Recent Festival addition Nan Chase is an award-winning investigative and feature writer who most recently created Eat Your Yard! Edible trees, shrubs, vines, herbs and flowers for your landscape. During her thirty-five year freelance career Chase has written about nuclear energy and beauty pageants, the history of Islam and the miniskirt, aviation and basket weaving. In recent years, her work has focused on architecture, landscape design and gardening.

Festival President Stephanie Duttenhaver said, “We are delighted that Nan Chase can join us at our new stand-alone lifestyle venue this year along with Southern food writers Libbie Summers and Virginia Willis; Lulu Powers, caterer to the stars; leading designer Charles Faudree; and Randy Fertel who tells the story behind Ruth’s Chris restaurant.”

A limited number of tickets are still available for two exciting evening fundraising events on Wednesday, February 15 with Brad Thor and Thursday, February 16 with Walter Isaacson.   “We hear that many people believe that these two ticketed events are already sold out – just like the Stephen King closing ceremony – but there are still [Thor and Isaacson] tickets available,” said Festival Director Robin Gold.

Tickets and Reservations:

• The Brad Thor event is on Wednesday, February 15 at 6.30pm at the Plantation Club on Skidaway Island.  Reservation includes dinner, Thor’s discussion of his thriller, Full Black, and a question and answer session followed by a book sale and signing opportunity.  To obtain tickets at $65 visit http://www.savannahbookfestival.org/2012-festival/ticketed-events/brad-thor-dinner/(Thor will also be among presenters in Telfair Square on Saturday, February 18—the main Festival day which remains free and open to the public.)
• Tickets for Thursday’s Walter Isaacson event can be obtained in person at the SCAD Box Office, by calling (912) 525-5050 during business hours or via the SCAD Box Office.  All sales are through the Trustees Theater. Tickets are $10.00 per person.The distinguished author of Steve Jobs will speak at 6:30 p.m. at the Trustees Theater in Savannah.

The Savannah Book Festival Inc. is an independent, non-profit corporation led by a volunteer board of directors. The South’s biggest story, the Festival will take place during the week leading up to Presidents Day, February 15-19, 2012, in and around Telfair Square in historic downtown Savannah. For more information, please contact Executive Director Robin Gold at (912) 598-4040 or info@savannahbookfestival.org. Or visit our website at http://www.savannahbookfestival.org/, our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=110788820480 and follow us on Twitter at @SavBookFestival.

“Lose Yourself in Books” is the 2012 Festival theme and students may discover that in-person discussion with award-winning authors may light their own literary fires.  To support this vital educational outreach program, the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation has generously donated $2500 to supply books for the SBF@School Program.  “We are pleased to be able to lend support to the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System’s number one priority of raising the literacy rate among students,” said a Gulfstream representative.

In order to ensure an enriching and relevant experience for the students, the Festival works closely with the school media specialists, English teachers and college professors to select authors who best fit the student’s current course of study.  The program is provided free to area schools.

Here is a list of the 2012 SBF Authors in the Schools:

The Savannah Book Festival Inc. is an independent, non-profit corporation led by a volunteer board of directors.  It is committed to remaining free and open to the public and to celebrating the written word and its role in improving the human experience.  For more information, please contact Executive Director Robin Gold at (912) 598-4040 or info@savannahbookfestival.org.

“We are beyond thrilled that Brad Thor has agreed to open the fifth Annual Savannah Book Festival on the first evening of our five days of literary excellence,” said Festival Executive Director Robin Gold.

Thor’s Full Black, published last July, is a story of espionage and betrayal brilliantly paced with superb nonstop action.  Full Black, Thor’s eleventh thriller, is the tenth featuring protagonist Scot Harvath and the first to be published since the operation to eliminate Osama bin Laden thrust Navy SEAL Team 6 into the national spotlight.

“It’s great to see Americans appreciating these types of missions,” Thor said.  “It’s one of the reasons I write what I write—to give voice to those ‘quiet professionals’ who technically don’t exist.”   “By nature of what they do, they can’t ask for, or take credit for their successes. But because of their skill and courage, we all sleep safer in our beds at night and I am very pleased to see SEAL Team 6/DEVGRU receiving the admiration and thanks they so rightly deserve.”

Thor’s innovative plots and extensive knowledge of intelligence, special operations and terrorist communities earned him recognition from the Department of Homeland Security. They invited him to participate in their analytical “Red Cell Program” which is an elite group of writers and artists who are commissioned to brainstorm terrorist scenarios for our government.  The author has appeared on Fox News Channel, MSNBC, CNN, Headline News, ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS as a National Security Expert to discuss terrorism as well as how closely his novels of international intrigue parallel the real threats facing the world today.

Thor’s website bradthor.com is rich in information and filled with provocative ideas and questions.  For example:

• “What would you think of doing something that is against the rules or against the law to get information for the “greater good”?
• How do you feel about ‘enhanced interrogation?  How do you feel about the importance of getting “ticking time” bomb style information that is immediately germane to a real threat such as information that might have prevented 9/11?

On this website Thor is asked, “Do your plots ever keep you up a night, wondering if it might happen”?  His answer is chilling and important.

“What Jason Bourne was to the Cold War, Scot Harvath is to the War on Terror,” said Nelson DeMille. “Brad Thor has created the perfect all-American hero for the post September 11 world and will keep readers glued to the pages…”

Other Thor titles:  The Athena Project, Foreign Influence, The Apostle, The Last Patriot, The First Commandment, Takedown, Blowback, State of the Union, Oath of the Assassin, and Lions of Lucerne.

The special event, “An Evening with Brad Thor,” on Wednesday, February 15 will be held at the Plantation Club at the Landings on Skidaway Island and will include dinner, a presentation by the author, a Q&A period and book sales and signing.   Tickets are $65—reservations are required and are available to the public, members and non-members.  For tickets, schedule of events and information contact the Festival website at www.savannahbookfestival.org.

Post Festival Book Event

A community event that book lovers and historians alike will want to know about is a lecture and book signing with Stacy A. Cordery, PhD, author of Juliette Gordon Low:  The Remarkable Founder of the Girl Scouts.  Cordery’s talk will take place on Wednesday, February 22 at 7:00 p.m. at the Trustees Theater on Broughton Street.  This program, sponsored by The Learning Center of Senior Citizens, Inc. is free and open to the public.

IN MEMORY OF

The Savannah Book Festival is very sad to announce that author, Nancy Clarke, an unflappable artisan who as White House Chief Florist navigated the tastes of the six presidents and first families she served, died on January 14 at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia. She was 66.  Clarke retired in 2009 after more than three decades in the White House. A former flight attendant, she began studying floral design when she was in her 30s and joined the President’s floral staff as a volunteer during the Carter administration.  The Festival sends its most heartfelt and sincerest condolences to Ms. Clarke’s family and friends in this very difficult time.

In honor of Ms. Clarke and her scheduled appearance at the 2012 Savannah Book Festival, several of her books will be available for sale at the Ex Libris Book Sales Ten in Telfair Square during the Presidents Day weekend Festival.

Regional Authors Appearing at the Savannah Book Festival Y’all

Our Low Country region proudly boasts claim to Pat Conroy, the bestselling author and beloved American storyteller.  “Pat Conroy is the most requested author for the festival,” said Board President Stephanie Duttenhaver. “He represents the soul of the Southern writer.  As a resident of our beautiful Low Country, it is so perfect that he has agreed to be our [Friday evening] keynote speaker when we celebrate our fifth year.”

In his recent book, My Reading Life, Conroy revisits a life of reading through an array of wonderful and often surprising anecdotes: sharing the pleasures of the local library’s vast cache with his mother when he was a boy, recounting his decades-long relationship with the English teacher who pointed him onto the path of letters, and describing a profoundly influential period he spent in Paris, as well as reflecting on other pivotal people, places, and experiences.  Anyone who not only enjoys the pleasures of reading but also believes in the power of books to shape a life will find here the greatest defense of that credo.

Georgia native Dawn Baker author of Dawn’s Daughter grew up in rural Riceboro, Georgia.  Dawn’s Daughter is her first book and she hopes it will be the beginning of a vigorous movement to develop strong, independent women and young girls.  Baker’s journalism degree is from Howard University and her career has taken her to remote villages of Ghana, Nigeria, and Guatemala, where she produced award-winning documentaries.

Savannah native Hugh Golson co-authored Andrew Low and the Sign of the Buck; Trade, Triumph, Tragedy at the House of Low with his cousin Jennifer Guthrie Ryan.  This historic narrative spans two centuries of the intertwined families of the House of Lows, Stiles, Mackays and Clays.  Golson and Ryan are descendents of the Low-Stiles family. The story begins with the migration of the senior Andrew Low to Savannah where he becomes a cotton broker in 1800 and ultimately Savannah’s wealthiest merchant. Later, business expands overseas and the Lows become involved in international affairs and intrigue.

Savannahian Carol Megathlin’s new collection of her newspaper columns, Fighting without Fanfare, offers true stories about humans dealing with universal struggles: marriage, family, friendship, discontent, death and war.  Originally published in major Georgia, north Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama newspapers, Megathlin’s columns offer frank observations on the human condition.  The columns comment on conflict and emotional upheaval attendant upon looming retirement, dissatisfaction in marriage, the anger generated by caring for an aging parent, and the importance of – and loss of – close friends.

The book also offers pieces inspired by Megathlin’s work as founder of the Adopt-a-Soldier program for the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia, and the two weeks she spent in Iraq visiting a unit deployed to Anbar Province.

John Warley, author of Bethesda’s Child was born in neighboring South Carolina and now splits his time between Beaufort and San Miguel, Mexico.  Bethesda’s Child is a novel of politics and genetics.  Protagonist, Senator Martin Harmon, is poised to claim his party’s nomination for vice-president of the U.S.  He is the leading spokesperson for the REA law; designed to prevent abuses in genetic engineering.  A wife, a girlfriend and political enemies bode well for an enticing page turner.

Warley attended The Citadel with classmate Patrick Conroy and earned a law degree from University of Virginia.  Warley will be joined during his February 18 talk by Conroy, who wrote the preface for Bethesda’s Child.

Ice Cream Palooza!

For the second year in a row, Savannah’s favorite creamery, Leopold’s Ice Cream, is collaborating with the Savannah Book Festival to create a brand new flavor for the Festival’s guest of honor, with a percentage of all proceeds to benefit the Festival. This year’s Guest of Honor, the legendary Stephen King, will have a new flavor inspired by his latest novel, 11/22/63.  We are so excited about Leopold’s latest dairy creation, we’re already salivating!

In addition, Leopold’s will also temporarily rename many of their ice cream flavors, fountain drinks, sandwiches and soups after SBF authors’ books.  So stay tuned to this page, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Tumblr for all the delectable details.  In the meantime, hightail it into Leopold’s on Broughton Street in downtown Savannah to enjoy some world-famous, award-winning, delicious ice cream! For more information or directions to Leopold’s, please visit www.leopoldsicecream.com.

The Savannah Book Festival Inc. is an independent, non-profit corporation led by a volunteer board of directors.  It is committed to remaining free and open to the public and to celebrating the written word. For more information, please contact Executive Director Robin Gold at (912) 598 4040, info@savannahbookfestival.org or visit www.savannahbookfestival.org.

Literati cards from the 2011 Festival will be honored throughout the 2012 Festival.

Jeffery Deaver, named by the UK’s Daily Telegraph as “The most creative, skilled and intriguing thriller writer in the world,” has added Carte Blanche, the latest James Bond thriller, to his prolific work of 28 novels.  Ian Fleming Publications Ltd selected Deaver to continue the 007 spy thrillers created by Ian Fleming in 1952 beginning with Casino Royale.  People Magazine pegs Deaver, “A master of ticking-bomb suspense.”  His books are sold in 150 countries and are translated into 25 languages.

Hell is Empty is Craig Johnson’s seventh book in his Sheriff Walt Longmire series.  This riveting thriller has Longmire and his deputy escorting a trio of convicts through Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains.  Escorting escalates into a perilous manhunt through the icy hell of the Cloud Peak Wilderness Area.  Along with elements of Dante’s Inferno, the inclusion of Indian lore and mysticism enrich the bones of the story.  Johnson’s background in law enforcement may beg questions of personal experience during his talk.  He lives in Ucross, Wyoming—population 25.  Ten episodes of the Longmire mysteries are currently being filmed for A&E.

Given Savannah’s canine preoccupation bordering on obsession, Spencer Quinn is a perfect fit with his irresistible The Dog Who Knew Too Much.  Combining intrigue and humor with a perceptive take on the relationship between a man and his dog, this fourth in the mystery series of the “Little Detective Agency” is a genuine treat.  Chet, the four-legged narrator, offers a reliable nose and boundless enthusiasm for solving kidnappings, murders and other serious mayhem.

Brad Thor , the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Full Black, will kick off the Festival on Wednesday, February 15 at a special evening event.  Full Black, a Scot Harvath novel, is one of Thor’s darkest and most intriguing thrillers with nonstop action in a terrifying story of espionage and betrayal.  Thor is known for weaving real-life issues into his thrillers. His extensive knowledge of intelligence, special ops, and terrorist communities has been tapped for appearances on FOX News, CNN, The Glenn Beck Show, and even by the Department of Homeland Security as part of their analytic “Red Cell” unit.

The kick-off event, “An Evening with Brad Thor,” on Wednesday February 15, 2012 at 6:30 PM at the Plantation Club at The Landings on Skidaway Island will include dinner, a presentation by the author, a Q&A period and book sales and signing.  Reservations are $65 and open to the public.  For Brad Thor tickets, a schedule of events and information, contact the Festival website at www.savannahbookfestival.org.

The Savannah Book Festival Inc. is an independent, non-profit corporation led by a volunteer board of directors.  It is committed to remaining free and open to the public and to celebrating the written word and its role in improving the human experience.  For more information, please contact Executive Director Robin Gold at (912) 598 4040.

Brad Thor kicks off the Festival on February 15 at the Landings on Skidaway Island.  Enjoy an evening with the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Full Black.The event is open to the public and will include dinner, a presentation by the author, Q&A period and book sales and signing.  For tickets at $65 visit http://www.savannahbookfestival.org/2012-festival/ticketed-events/brad-thor-dinner/

On day two, Walter Isaacson, author of the best selling biography, Steve Jobs, will speak at 6:30 p.m. at Trustees Theater in Savannah.  Isaacson will discuss the man who revolutionized six industries:  personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing and digital publishing.  Tickets can be obtained in person at the SCAD Box Office, by calling (912) 525-5050 during business hours or via the SCAD Box Office.  All sales are through the Trustees Theater. Tickets are $10.00 per person.

On day three, the iconic Pat Conroy will give the keynote speech in Telfair Square’s beautiful Trinity Methodist Church at 6:00 p.m.  “Pat Conroy is the most requested author for the festival,” said Board President Stephanie Duttenhaver. “He represents the soul of the Southern writer. As a resident of our beautiful Low Country, it is so perfect that he has agreed to be our keynote speaker when we celebrate our fifth year.”

Saturday, day four, is the Festival’s main event with presentations by over 40 exceptional authors including, Jeffery Deaver, Charles Faudree, Irshad Manji, Karl Marlantes, Michael Oher, Janisse Rayand others representing many different genres.

Sunday, day five, Guest of Honor, Stephen King, discuss 11/22/63, his epic tour-de-force that chronicles the adventures of Jake Epping as he travels back in time to prevent the Kennedy assassination. This event is sold out.

The Savannah Book Festival Inc. is an independent, non-profit corporation led by a volunteer board of directors.  It is committed to remaining free and open to the public and to celebrating the written word.  www.savannahbookfestival.org

Literati cards from the 2011 Festival will be honored throughout the 2012 Festival.

CONTACT: Executive Director Robin Gold at 912-598-4040 info@savanahbookfestival.org