The project began as a 20-part serial that ran in the pages of The Post and Courier from December 2010 to April 2011. For the book, Hicks expanded the series, incorporating additional stories and the perspectives of people on both sides as war broke out in the heart of Charleston. The book details the military actions around the city and how the conflict affected life for residents and shopkeepers, as well as the city’s sizeable population of slaves and freedmen.

Hicks is the author of several history titles such as Ghost Ship, Toward the Setting Sun, and Raising the Hunley. Don’t miss this opportunity to talk to him about his research and get a signed copy of his new book!

(Evening Post Books, 2012, 237 pp., hb., $28.95)

###

Mortimer is a handbag designer and NYC style icon, who has appeared in Vogue, WWD, Harper’s Bazaar and Marie Claire. You may recognize her from TV’s Gossip Girl and High Society.

Southern Charm is the story of Minty Davenport, a Charleston-bred girl who moves to New York City. As Minty navigates Big Apple society, a blossoming love life, and a job working for a ruthless and powerful publicist, she finds that the rules a southern belle lives by—being nice to everyone, accentuating her femininity, and minding her manners—don’t necessarily guarantee success in Manhattan.

Can’t make it? Order a signed copy by calling 843.722.2666 or clicking right here.

(Simon and Schuster, hb., 256 pp. $25)

###

In this revealing autobiography, Silverman takes the reader from his childhood as an Orthodox Jew in Philadelphia, where he stopped fasting on Yom Kippur to test God’s existence, to his adult life in the heart of the Bible Belt, where he became a legendary figure within America’s secular activist community. Never one to shy from controversy, Silverman relates many of his high-profile battles with the Religious Right, including his decision to run for governor of South Carolina to challenge the state’s constitutional provision that prohibited atheists from holding public office.

(Pitchstone Publishing, 225 pp. pb. $22.95)

###

Set amid the perils of illegal border crossings, The Iguana Tree is the suspenseful saga of Lilia and Hector, who separately make their way from Mexico into the United States, seeking work in the Carolinas and a home for their infant daughter. Stone examines the obstacles each faces in pursuing a new life: manipulation, rape, betrayal by family and friends, and exploitation by corrupt officials. The Iguana Tree is a universal story of loss, grief, and human dignity.

(Hub City Press, 220 pp, hb. $24.95)

###

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.).

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.

]]> http://bluebicyclebooks.com/2012/03/22/booksigning-with-governor-nikki-haley-mon-april-9-6-pm/feed/ 0 http://bluebicyclebooks.com/2012/03/21/random-tales-of-a-college-math-professor-signing-mar-29/ http://bluebicyclebooks.com/2012/03/21/random-tales-of-a-college-math-professor-signing-mar-29/#comments Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:40:30 +0000 bbb http://bluebicyclebooks.com/?p=891 Professor emeritus at the College of Charleston Mick Norton will be at the store Thurs., Mar. 29, 4-6 pm to sign copies of his book, Random Tales of a College Math Professor.

Many believe that math and humor must be mutually exclusive, or that the life of a college professor must be boring. Ha!  Written for a popular audience, this book presents stories about expert witnessing, consulting, teaching, being a professor, and about how probability (think random events) impacted someone’s life in a very direct way.

Random Tales of a College Math Professor (pb. 173 pp. $19.98)

###

]]> http://bluebicyclebooks.com/2012/03/21/random-tales-of-a-college-math-professor-signing-mar-29/feed/ 0 http://bluebicyclebooks.com/2012/03/15/local-author-night-mar-16/ http://bluebicyclebooks.com/2012/03/15/local-author-night-mar-16/#comments Thu, 15 Mar 2012 23:39:21 +0000 bbb http://bluebicyclebooks.com/?p=883 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)

###

The Search Committee (Tyndale House, pb., 400 pp., $13)

###

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)

###

Lions of Kandahar

(Random House, hb., 280 pp.,. $26)

###