm. Janie Mitchell, Reliable Cook is a non-fiction account of an ex-slave’s life, offering a snapshot view of Charleston from 1862-1931 based on Mitchell’s personal writings. The book chronicles her life as well as her relationship with her owners, the Rutledge family, and her later employment with other Charleston families. Fans of Mary Chesnut’s Diary and The Letterbook of Eliza Lucas Pinkney are sure to enjoy this wonderful piece of history.

(Evening Post Books, 104 pp. hb., $29.95)

####

Booksigning with Governor Nikki Haley, Mon., April 9, 6 pm

bbb — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:57:10 +0000

S.C. Governor Nikki Haley will visit Blue Bicycle Books, Mon., Apr. 9, 6 pm to sign her new memoir Can’t Is Not an Option: My American Story (Sentinel, hb., $27.95, 256 pp.).

NOTE: Signing tickets are required to meet Governor Haley!

1. Books must be purchased from Blue Bicycle Books. Each book comes with a ticket for entrance into the signing line.

2. We have a limited amount of the Governor’s book — we encourage you to pre-order, either online or by calling 843-722-2666.

3. Books purchased from other stores or online entities are not allowed.

4. Books are for sale in the store now, and will be sold at a special outside kiosk on Monday afternoon. The book-selling line is separate from the signing line.

5. Gov. Haley will be inside, but the line will likely extend onto the sidewalk. First-come, first-serve, rain or shine. You will not be admitted without a yellow signing line ticket.

6. Can’t make it? We will ship signed pre-ordered books with the Governor’s signature. The only way to get a personal inscription is to wait in line.

Thank you!

More about Can’t is Not an Option:

The daughter of Sikh parents who migrated from Punjab, India, Nikki Haley’s family faced ignorance, prejudice and sometimes blatant hostility as the first Indian family in a small South Carolina town. Consultants told her she couldn’t win elections — “Your dad wears a headdress,” one said, referring to her father’s turban. She went on to become the first woman and first minority to occupy the South Carolina governor’s mansion.

Haley, 40, discusses her rise to the statehouse and eventually the governorship, including her endorsement by Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and what she calls sexist allegations of adultery during her campaign.

For more information please contact:

Jonathan Sanchez

jonathan@bluebicyclebooks.com
843.722.2666

Purdy’s 14th Bridge Run Show!

bbb — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:52:29 +0000

The 14th annual Bridge Run show will be here at Blue Bicycle Books Thurs., Mar 29 at 7:30 pm. Local author and excellent parker Jonathan Sanchez will read new work, none of this old crap, and Blue Bike’s own Kristen Gehrman will perform a short set of her own micro-fiction. Runner or not, join us for this relentless tradition.

###

Local Author Night, Mar. 16!

bbb — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 23:39:21 +0000

Join us at the store for our local author night, Fri., Mar. 16, 4-6 pm. Four local and regional authors will be signing copies of their books– a great opportunity to sample the literary talent in our community.

Valerie Perry is the author of Upper King Street, a sweeping love story set right in the heart of downtown Charleston. Lucy is a sassy, intelligent gallery owner downtown who lives by strict self-prescribed rules for life. She falls hard for Sam, a preservation contractor with a taste for adventure travel. Set amidst Charleston’s glorious mansions, gardens, and exquisite architecture, Upper King Street offers a fast-paced, rollicking tale of love, misunderstanding, growth, and discovery. Perry works in historic preservation downtown Charleston.

Upper King Street (Create Space, pb., 300 pp. $15)

Philip Gerard is a Southern essayist and author of The Patron Saint of Dreams. This collection of 15 narrative essays is about moments when seemingly small decisions have large consequences: enduring the terror of a hurricane, having a heart attack while hiking, hearing a disturbing secret from an old sailor who has kept it for 60 years, discovering an imposter who maintains his dual life long after death. Filled with uncanny and mysterious details, Gerard reveals true mysteries that give meaning to life. Gerard teaches Creative Writing at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington.

The Patron Saint of Dreams (Hub City Press, pb., 200 pp. $18)

Rev. Peter Lanzillotta is the founder of Interfaith Services of the Lowcountry and author Spirit, Time, and the Future. Drawing on various theological perspectives such as contemporary Biblical studies, scientific exploration, feminism, and Jungian philosophy, this book examines the new Age of the Spirit and what it means for us today and in the future. Challenging religious status quos in favor of an inclusive mindset, Lanzillotta promotes an expansive and inclusive Holy Spirit that can guide personal and societal transformation. Lanzillotta is a scholar and spiritual counselor residing downtown Charleston.

Spirit, Time, and the Future (O’Brian & O’Brian, pb., 174 pp. $16)

Jesse Hale is the author of Island Castaways, a story of survival and adventure. Ethan and Julie are young Atlanta professionals who decide to take a yearlong sabbatical along with some close friends. Casting their corporate lives aside, they head to an island off the Caribbean coast of Belize. They envision paradise, but their journey is filled with challenges of survival, near-death experiences, and underwater surprises, including a hurricane and an encounter with modern day pirates. Jesse lives in Savannah, Georgia with his wife and teaches 5th grade. This is his second book.

Island Castaways (Shades Creek Press, pb., 278 pp. $13)

###

Diary of a Mad Fat Girl signing with author Stephanie McAfee

bbb — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:53:46 +0000

Author Stephanie McAfee will be at the store Thurs., Mar. 15, 4-6 pm to sign Diary of a Mad Fat Girl, her hilarious new novel.

Gracelia “Ace” Jones is a sassy high school teacher, known in her small town of Bugtussle, Mississippi, for an outsize presence and a mouth to match. But this time that big mouth might get her into big trouble…. Ace knows that something bad is brewing when her best friend cancels their annual spring break trip to be with a man she’s kept a secret for months. On top of that, the love of her life has shown up with a marriage proposal one year too late and Ace herself has been accused of sleeping with a student. Needless to say, Ace is mad! Taking matters into her own hands, she uncovers a multitude of other scandals plaguing the small town. Lauded for her sassy wit, McAfee weaves a fast-paced plot that will sure to make you laugh.

Diary of a Mad Fat Girl (NAL Trade, pb., 368 pp. $15)

###

Taylor Polites signs The Rebel Wife, Thurs., Feb. 16

bbb — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:56:44 +0000

Author Taylor Polites will visit Blue Bicycle Books Thurs., Feb 16, 5 – 7 pm to sign his new novel, The Rebel Wife , a story that confronts old Southern stereotypes and speaks to the profound impact the civil war had on the Southern nobility.

Augusta Branson is a young widow from an elite antebellum family trying to survive in Reconstruction Alabama. Finding herself in the ashes of a broken civilization, stained by the reputation of her Union-sympathizing husband, she must now fend for herself and her son.

“Peeling back layers of deceit and myth combined, Taylor Polites takes us into an era we barely understand. The flawed human heart that finally comes to understand ‘the truth’ is at the heart of this enduring, suspenseful novel.” —Patti Callahan Henry

The Rebel Wife (Simon & Schuster, hb. 304 pp. $25)

###

Marjory Wentworth signs Taking a Stand, Oct 1!

bbb — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:37:36 +0000

Blue Bike welcomes back S.C. Poet Laureate Marjory Wentworth this fall to sign her new book co-authored with Juan E. Méndez, Taking a Stand: The Evolution of Human Rights (Macmillan, hb., 256 pp., $27). Join us at the store Sat., Oct. 1, 5-7pm to hear firsthand about the authors’ experiences with human rights violation and the research process for this profound analysis.

Taking a Stand offers forth an authoritative and incisive examination of torture, detention, exile, armed conflict, and genocide. Drawing on their experiences with the United Nations, Méndez and Wentworth offer a new strategy for holding governments accountable for their actions, providing an essential blueprint for different human rights groups to be able to work together to effect change.

Marjory Wentworth is a Pushcart Prize-nominated poet whose has worked extensively in human rights for organizations such as the UN High Commission for Refugees in Geneva, Switzerland; The Whole World Institute of Boston; and Church World Service in New York. She lives in Charleston, South Carolina.

Juan Méndez is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture. Previously, he served as the first Special Advisor to the Secretary General of the United Nations on the Prevention of Genocide and is the former president of the International Center for Transitional Justice. He spent 15 years at Human Rights Watch and is currently a visiting professor of Law at Washington College of Law. He lives in New York City.

###

Jennifer Niven signs Velva Jean Learns to Fly , Sept. 17!

bbb — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:06:24 +0000

In town for SIBA, Los Angeles author Jennifer Niven will stop by Blue Bicycle on Sat., Sept. 17, 5-7 pm to sign her new book, Velva Jean Learns to Fly (Penguin, pb. 432 pp. $15), the second installment in her acclaimed Velva Jean series. The first book, Velva Jean Learns to Drive, published in 2009, received rave reviews and was quickly optioned by Warner Bros. for a television series that later won an Emmy.

In the new book,Velva Jean Hart hits the road to pursue her dream of singing at the Grand Ole Opry. She leaves behind rural Appalachia, fuelled by the memory of her late Mama telling her to “live out there.” But after a string of auditions, she begins to lose hope- until her brother pays her a surprise visit and treats her to a flying lesson that ignites a brand-new dream: to become a female pilot. Funny, poignant, and utterly unforgettable, Velva Jean Learns to Fly will have fans cheering all over again.

Jennifer Niven is the daughter of award winning author, Penelope Niven, and the author of four titles. Her first book, The Ice Master, has been translated into 10 languages and received numerous awards, including Italy’s esteemed Gambrinus Giuseppe Mazzotti Prize for 2002. She has appeared in in Newsweek, Entertainment Weekly, Talk, Glamour, The New Yorker, Outside, The New York Times Book Review, The London Daily Mail, The London Times, and Writer’s Digest, to name a few.

####

Bring the Kids! Blair Hahn signs My Purple Kisses , Sept. 9

bbb — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Blue Bicyle welcomes local children’s author, Blair Hahn, Fri., Sept. 9, 5-7 pm to sign My Purple Kisses and My Purple Toes (Greenleaf, hb., $15.95). These two children’s board books, illustrated by Tate Nation, tell colorful, creative stories about a mother who shares her love in a variety of purple ways. Using fun seek-and-find illustrations, the series promotes life lessons that challenge a child’s imagination and early reading skills. Written especially for ages 3-8, kids love to look for the secret ladybug hiding on each page! In addition to the booksigning, we will also have toe and lip painting at the store– purple of course! A percentage of the proceeds will be donated to Soles 4 Souls, a shoe charity for children in need.

Blair Hahn is a local attorney with a passion for children. The My Purple Toes series was first inspired by his experiences with his own teenage daughter and his desire to give back to charity. My Purple Toes was awarded a 2010 Moonbean Children’s Book Award and high approval from kids and parents alike.

###