Portraits

February 15-18, 2007

Whether you are a fan of suspense, biography, memoirs or just plain good stories, you do not want to miss the 2007 Southern Voices Conference.

For the past 15 years, the Hoover Public Library has brought together the country’s finest authors, artists, and performers whose works are as varied and as rich as our own southern culture. This year is no exception.

Headlining the 2007 conference is best-selling author and master of the legal thriller, Lisa Scottoline. Ms. Scottoline has written over 13 novels, has been published in over 23 countries and has more than nine million copies of her books in print in the United States. Her latest works include The Devil’s Corner and Dirty Blonde. Ms. Scottoline will speak on Friday, February 16 at 7 p.m. A reception and book signing will follow her presentation. Tickets are $25.

On Saturday, February 17, the library will host seven contemporary authors from across the United States. First is keynote speaker Esmeralda Santiago, whose varied career includes work as a film producer, writer, essayist and NPR guest commentator. She is best known for her memoirs When I Was Puerto Rican and The Turkish Lover. Featured speakers also include Ace Atkins, a Pulitzer Prize- nominated journalist whose most recent book, White Shadow, centers around the assassination of a Tampa kingpin and Tony Dunbar, a New Orleans attorney and creator of seven Tubby Dubonnet novels, whose most recent work, Tubby Meets Katrina, takes place in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Critically-acclaimed novelists Joshilyn Jackson and Lisa Tucker also join the group. Ms. Jackson is a Deep South native whose stories include Gods in Alabama and Between, Georgia. Ms. Tucker, a jazz singer and novice drummer from Pennsylvannia, is author of The Song Reader, Shout Down the Moon and Once Upon A Day. Charles Shields, a former English teacher, will also speak about his book, Mockingbird, an insightful look at the life of famous Alabama author Harper Lee. Hoover native Will Pearson, creator of the popular mental_floss magazine, rounds out this exciting program. Tickets for this event are $35 and include lunch. Book signings will take place at the end of the day.

Lewis Grizzard: In His Own Words, a tribute to the celebrated humorist, will take place on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon.

A reception honoring artist Troy Crisswell will kick-off the weekend on Thursday, February 15 at 5:30 p.m. Mr. Crisswell is an award-winning artist whose paintings are primarily done in watercolor and oils. This reception is free and open to the public.

So mark your calendars for February 15-18! Tickets go on sale Saturday, January 13 and may be purchased through the Library Theatre Box Office in person or by calling (205) 444-7888. For more conference information, visit www.southernvoices.info.