Pat Conroy to lead panel with SC authors Sept. 10 at Furman

New York Times-bestselling author Pat Conroy will host a discussion with South Carolina authors Thursday, Sept. 10 at Furman University in Younts Conference Center.

A reception with light hors d'oeuvres at 6 p.m. is followed by the panel at 7 p.m.

Editor-at-large of the series “Story River Books,” Conroy will lead the panel featuring authors Elizabeth Cox, John Lane, Mark Sibley-Jones, and Eric Morris. A book signing with the panelists will follow.

The event is free and open to the public. Limited seating is available, first-come, first-served. The program is sponsored by M. Judson booksellers & storytellers, Story River Books, Furman University, EMRYS, and Barnes & Noble at Furman. It is part of Furman’s Cultural Life Program.

Launched in 2013, “Story River Books” is a South Carolina-based original fiction series published by the University of South Carolina Press. Named for a small river which runs along Fripp Island, “Story River Books” includes 13 published titles thus far.

In an earlier interview, Conroy explains his commitment to up-and-coming writers in South Carolina, saying, “I want a direct role in keeping that splendid sense of literary momentum alive. South Carolina has given me a million stories and no writer who ever lived had such riches to choose from. This is the reason I offered to edit the ‘Story River Books’ series for USC Press.”

A 2009 inductee in the S.C. Hall of Fame, Conroy is the author of several books including “The Great Santini” and “The Prince of Tides,” which were made into Oscar-nominated films. Other titles include “The Water is Wide” and “Death of Santini,” among others.

Conroy lives in Beaufort with his wife, novelist Cassandra King.

Submitted by Furman University

This story was originally published September 6, 2015 at 6:19 PM with the headline "Pat Conroy to lead panel with SC authors Sept. 10 at Furman."