April 2017 Emerging Authors Drop In: Author Highlight Part 1

All this week we’ll be highlighting authors participating in April's Emerging Author Drop-In on Saturday, April 15 from 2:00 – 4:00pm. At the drop-in you’ll be able to meet emerging and local authors and hear their stories.  Books will be available for purchase, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Charleston Friends of the Library. 

For more information, please contact the Mount Pleasant Regional Library at (843) 849-6161 or come by 1133 Mathis Ferry Road, Mt. Pleasant.

Now, for the highlighting of four of the eleven authors participating.

Book descriptions from Amazon.com.  Links will take you to the book’s or author’s Goodreads page. 

Ian Alford

The Many Lives of Barnacle J. Peabody 
This is the magical journey of Barnacle, the accidental love child of his uniquely creative gay father and his goddess-like mother. Barnacle is deeply in love with his dying girlfriend Bella, and that devotion forces him to visit a shaman and take a hallucinogenic trip through time to find a way to save his girlfriend's life and figure out his own. Barnacle learns valuable life lessons, and clues about Bella's apparent demise, through his hallucinogenic adventures through the Paleolithic era, the Roman Empire, Medieval times, the Shakespearean era, and the roaring 1920s. Along Barnacle’s journey he finds love, romance, exploration, mystery, thrills, and the meaning of life!

Alford also wrote "Hearts of Ladd" and "The Neverending Belly Button".


Nancy Binko

Walk in Faith: Reflections on Christian Living
Jerry and Nancy Binko have collaborated in writing a book that is down-to-earth and inspiring. Each of the twenty-one chapters offers thoughts for serious meditation.  They include: Getting to Know God, Taking Care of Yourself, Stewardship, The Attitude of Gratitude, Forgiveness, and Humility.  Add some humor, personal stories, and practical Scripture quotations, and you have a book that will lead you to a greater appreciation of God's love, as you reflect on what it means to live a life of joy as a Christian.


Linda Clement

The Huguenot Thief
An ancient relic kept in an obscure French convent—stolen in 1685 by a Huguenot girl who escapes to the English colony of Carolina. Three hundred years later, Dr. Kate Strong is kidnapped from Charleston by the former head of Russia's bioterrorism program. How could these two events possibly be linked? As Interpol and the FBI struggle to rescue Kate from her imprisonment in Istanbul, the truth is more horrifying than anyone imagines. And, the Vatican wants its property back.

Gloria Cohen

Gubby's Gift
Gubby, a little boy with special needs, lives in the rural low country of the Carolinas. Interaction with his family and schoolmates is a challenge, yet when left alone, he contentedly roams the fields near his home, happy in his own world. Unexpectedly, the arrival of a stranger stirs a yearning for something beyond his solitude. Join him in this journey with his beloved pup, Skeetuh, and imaginary friend, Pinky, as they help reveal his surprising gift. Gubby's determination to develop his special gift can inspire readers with joy and the courage to follow their own dreams.

Cohen also wrote Straw Dreams.

Emerging Author Drop In Part 2
Emerging Author Drop In Part 3

April 2017 Emerging Authors Drop In: Author Highlight Part 2

All this week we’ll be highlighting authors participating in April's Emerging Author Drop-In on Saturday, April 15 from 2:00 – 4:00pm. At the drop-in you’ll be able to meet emerging and local authors and hear their stories.  Books will be available for purchase, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Charleston Friends of the Library. 

For more information, please contact the Mount Pleasant Regional Library at (843) 849-6161 or come by 1133 Mathis Ferry Road, Mt. Pleasant.

Now, for the highlighting of four of the eleven authors participating.

Book descriptions from Amazon.com.  Links will take you to the book’s or author’s Goodreads page. 

Jenn Connell and Georgia Hynes-Connell

Sock City
Have you ever wondered where your missing socks go after you put them in the laundry? Sock City, of course!

Join Knee Sock on this magical adventure as she learns about the city’s founder, Sockrates, as well as a fun-loving group called the Darn Socks, and discovers there’s so much more to life than being walked on!

Carolyn Havelka aka Elizabeth Harris

What Am I to Do Now, Mama?
Coy Bronson left of North Carolina to follow his dream to California. Despite many obstacles, Coy leans on his mother's encouragement and develops a successful career as an actor, director, producer, and writer-a career that takes him from Hollywood to New York and Europe during World War II. Coy is shocked when he receives news that his friend, James Dean, has been killed in a car accident. While attending his funeral, Coy sees a beautiful guest who he knows does not belong there. She is Norma Jeane and Coy has no idea that very soon, she will be accused of stealing scripts from Liz Taylor. As Coy becomes immersed in the investigation, he partners with Hudson to either force Norma to confess or uncover the real perpetrator. But when their search leads to murder, Coy is led down a path of personal memories where he relives his journey to achieve his dream. 

Wanda E. Jerideau

The Land of Beautiful People
Wanda E Jerideau is a Registered Nurse and Native of Greenpond S.C. She is the Author of a new novel, The Land Of Beautiful People. It is a work of fiction that addresses both the joys and perils of providing Hospice Services to clients in the rural South. The novel embraces the gullah culture, love, compassion and hospitality of the South with characters that will live in the hearts of readers forever. 

Brian Morris

Like a Native: Teaching English, Living Italian

When Brian applies for an English teaching job in Italy, middle school isn’t his first choice. But to be placed within the Pezzoni family, that’s where he must go.
Initially, Brian isn’t happy about the job, but over time, he becomes increasingly engaged with the students. He comes up with an unexpected but brilliant way to get them to focus. It involves a mysterious statue--salvaged from the rubble of a deadly earthquake.
Meanwhile, Brian begins a friendship with Nora, an Italian teacher at the school. She seems to reciprocate his feelings, but their affection for each other is sometimes confounded by cultural misunderstandings and personal history.
Brian’s experiences in and out of the classroom will teach him about the wonders and warmth of Italy—and the surprising wisdom of middle- schoolers.

Emerging Author Drop InPart 1

Emerging Author Drop InPart 3

April 2017 Emerging Authors Drop In: Author Highlight Part 3

All this week we’ll be highlighting authors participating in April's Emerging Author Drop-In on Saturday, April 15from 2:00 – 4:00pm. At the drop-in you’ll be able to meet emerging and local authors and hear their stories.  Books will be available for purchase, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Charleston Friends of the Library. 

For more information, please contact the Mount Pleasant Regional Library at (843) 849-6161 or come by 1133 Mathis Ferry Road, Mt. Pleasant.

Now, for the highlighting of three of the eleven authors participating.

Book descriptions from Amazon.com.  Links will take you to the book’s or author’s Goodreads page. 

Deborah Pepchinski 

The Curious Escapades of Fred and Jake: TheUpside-Down Day
What a sad day for Fred Winklemeyer III, a cherubic, freckled-faced seven-year-old.  His world is about to turn upside down.  Fred must move from his home surrounded by sights and sounds to a strange and serene place.  But Jake, Fred's new best buddy, has other plans first...they embark on an exciting, risky adventure! Fred soon discovers that change can bring curious, fun-filled escapades!

Bob Spearman

Turf and Surf
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has long been known as a go-to tourist destination. But beneath the sunny exterior lies a dark power struggle between locals, summer workers, tourists, and drug dealing gangsters.
Events converge to a dangerous day of reckoning as a serial kidnapper terrorizes summer workers and a new drug gang attempts to make a claim of their own. With a corrupt police force in charge, does Myrtle Beach have any chance of surviving as a family beach resort?


Spearman also wrote Hard Road and Shrimpin' Gold.

Gaynelle Whittle-Shipp

The Spoken Word: A Proven Power for Life in You
If our ordinary human words hold tremendous potential to build up and break down, how much more power does the word of God have to create positive atmospheres, redirect bad situations, and impact our lives for His good?
Join inspirational speaker and small group leader, Gaynelle Whittle-Shipp, on a life-changing exploration of the power of the spoken word and its ability to transform the world and your life.

Emerging Author Drop InPart 1

Emerging Author Drop InPart 2

Emerging Author Drop-In: Author Highlight Part 4

All this week we’ll be highlighting authors participating in January’s Emerging Author Drop-In on Saturday, January 21 from 2:00 – 4:00pm. At the drop-in you’ll be able to meet emerging and local authors and hear their stories.  Books will be available for purchase, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Charleston Friends of the Library. 

For more information, please contact the Mount Pleasant Regional Library at (843) 849-6161 or come by 1133 Mathis Ferry Road, Mt. Pleasant.

Now, for the highlighting of two of the twelve authors participating.

Book descriptions from Amazon.com.  Links will take you to the book’s or author’s Goodreads page.

Bob Spearman

Turf and Surf
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has long been known as a go-to tourist destination. But beneath the sunny exterior lies a dark power struggle between locals, summer workers, tourists, and drug dealing gangsters.
Events converge to a dangerous day of reckoning as a serial kidnapper terrorizes summer workers and a new drug gang attempts to make a claim of their own. With a corrupt police force in charge, does Myrtle Beach have any chance of surviving as a family beach resort?

Spearman also wrote Hard Road and Shrimpin' Gold.



C.L. Wells

Utopian Day
International crime, kidnapping, and murder intertwine themselves in this novel about three convicted felons who are attempting to change their criminal ways and build something positive out of their lives. Suddenly, James, Laura, and J.T. are pulled back into the world of crime as they are blackmailed into helping to steal 80 million dollars. With no one to trust and the authorities on their trail they must each confront their own beliefs about what is right and wrong, and decide just how far they are willing to go to be free of their past mistakes.

Wells also wrote the The Seer, first book in the Paranormal Gift Series.


Emerging Author Drop-In: Author Highlights Part 1
Emerging Author Drop-In: Author Highlights Part 2
Emerging Author Drop-In: Author Highlights Part 3

Emerging Author Drop-In: Author Highlight Part 3

All this week we’ll be highlighting authors participating in January’s Emerging Author Drop-In on Saturday, January 21 from 2:00 – 4:00pm. At the drop-in you’ll be able to meet emerging and local authors and hear their stories.  Books will be available for purchase, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Charleston Friends of the Library. 

For more information, please contact the Mount Pleasant Regional Library at (843) 849-6161 or come by 1133 Mathis Ferry Road, Mt. Pleasant.

Now, for the highlighting of three of the twelve authors participating.

Book descriptions from Amazon.com.  Links will take you to the book’s or author’s Goodreads page.

Diane Miley

Time to Enjoy Your Blessings
Balance and simplify your life...and find time to enjoy your blessings!  Do you run your life or does life run you? Time to Enjoy Your Blessings helps you live according to God's expectations, not society's.  Using biblical principles and simple techniques, you'll discover how to: make your blessings priorities, set goals, simplify your life, organize your home, get things done, and more! Enjoy the journey to simplicity and balance.  Get back to the basics of God and family today-and take the time to enjoy your blessings.

Miley also writes the Crystal Falls Series including: Lilacs for Laura, Roses for Rachel, Violets for Vanessa, and Sunflowers for Sarita.  This series of inspirational love stories follow four separate women as they recreate their lives and possibly find love in the process.

Ann W. Phillips

Friends are Everywhere: A Gift of Love

Cheryl has the ability to talk to animals including those that come to her window and her two best friends Smokey, the cat, and Bandit, the dog.  The critters get together and make a special Christmas gift for Cheryl and her family.






Susan Sloate

Forward to Camelot
On November 22, 1963, just hours after President Kennedy’s assassination, Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as President aboard Air Force One using JFK’s own Bible. Immediately afterward, the Bible disappeared. It has never been recovered. Today, its value would be beyond price.
In the year 2000, actress Cady Cuyler is recruited to return to 1963 for this Bible—while also discovering why her father disappeared in the same city, on the same tragic day. Finding frightening links between them will lead Cady to a far more perilous mission: to somehow prevent the President’s murder, with one unlikely ally: an ex-Marine named Lee Harvey Oswald.

Sloate also wrote Realizing You and Stealing Fire.

Emerging Author Drop-In: Author Highlights Part 1
Emerging Author Drop-In: Author Highlights Part 2
Emerging Author Drop-In: Author Highlights Part 4

Emerging Author Drop-In: Author Highlight Part 2

All this week we’ll be highlighting authors participating in January’s Emerging Author Drop-In on Saturday, January 21 from 2:00 – 4:00pm. At the drop-in you’ll be able to meet emerging and local authors and hear their stories.  Books will be available for purchase, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Charleston Friends of the Library. 

For more information, please contact the Mount Pleasant Regional Library at (843) 849-6161 or come by 1133 Mathis Ferry Road, Mt. Pleasant.

Now, for the highlighting of three of the twelve authors participating.

Book descriptions from Amazon.com.  Links will take you to the book’s or author’s Goodreads page.

Sunita Hira

The Golden Princess
The glorious kingdom of Swarna Bhumi has fallen prey to the demonic forces of evil. In one dark night, a murderous rampage is carried out by the most ruthless of conspirators. There is a witness to this heinous crime. The symbolic statue of the ruling Goddess is watching. Some years later, an incarnate princess, is born to a small, peaceful kingdom at the foothills of the Himalayan range.
The story unfolds with a horrific crime, bringing a sudden and devastating end to a powerful ruling dynasty. A few years later, an incarnate princess takes birth in a nearby princely state. What is the compelling mystery that links the two houses?


Nadine Johnson

I Am
Sure to be one of your child's favorite books, "I Am" encourages children to explore the positive qualities that they possess. This book discusses the importance of being motivated, helpful, knowledgeable, and many other positive traits.

For a full listing of titles offered by Nadine Johnson, please see her website.





Jeanne M. Lyles

SpiritualVision: Father Bob's Glasses

What if you could see the unseen spiritual world around you? Imagine what you might see and how that sight would change your perspective. Join Wilson Gordon as he sharpens his spiritual vision. A gift given by an old friend enables Wilson to begin a friendship with his Guardian Angel. Together they discover the mystery and saving Grace that accompanies the gifts given to us by Jesus himself, the Sacraments. The first in a series of stories about the glory of the Sacraments, this book offers an imaginative glimpse into the real power that accompanies our Baptism and the Eucharist. 



Emerging Author Drop-In: Author Highlights Part 1
Emerging Author Drop-In: Author Highlights Part 3
Emerging Author Drop-In: Author Highlights Part 4

Emerging Author Drop-In: Author Highlight Part 1

All this week we’ll be highlighting authors participating in January’s Emerging Author Drop-In on Saturday, January 21 from 2:00 – 4:00pm. At the drop-in you’ll be able to meet emerging and local authors and hear their stories.  Books will be available for purchase, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Charleston Friends of the Library. 

For more information, please contact the Mount Pleasant Regional Library at (843) 849-6161 or come by 1133 Mathis Ferry Road, Mt. Pleasant.

Now, for the highlighting of four of the twelve authors participating.

Book descriptions from Amazon.com.  Links will take you to the book’s or author’s Goodreads page. 

JanetLee Berg

Rembrandt’sShadow

Sylvie Rosenberg escaped the holocaust—but can she escape the past? October 20, 1942. Benjamin Katz and his frightened family stand at the train station in occupied Holland, unsure if they would be taken to their freedom—or the death camp.  Sylvie, his granddaughter, who was six years old at the time, would later recall the madness as they wondered if their desperate last minute escape would work.  When the German officer received the order to allow the escape he said, "I would have much rather been given the order to kill all of you."

Their entire art collection had long made them a prime target of Adolf Hitler and his greedy henchmen.  Now they had one big trade—a Rembrandt in exchange for twenty-five lives.

Nancy Binko

Walk in Faith: Reflections on Christian Living

Jerry and Nancy Binko have collaborated in writing a book that is down-to-earth and inspiring. Each of the twenty-one chapters offers thoughts for serious meditation.  They include: Getting to Know God, Taking Care of Yourself, Stewardship, The Attitude of Gratitude, Forgiveness, and Humility.  Add some humor, personal stories, and practical Scripture quotations, and you have a book that will lead you to a greater appreciation of God's love, as you reflect on what it means to live a life of joy as a Christian.

Nancy Busak & Deborah Pepchinski

The Curious Escapades of Fred and Jake: TheUpside-Down Day

What a sad day for Fred Winklemeyer III, a cherubic, freckled-faced seven-year-old.  His world is about to turn upside down.  Fred must move from his home surrounded by sights and sounds to a strange and serene place.  But Jake, Fred's new best buddy, has other plans first...they embark on an exciting, risky adventure! Fred soon discovers that change can bring curious, fun-filled escapades!


Emerging Author Drop-In: Author Highlights Part 2
Emerging Author Drop-In: Author Highlights Part 3
Emerging Author Drop-In: Author Highlights Part 4

Emerging Authors: January 2016

Thank you for supporting local and emerging writers at Mt. Pleasant Regional. For more information about the program, including how to participate as an author at future events, please email MtpReference@ccpl.org.


To find out more about these authors check out these blog posts:
Author Highlights Part 1
Author Highlights Part 2
Author Highlights Part 3
Author Highlights Part 4

EMERGING AUTHORS