Ron Rash, George Singleton and Dot Jackson in Conversation June 2

Book lovers, take note: The Birchwood Center for Arts and Folklife is presenting a conversation between Upstate authors Dot Jackson, Ron Rash and George Singleton.

The “Up Close and Personal” conversation will talk place 3pm Sunday, June 2 at the Hampton Memorial Library.

Reservations are $25 each and seating is limited, so don't delay!

Reservations must be made in advance, no tickets will be sold at the door.

Checks or money orders may be made out to Birchwood Center for Arts and Folklife, PO Box 109, Sunset, SC 29685. For more information, call Linda at 878-9269 or 898-0840.

A career journalist, Dot Jackson's stories ranged from murder trials to snake-handlers to environmentalism and earned her several Pulitzer Prize nominations

Her first novel Refuge draws from Jackson's own family history and tells the story of a Charleston woman who gives up her privileged life to return to the mountains.

Jackson is the co-founder and site manager of the Birchwood Center for Arts and Folklife, whose mission is to preserve and promote the arts, folklife, history and conservation of the Blue Ridge region by providing classes, workshops and retreats.

The Birchwood Center is known for its annual Book and Author Fair, which takes place at Table Rock State Park's Lodge and its annual Arts and Craft Fair, held at the Table Rock Wesleyan Camp, Retreat and Conference Center.

For more information, visit www.birchwoodcenter.org.

Ron Rash's work draws from the Southern Appalachian Mountains, where his family has resided since the mid-1700's.

He is the author of the short story collections The Night The New Jesus Fell to Earth, Casualties, Burning Bright, the poetry collections Eureka Mill, Among the Believers and Raising the Dead and the novels One Foot in Eden, Saints at the River, The World Made Straight, Serena and The Cove.

His latest short story collection, Nothing Gold Can Stay, was published in February.

A Dacusville resident, George Singleton is the author of the short story collections Why Dogs Chase Cars, The Half-Mammals of Dixie, Drowning in Gruel, These People Are Us and the novels Novel and Work Shirts for Madmen.

His most recent collection Stray Decorum was released last year and is a finalist

Southeastern Independent Booksellers Association Book of the Year Award in the fiction category.

Singleton taught at the Governor's School for the Arts for 13 years, and recently accepted a position at Wofford College.

His non-fiction book, Pep Talks, Warnings and Screeds, is a very funny book that contains advice useful for both aspiring and experienced writers.