Sept 10-13 2009 - 2009 NC Literary Festival to send 'Authors on the Road'

The 2009 North Carolina Literary Festival, set for Sept. 10-13 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, may be coming to a city near you.

The festival has added an Authors on the Road component, in which six North Carolina writers will read from their work and answer questions in six cities in August and September. The authors and free public gatherings will be as follows:

Aug. 22, 3 p.m., Daniel Wallace, New Hanover County Public Library, Wilmington
Aug. 25, 7 p.m., Allan Gurganus, Sheppard Memorial Library, Greenville
Sept. 1, 7 p.m., Joan Medlicott, Patrick Beaver Memorial Library, Hickory
Sept. 1, 6:30 p.m., P.T. Deutermann, Cumberland County Public Library and Information Center, Fayetteville
Sept. 8, 7 p.m., Randall Kenan, Forsyth County Public Library, Winston-Salem
Date and author to be announced, Pack Memorial Library, Asheville
"This new program helps include the rest of the state in the celebration," said festival director Amy Baldwin. "The six program locations were identified with guidance from the State Library of North Carolina, and the host libraries helped choose their authors, who also will participate in the main festival on campus."

Authors on the Road is presented in part by Our State Magazine. The State Library of North Carolina – an agency of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources – is helping support the festival and Authors on the Road with federal Library Services and Technology Act funds from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services.

"I'm delighted that the North Carolina Literary Festival is sending authors out on the road to meet with readers and fans across the state," said Frannie Ashburn, director of the State Library of North Carolina's Center for the Book.

"Bringing writers and readers together in public libraries is an excellent way to take the festival far beyond the boundaries of the 2009 host site and to engage public audiences in the celebration of our state's outstanding literary heritage," she said. "This is a guaranteed good time for everyone involved."

Amy Wood, marketing director of Our State, said the magazine has celebrated stories of people and places across North Carolina for more than 76 years.

"Our sponsorship of the Authors on the Road portion of the festival is a natural partnership for us," she said. "We are proud of our association and look forward to assisting in taking the love of literature to people all over the state."

The free public festival, Sept. 10-13 at UNC, is funded entirely by gifts and grants. It is organized and sponsored by the libraries of UNC and N.C. State and Duke universities, with additional support from N.C. Central University. Held every other year, the location rotates among the Chapel Hill, State and Duke campuses.

More than 125 authors will participate in the festival, which will include readings, discussions, exhibits, performances, book signings, lectures and book sales. More authors for the event, to include locally and nationally known writers of all genres of books, will be named throughout the summer.

More than 100 volunteers will be needed for the festival. Those interested in helping may register at www.NCLiteraryFestival.org.