“Wear the old coat and buy the new book.”

I realized yesterday  I didn’t really explain that every day in July we are giving away something for free.  The item or items will be pictured here each day and the terms.  So yesterday, you just had to be first to come into the store and claim the item, which as of this post is still available.  Today I am giving away six ARC’s (Advance Reading Copy) of five young adult books not currently available to buy in stores!

• The Day of the Pelican by Katherine Patterson
• Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan
• Goth Girl Rising by Barry Lyga
• Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough
• Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri

Like yesterday, you just have to ask to recieve (limit one per asker please), but I would like it tremendously if upon reading it, you would submit to us a review of the book in 500 words or less.

Looking at this automatically rotating photocube (2 AA batteries not included) reminds me of all the special times I experienced with my employees (excluding firing them).  Inside are four post-it-notes, our favourite method of communicating.  If you have come to the store, you’re likely familiar with our book recommends on post-it-notes.  Beyond enticements to buy, these space age devices help us relay our beverage consumption needs, what to do with all the free time we have here, or occassionaly our feelings.  This little box of love can be yours if you are the first person to come in and ask for it.  No strings attached (unless you count heartstrings).

Get read, get published, get your word heard. And, now, get fifteen extra days to submit your best works.

In celebration of the art of the written word, verge is now accepting entries for The Inkling, a new literary journal discovering the best in local prose, poetry and art. Named in honor of the informal Oxford literary club of the 30s and 40s, which included famed authors J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, The Inkling desires to encourage pursuit of the written word, while providing mind-stimulating stories, essays and poems for general consumption. Entries must be received by midnight on July 15, 2009.

The Book Tavern will host a “Meet the Inklings” wrap party on Thursday, September 24, 2009, from 6 pm to 8 pm. The public will be invited to meet the authors.

Literary submission guidelines:

· Stories or personal essays are accepted up to 6,000 words

· Short plays or poems: up to 4,000 words. Please limit poetry submissions to five.

· Include short biography and contact information.

· There is no reading fee.

· Submissions may be sent in the body of an email and/or as an attachment in any common file form, such as .doc. Mac users please be sure that your files are readable by PCs. When in doubt, copy your submission into the email body.

· Extended deadline for submission is July 15, 2009, by midnight.

· Send submissions to: editor at vergelive.com or 1124 Broad Street, Augusta, 30901

Artwork submission guidelines:

· Art submissions may include cover art. literary cartoons, photography, paintings and drawings.

· Artwork does not need to refer to anything involving the specific writing of The Inkling.

· Files must be at 300 dpi, CMYK, at the native resolution.

· Include short biography and contact information.

All submissions will be reviewed, selected and edited by a team of volunteers.

The first issue of The Inkling will be inserted into September’s verge.

A word of (tongue in cheek) warning. As J.R.R. Tolkien once penned, “I warn you, if you bore me, I shall take my revenge.”

Lara E. Plocha
editor, verge

My apologies to LadyVee for the belated post!

Dust off those notebooks! Practice that poem, song, or dramatic piece that’s on your heart! Pick out something snazzy to wear! It’s National Poetry Month and we’re celebrating by having our very first Open Mic Showcase!

Calling all poets, spoken word artists, musicians, visual artists, actors/actresses with dramatic monologues…the stage welcomes you to share your talent! Aroma Coffee and Wine Bar is ready with a laid back, cool atmosphere filled with tasty treats and beverages!

There will also be a special National Poetry Month gift bag giveaway. Donations are appreciated for each raffle ticket.

Special Feature performance by, the one and only, LadyVee DaPoet. She’s the author of the poetry collections ‘Imagination Overload’, ‘Clenched Teeth Smiling’, and an advocate for out-the-box, quality creative expression. Don’t miss this show!

Sign up begins at 7:30 pm with the show running from 8-9:30 pm.

Get full details and RSVP!

Tonight only!

From 5pm until the stars come out, find hundreds of books on sale for 50% OFF! 

Great titles like Defiance by Nechama Tec, Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen and The Spirit Catches you and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman will be on sale.

I just culled this from a library email:

In Celebration of National Library Week (April 12-18, 2009), The Augusta Richmond County Public Library will host its first English Authors Tea. This will be the first in what we hope will be an annual event to celebrate the works of an English Author. For our first, an author that is appreciated by readers of many ages, J.R.R. Tolkien. Dr. Christina Heckman, Associate Professor of English at Augusta State University will lead a panel discussion on “J.R.R. Tolkien: Heroism and the Lessons of Literature”. She will be joined by Patricia Burks, Maryska Connolly-Brown, John Hamilton and Eve Winkleman. The event will take place in the Appleby Library Gardens, 226 Walton Way at 4:00 pm on Friday, April 17, 2009. This will be a catered tea by Celebrations by Appointment. Tickets will be available at any Richmond County Library Branch. Tickets will be available from Tuesday, March 17, 2009 until Monday, April 13, 2009. Proceeds from this event will go to the Augusta Public Libray Foundation to provide our new library with books, technology and equipment. $15 Adult, $10 Students/under 10 Free

William “Billy” Collins is an American poet. He served two terms as the Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001 to 2003. In his home state, Collins has been recognized as a Literary Lion of the New York Public Library (1992) and selected as the New York State Poet for 2004. He was recently appointed Claire Berman Artist in Residence at The Roxbury Latin School, in West Roxbury, MA. He is a distinguished professor at Lehman College of the City University of New York. (From Wikipedia)

The Book Tavern will have a few copies of his books available Tuesday.  I just found out about the event this weekend.  If you know of literary events happening in the region, please let me know so I can post them here.

Swallow Savannah
by Ken Burger

“Ken Burger has long been my favorite sports columnist and now has written a humdinger of a novel! It’s got politics, treachery, rotten politicians and a swift moving plot. I think Mr. Burger is the first South Carolina novelist to explore the Savannah River country around Allendale and the bomb plant and he does it exceedingly well! ”
-PAT CONROY, author of The Prince of Tides

From the Jacket: Bluff County, S.C., 1948
While Frank Finklea and his muckmates were sloughing trees out of the primal ooze, engineers in silver safety helmets stood off to the side drawing imaginary lines in the air. There was talk they were building the world’s biggest bomb factory. That’s why there was so much secrecy surrounding the project. The feds had bought up 300 square miles of rural South Carolina so the plant would have plenty of buffer if anything went wrong.

And there was plenty that did go wrong.

Finklea’s survival instincts drew him out of the swampland to become one of the most powerful men in the state, As he ruthlessly build his empire, Finklea cared little for those he left in his wake: his trusting father-in-law; his beautiful, brutalized wife; his troubled mistress; and his gentle son. He gave no thought to the poor blacks he exploited or the neighbors he humiliated. Yet as time and the Savanna River flowed through Bluff County, Finklea’s sins were carried out of the swamps and into the open. In a single, violent day, decades of racial conflict and government corruption exploded in South Carolina.

Ken Burger has been writing a nationally acclaimed sports column for The Post and Courier in Charleston, S.C. for 20 years. His journalism career includes stints covering business and politics. For two years he was the newspaper’s Washington, D.C. correspondent.

Born and raised in the town of Allendale, S.C., Burger graduated dead last in his class at the University of Georgia, has been married five times, is a gratefully recovering alcoholic, a cancer survivor and a happy man.

Though only in its second year, the Savannah Book Festival attracted a very respectable group of authors. We Only attended two of the lectures: Ferrol Sams and Bailey White. The former charmed us with a number of good stories concerning what can’t be captured in ink and paper. Coming from the dialect rich south, where, as Dr. Sams tells us, even families have distinctive intonations, it is easy to understand how certain vocal qualities are difficult to transliterate. Some have made the attempt, notably Joel Chandler Harris with the Tales of Uncle Remus. After he was finished he took questions from the listeners. Gabi and I found his reply when asked how he knew Miss Helen was the woman for him particularly delighting to the soul. While his story style does it more justice, simply put, he told her he was more his true self when he was with her.

When we left Trinity Church, we immediately walked to one of the open air tents where Bailey White was getting ready to speak. Unfortunately the sunshine was calling us away and though her lilting voice was alluring, it did not draw us out of the light like a siren into the cool, shaded tent which seemed to much like Sheol. So we only stayed long enough for me to strain my ears and eke out enough to be satisfied I had heard Ms. White in person. Later, I was undeservingly rewarded when at a coffee shop a lady approached my wife with complements for her coif. She and her friend had noticed Gabi at Dr. Sams lecture and now, could not resist speaking to her about it. As I turned around to meet Carol she introduced herself and her friend, Bailey White. We exchanged pleasantries but, Ms. White, I must apologize for being seduced by the sun. I swear to you some future hour where I shall be entranced by naught but your voice!

On a somewhat mundane note, the port-o-johns were unbelievably plush. If you followed our Twitter @booktavern you saw a picture. Unfortunately this lavish urinal was unmatched by the vendors. Telfair Square is not particularly large, yet it was rather unfilled by merchants. A very small selection of publishers and booksellers were there and most disappointingly, the main vendor for the signings was Follet, one of the large corporate interests which routinely exacts usurous prices from college students. I expected a local book festival to use a local bookseller, of which there are two well situated both within a half mile of the event.

Despite any minor disappointments, we had a most excellent time. Savannah hosts a great number of fine shops and eateries so there is plenty to do in and around festival events. We will definitely be returning next year!