Down to Dahlonega

I’m thrilled to be headed down to the Dahlonega Literary Festival in lovely Dahlonega, Georgia.

Tomorrow, I’ll run a booth for Keowee Valley, and will speak at 2 p.m. as part of a panel of Appalachian writers in a session called “Appalachia in Fact and Fiction.” Also on the panel: authors Ann Hite (Ghost on Black Mountain), Walton Young (A Gathering of Eagles), Nick Wynne (Flighty Jo Jones), and Mary E. Kingsley (Angel).

I’ve never been to Dahlonega before, and I always look forward to spending time in cool little mountain towns. The weather is supposed to be gorgeous, and the literary line-up a real treat! Some of the other authors appearing include Karen White, Kimberly Brock (another Bell Bridge Books author, like me), Mark Warren, Cherie Priest, Carole Townsend, A.J. Hartley, and more–including keynote speaker Barbara Brown Taylor. I had the pleasure of hearing Brown Taylor speak at the Southern Women Writers Conference earlier this Fall, and she’s wonderful–witty, smart, souful and refreshing.

Even better, I’m being joined this time in my book travels by my husband and my three year-old daughter, who plan to roam the Festival and enjoy the kids’ events while I do my thing. Lately I’ve been traveling alone, so this’ll be fun! (Look for a tall man chasing a little blonde blur.)

If you’re in the area, I hope you can join us!