MTP Closed New Year's Day

Best Children's Books of 2017

School Library Journal released its Best Books of 2017 in its December issue.  These are books geared toward children and young adult but would also be great reads for the young at heart.

To view the article online, click here.

Some of the titles mentioned are:

Picture Books

Egg by Kevin Henkes, illus. by author

In Your Hands by Carole Boston Weatherford, illus. by Brian Pinkney

Walk with Me by Jairo Buitrago, illus. by Rafael Yockteng, tr. from Spanish by Elisa Amado

Chapter Books

Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly, illus. by Isabel Roxas
Sputnik’s Guide to Life on Earth by Frank Cottrell Boyce, illus. by Levi Pinfold

Young Adult

Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore

Nonfiction
Children:
Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers, illus. by Shawn Harris
Impact!: Asteroids and the Science of Saving the World. (Scientists in the Field) by Elizabeth Rusch, photos by Karin Anderson
Real Friends by Shannon Hale, illus. by LeUyen Pham

Young Adult:
The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater
Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World by Kelly Jensen, ed, illus. by Laura Palese
The Whydah: A Pirate Ship Feared, Wrecked, and Found by Martin W. Sandler

Christmas Hours

Learn a New Language with Mango

We've had Mango, a language learning resource, for a number of years.  It offers the opportunity to learn over 70 languages in an interactive online format.  You can also download the app and learn a language on the go.

To access Mango from the library, click here. A login is not required but having one will allow Mango to save your progress.

Mango has blogged about their 2017 year in review and has released this great infographic about how they've grown over the past 10 years.

To read more about how the Mango company has grown and to see what they're looking forward to in 2018 visit their "Slice of Mango" blog post here.

Holiday Romances at the Library

Check out reviews of titles listed below by following the link to BookPage:

• "The Gift" by Shelley Shepard Gray
• "Holiday Spice" by Samantha Chase (final book in the Shaunessy Brothers series)
• "Merry and Bright" by Debbie Macomber
• "Christmas at Two Love Lane" by Kieran Kramer (new series and a top pick in the romance genre by BookPage)

Romance: Meet you under the mistletoe - Column: There’s something special about love stories set during the holidays. Maybe it’s the sparkling lights, maybe it’s the cozy fires—maybe it’s the spiked eggnog—but this season’s crop of romances can warm even the coldest heart.

The four titles listed above are available from Charleston County Public Library as a physical book.  All but "Christmas at Two Love Lane" are available as an eBook via OverDrive. Go to our catalog to put on hold or call (843)849-6161 to put on hold or find out more about our downloadable collections.

Top Ten Books of 2017 - LibraryReads

MTP Closed for Thanksgiving

We hope everyone has a great and wonderful Thanksgiving! Safe travels if you're traveling this holiday week. 🦃

MTP Closed For Veterans Day

Top Ten Books November 2017

Top Ten Books October 2017

CCPL closing Oct. 6 for Staff Training

CCPL will be closed all day on Friday, October 6 for staff training.

Book drops will be available for returns and the Library’s catalog will be available for placing holds, conducting research, and checking out digital books, magazines and music.

The Library will reopen on Saturday, October 7.

MTP October Calendar of Events

If you'd like a copy of our calendar emailed to you, please email MtpReference@ccpl.org with your name and email address.  Please indicate either in the subject line or the body of the email that you would like to be signed up for our eNewsletter.

If you have any questions about signing up for the eNewsletter or any of the programs on our calendar you can leave a comment below, call us at (843) 849-6161 and press 2 for Adult and Teen programs, press 3 for Children's programs including storytimes, or you can come by the library at 1133 Mathis Ferry Rd in Mt. Pleasant.

That BIG Book Sale - October 13-15

Facebook Event here

Amnesty Week-September 18-24, 2017

From CCPL Public Relations Department:

Charleston County Public Library hosts Amnesty Week in honor of Library Card Sign-Up Month in September 
Late fees for overdue materials will be waived when items are returned Sept. 18-24

CHARLESTON, SC – Charleston County Public Library (CCPL) will waive late fees for overdue materials that are returned during a special Amnesty Week Sept. 18-24. In honor of Library Card Sign-Up Month, CCPL will also waive the fee for replacement library cards during this forgiveness period.

Patrons who return current overdue items in their possession to any of the 16 branches during Amnesty Week will have the fines for those overdue items waived. Overdue fines for items that have already been returned prior to Amnesty week and fees for damaged materials will not be waived.

Top Ten Books September 2017

CCPL closed Sept. 4 for Labor Day

CCPL will close the following date in observance of the Labor Day holiday:

CLOSED

Monday, September 4 

Book drops will be open while the branches are closed.

We hope everyone has a safe and happy Labor Day, we'll be reopened on Tuesday, September 5.

MTP September Calendar of Events

If you'd like a copy of our calendar emailed to you, please email MtpReference@ccpl.org with your name and email address.  Please indicate either in the subject line or the body of the email that you would like to be signed up for our eNewsletter.

If you have any questions about signing up for the eNewsletter or any of the programs on our calendar you can leave a comment below, call us at (843) 849-6161 and press 2 for Adult and Teen programs, press 3 for Children's programs including storytimes, or you can come by the library at 1133 Mathis Ferry Rd in Mt. Pleasant.

Stephen Kings IT Parade with Daniel Kraus

In celebration of the movie remake of Stephen King's IT, Daniel Kraus Booklist Editor of Books for Youth is re-reading it and posting weekly about what he's read (about  2 to 4 chapters each week). At the writing of this blog, he just finished writing about Chapters 19 and 20.   Kraus's first post (linked here) outlines the goal and idea. He calls to all readers to join him in either re-reading or reading this book along with him.

Week 1: Introduction
Week 2: Chapters 1-3
Week 3: Chapters 4-7 and The First Interlude
Week 4: Chapters 8-9 and The Second Interlude
Week 5: Chapters 10-12 and The Third Interlude
Week 6: Chapters 13-16
Week 7: Chapters 17-18
Week 8: Chapters 19-20
Week 9: Chapters 21-22
Week 10: Chapter 23 and Epilogue

At CCPL we have Stephen King's IT available as a physical book which currently has a little bit of a hold list. To place on hold, go to our catalog or call (843) 849-6161, press 2 for Reference

Sons and Soldiers: the Untold Story of the Jews Who Escaped the Nazis and Returned with the U.S. Army to Fight Hitler

Available as a physical book as well as an eBook and downloadable audiobook via OverDrive.  Go to our catalog to put on hold or call (843)849-6161 to put on hold or find out more about our downloadable collections.

Click the link below to read a full review from Book Review about the title.

Bruce Henderson - Sons and Soldiers - Book Review: Sons and Soldiers, the new offering from bestselling author Bruce Henderson, is a compelling account of Jewish refugees who came to the U.S., then returned to Germany to fight against Hitler. Nearly 2,000 German-born soldiers of the U.S. Army were sent to the Military Intelligence Training Center at Camp Ritchie in Maryland.

MTP Library to Close for Eclipse

From our Public Relations Department:

Charleston County Public Library announces additional branch closures for day of solar eclipseAll but three branches in North Charleston will close

CHARLESTON, SC – Charleston County Public Library (CCPL) will close all but three of its branches on the day of the solar eclipse, Monday, Aug. 21. The three branches that will remain open are all located in North Charleston and include Cooper River Memorial, Otranto Road Regional branch and Dorchester Regional branch.

“The decision to close more branches was not taken lightly,” said CCPL Executive Director Nicolle Davies. “Several factors were taken into consideration, including potential traffic concerns, which could affect our staffing.”

All programs and events scheduled to take place Aug. 21 at the closing branches are canceled.Patrons are urged to monitor media reports and check the CCPL website at www.ccpl.org for potential further updates.

From us at MTP:

Our MegaCast livestream program is canceled for the day.  However, you can view the Megacast at https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-live-stream.  PBS series NOVA will be having a special presentation the day of for people to view the eclipse as well.  According to PBS.org, "NOVA “Solar Eclipse” (w.t.) will be available to stream the morning after broadcast on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and PBS apps for iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast."

However you choose to view the eclipse we hope you have a fun, memorable, and safe experience.  

Out of Solar Eclipse Glasses at MTP

We're out of Solar Eclipse Glasses here at the Mount Pleasant Branch located at 1133 Mathis Ferry Rd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464.

While we may be out we have a few places where you can either purchase or obtain glasses for the total eclipse happening on Monday, August 21st.  The biggest thing to remember about glasses is they need to be ISO 12312-2 certified according to NASA.  Glasses should be worn at all times; the only time it is safe to look at the eclipse without the glasses is during totality.  

Places to purchase glasses (highly recommended calling before driving to these locations if a brick and mortar store):

American Paper Optics (25 packs only)

Baader Planetarium 

Bi-Lo

Check with your local optometrist

Charleston Visitors Center
East Cooper Medical Center (from 9 to 4:30, this week only)

Great American Eclipse

Harris Teeter

Home Depot

Lowes

Mount Pleasant Visitors Center

Sunglasses Stores (e.g. Shades)

Walmart

Another way to see the eclipse without glasses is to use a pinhole viewer. Download directions created by Pacific University here.  

There are also a plethora of events going on the day of around Charleston County where glasses will be handed out at the event.

From the Charleston City Paper's article "The Ultimate Guide to Charleston's Solar Eclipse Events" , a few to highlight are:

The Great American Eclipse 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
$12/adults, $5/children, free/members and kids under three
Charleston Museum
360 Meeting St.
Downtown
Free eclipse glasses will be included with admission, and activities for children of all ages are available in the main lobby. 

Eclipse Watch Party at MUSC Health Stadium Gates open at 11 a.m.
$8/adults, free/12 and under
1990 Daniel Island Dr.
Daniel Island
This sizable bash features coast-to-coast streams of NASA’s 57 weather balloons on a Jumbotron, astronomy related activities, a science-based kids zone, a pair of eclipse viewing glasses for each person, local food vendors, a full bar, and live entertainment from Adam Barely, BenSomewhere, TDKIS, Soul Brew, and BTMA Band.

Eclipse Extravaganza at Citadel Mall 1-3 p.m.
Free
2070 Sam Rittenberg Blvd.
West Ashley
This NASA approved viewing location features eclipse glasses for the first 500 people, food trucks, inflatables, games, and entertainment. Proceeds benefit Darkness to Light.

Eclipse on a Warship $22/adults (12+), $17/seniors (62+) and active duty military (ID required), $14/children (6-11), Free/children 6 and under and active duty military in uniform
9 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
40 Patriots Point Rd.
Mt. Pleasant
Entry is first-come, first served. The first 3,000 visitors will get a free pair of eclipse glasses, and an indirect viewing method will be offered on the deck of the USS Yorktown if you want to avoid looking at the sun. Speakers include Dr. Christian Iliadis, Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Dr. Douglas Terrier, Chief Technologist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Space inspired children’s activities will be offered throughout the day.

Top Ten Books August 2017

MTP August Calendar of Events

If you'd like a copy of our calendar emailed to you, please email MtpReference@ccpl.org with your name and email address.  Please indicate either in the subject line or the body of the email that you would like to be signed up for our eNewsletter.

If you have any questions about signing up for the eNewsletter or any of the programs on our calendar you can leave a comment below, call us at (843) 849-6161 and press 2 for Adult and Teen programs, press 3 for Children's programs including storytimes, or you can come by the library at 1133 Mathis Ferry Rd in Mt. Pleasant.

CCPL offers eclipse programs and glasses

At Mt. Pleasant we are very excited about the total eclipse of the sun that will be visible on August 21 in the Continental United States for the first time in almost 40 years.  We are offering four fantastic programs for children, young adults, and adults to join in on the fun.

*Safety glasses will be distributed during eclipse-related programs.*

Eclipse Science Ambassador Program (ages 6-11)
Friday, August 4 at 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. 
Mt. Pleasant Regional Library
Learn about eclipse science, build a safe solar viewer, and earn an Eclipse Science Ambassador badge. Limited space. Please call 843-849-6161 to register. *glasses provided to participants

Solar Eclipse Party
Tuesday, August 15 at 10:30 a.m.
Mt. Pleasant Regional Library
Receive a pair of solar eclipse glasses, learn eye safety tips, and enjoy snacks, crafts and games.

Eclipse Science Ambassador Program (ages 6-11)
Tuesday, August 15 at 11:30 a.m. 
Mt. Pleasant Regional Library
Learn about eclipse science, build a safe solar viewer, and earn an Eclipse Science Ambassador badge. Limited space. Please call 843-849-6161 to register. *glasses provided to participants


Eclipse Livestream Party
Monday, August 21 from 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Mt. Pleasant Regional Library
Join a simulcast viewing of the NASA Eclipse Megacast. Snacks will be provided.

Safety glasses will be available for pick up at Mt. Pleasant through these programs, excluding the Livestream Party.  Starting August 15, after the eclipse programs, safety glasses will be available for pickup while supplies last.  One pair of glasses per household member.

A list of other eclipse themed programs being offered by CCPL libraries can be found here.

Some other great resources are:
National Eclipse
This is a listing of events going on throughout the whole state of South Carolina (as well as a handful of other states).


Charleston Visitor Bureau-Eclipse Events
This is a listing of events going on throughout Charleston, SC.


SCETV 
Information about the eclipse and events going on throughout the state of South Carolina.

StarNet
A production of the Space Science Institute's National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL) and in collaboration with the American Library Association, the Lunar and Planetary Institute, and the Afterschool Alliance.  This website has information about events going on nationally at over 4800 libraries as well as an app that will help track the eclipse across the continental United States.

Top Ten Books July 2017

MTP July Calendar of Events

If you'd like a copy of our calendar emailed to you, please email MtpReference@ccpl.org with your name and email address.  Please indicate either in the subject line or the body of the email that you would like to be signed up for our eNewsletter.

If you have any questions about signing up for the eNewsletter or any of the programs on our calendar you can leave a comment below, call us at (843) 849-6161 and press 2 for Adult and Teen programs, press 3 for Children's programs including storytimes, or you can come by the library at 1133 Mathis Ferry Rd in Mt. Pleasant.

MTP Closed for July 4

Book Drops

Mary Gordon - There Your Heart Lies - Book Review

Available as a physical book, and downloadable audiobook.  Go to our catalog to put on hold or call (843)849-6161 to put on hold or find out more about our downloadable collections.

Click on the title below to read the full review from BookPage.

Mary Gordon - There Your Heart Lies - Book Review: Mary Gordon has been writing compelling books about faith, love and family for four decades. In There Your Heart Lies, her eighth novel, she examines the ways political idealism and religious fanaticism shape the choices of a privileged but naive Catholic woman in the mid-20th century.

Top Ten Books June 2017

Summer Reading at MTP

CCPL has summer reading programs for all ages, from babies through seniors. Register online now, and the fun officially begins on June 1 and runs through July 31. During the summer reading program you can log how much you read, enter to win prizes, and come to exciting programs that promote the fun of reading.


Children up to age 11 can keep track of reading or listening during the summer to collect prizes in our Kids Summer Reading Program. After 5 hours of reading (or 300 points), participants will receive a bookmark, their reading certificate, and a Charleston RiverDogs game pass. At 15 hours of reading (or 900 points), participants receive their reading medal, an entry into the Field of Dreams raffle, and their choice of several community partner prizes. At 30 hours of reading (or 1,800 points), participants receive a South Carolina Aquarium ticket, Sky Zone jump pass, a McDonald’s Happy Meal coupon and entry into the Grand Prize Drawing!


This year the kids program is online. Adults can help their kids set up an account, or manage multiple accounts with a family account. Just go to www.ccpl.org/SummerOnline to get started! By using their online account, kids and parents can log reading by time or pages, have access to summer reading event information, get suggestions for reading, see what other kids have read and recommended, add books to their wish list, or play games and complete missions. Babies can also join in the fun with simple and fun early literacy activities that parents and children can do together to earn a board book and a tote bag.


Teens (rising 6th graders through 12th grade) can read or listen to win cool prizes, including free food and gift cards. The first time teens enter, they receive a coupon for free McDonald’s fries or ice cream. Next, at the 500-page goal, teens receive a McDonald’s value meal, a t-shirt, a RiverDogs game pass and an entry into the grand prize drawing. Teens can also enter to win weekly prize drawings for gift cards from Barnes and Noble, Walmart, movie theatres, iTunes, and passes to Charleston County waterparks. Teens can keep a log online or fill out a form (available online and at the library). To create the online log, go to www.ccpl.org/SummerOnline.


Adults (18 years old and up) can submit an entry for each book they read or listen to, qualifying for drawings throughout the summer for gift cards for gasoline, Amazon, Home Depot, and Starbucks. The grand prize winner will win a basket of goodies valued at $250. Adults can keep a log online or fill out a form (available online and at the library). To create the online log, go to www.ccpl.org/SummerOnline.


Preregister online today at www.ccpl.org/SummerOnline so that everyone in the family can start logging their reading (beginning June 1) and claiming their share of the prizes! Happy Summer Reading!!

For more information about summer reading, visit www.ccpl.org/SummerOnline, call us at (843) 849-6161, or come by the library at 1133 Mathis Ferry Road, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464.

MTP June Calendar of Events

If you'd like a copy of our calendar emailed to you, please email MtpReference@ccpl.org with your name and email address.  Please indicate either in the subject line or the body of the email that you would like to be signed up for our eNewsletter.

If you have any questions about signing up for the eNewsletter or any of the programs on our calendar you can leave a comment below, call us at (843) 849-6161 and press 2 for Adult and Teen programs, press 3 for Children's programs including storytimes, or you can come by the library at 1133 Mathis Ferry Rd in Mt. Pleasant.

Invasion 1706: South Carolina vs. France and Spain Presentation

Come join us for a informative presentation given by CCPL's historian, Dr. Nic Butler.

For more information about this program please post a comment below, email MtpReference@ccpl.org, call (843)849-6161 press 2 for Reference, or come by the library at 1133 Mathis Ferry Rd. in Mount Pleasant.

Fredrik Backman - Beartown - Book Review

Available as a physical book, eBook, and downloadable audiobook.  Go to our catalog to put on hold or call (843)849-6161 to put on hold or find out more about our downloadable collections.

Click on the title below to read the full review from BookPage.

Fredrik Backman - Beartown - Book Review: Fredrik Backman’s heralded debut novel, A Man Called Ove, was a surprise bestseller that rose steadily in worldwide sales after its initial rejection by all but one publisher. Beartown is Backman’s fourth novel, the tale of the eponymous village on the edge of a forest—probably in Backman’s native Sweden—where ice hockey is the favored sport.

Mystery May: Clues to My Crime - Jane Harper - "The Dry"

"Clues to My Crime" is a BookList feature where authors explain their inspiration behind their latest work of crime fiction.  Jane Harper's debut thriller, "The Dry", is set in Australia and has the main character, Federal Agent Aaron Falk, coming home to attend his best friend's funeral.  Falk left his hometown after being accussed of murder, which his best friend was his alibi. But now one person knows they didn't tell the truth back then and it's up to Falk to figure out what happened to his best friend.

Click here to read the article where Harper explains what painting, music, television show, book, and place inspired the book.

"The Dry" is available as a physical book, BookonCD, large print, eBook, and downloadable audiobook. Go to our catalog to put on hold or call (843) 849-6161 to put on hold or find out more about downloadables.

"My Life with Bob" - Pamela Paul Interview from BookPage

"My Life with Bob", the new memoir by New York Times Book Review editor Pamela Paul is available as a physical book.  Just FYI, Bob is not a person.  It is Pamela's "Book of Books", a journal in which she has recorded every books she's read for 28 years.  Go to our catalog to put on hold or call (843)849-6161 to put on hold.

Click on the title below to read an interview with the author from BookPage.

Pamela Paul - Interview: While working a dead-end job in my mid-20s, I spent several hours setting up an Excel spreadsheet in which I listed every book I could think of that I’d ever read, starting with The Wind in the Willows. I devotedly logged each subsequent book into that spreadsheet until sometime around age 28, when I lost track of it in the shuffle of changing jobs.

Top Ten Books May 2017

MTP May Calendar of Events

If you'd like a copy of our calendar emailed to you, please email MtpReference@ccpl.org with your name and email address.  Please indicate either in the subject line or the body of the email that you would like to be signed up for our eNewsletter.

If you have any questions about signing up for the eNewsletter or any of the programs on our calendar you can leave a comment below, call us at (843) 849-6161 and press 2 for Adult and Teen programs, press 3 for Children's programs including storytimes, or you can come by the library at 1133 Mathis Ferry Rd in Mt. Pleasant.

Peter Heller - Celine - Book Review

Available as a physical book, eBook, and downloadable audiobook.  Go to our catalog to put on hold or call (843)849-6161 to put on hold or find out more about downloadables.

Click on the title below to read the full review from BookPage.

Peter Heller - Celine - Book Review: Celine is nearly 70. She’s an elegant woman with an excellent education and a mastery of her native French. She enjoys a quiet life with her husband, Pete—he cooks, she sculpts. Sometimes she calls her grown son on the phone and mildly lectures him about his love life. Oh, and Celine is also a private detective, once recruited by the FBI, and she occasionally takes a case that requires her and Pete to Pack up their tracking equipment and cameras and take off across the globe to solve a mystery that's been eluding traditional law enforcement.  In those cases, Celine's weapons training comes in handy.  

Moultrie News Highlights CCPL's Tech Team

http://www.moultrienews.com/news/boomers-and-beyond---local-help-to-decode-the/article_b2b9f72e-0f48-11e7-8d46-7f9d53ff61e7.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share

The Charleston County Tech Team has been highlighted in the Moultrie News for their work in decoding the ever changing digital world for Charleston County residents.

The Tech Team has upcoming computer classes at the Mount Pleasant Regional Library including:

April 13: Popular Sites and Apps
April 17: Digital Drop In with the South Carolina State Library Talking Book Service
April 20: Exploring Email
April 27: Staying Safe Online

Click here for a full listing of Tech Team classes offered at Mount Pleasant and other libraries.

To view the Moultrie News Article, click here.

For more about the Digital Drop In with the South Carolina State Library Talking Book Service, click here.

Daniel J. Sharfstein - Thunder in the Mountains - Book Review

Available only as a physical book currently. Go to our catalog to put on hold or call (843)849-6161 to put on hold.

Click on the title below to read the full review from BookPage.

Daniel J. Sharfstein - Thunder in the Mountains - Book Review: The Nez Perce War of 1877 was fought over a four-month period between the U.S. Army and various bands of Nez Perce Indians along a zigzagging, 1,200-mile course through Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming and into Montana almost to the Canadian border. Neither side wanted the war, but both were relentless in its prosecution and equally given to committing atrocities.

Jess Kidd - Himself - Book Review

Available as a physical book, eBook, and downloadable audiobook.  Go to our catalog to put on hold or call (843)849-6161 to put on hold or find out more about downloadables.

Click on the title below to read the full review from BookPage.

Jess Kidd - Himself - Book Review: Mysterious and lyrical, Jess Kidd’s first novel, Himself, introduces the inhabitants of a village in County Mayo, Ireland, after the return of its most unfortunate son. Kidd wraps readers up in her tale like a mother swaddling a child—only in this case, not for safekeeping. In the curious village of Mulderrig, nothing is as safe as it seems.

Top 10 Books April 2017

MTP April Calendar of Events

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