SALISBURY — The first Rowan Reading Rendezvous kicks off Saturday at Rowan Public Library in downtown Salisbury.
A lucky 13 authors have agreed to come talk about their books and writing, meet readers and sign books during the day. All events will take place either in Stanback Auditorium or the Hurley Room.
Books will be offered for sale, with proceeds benefitting the Friends of the Library, a volunteer library support group that helps fund various programs. The friends honor the Friend of the Year at their annual meeting, rewarding the person who has done the most to promote and support the library over the last year. The Friends also sponsor author visits, performances and more. Dale Basinger is the president. He and longtime former bookstore owner Deal Safrit, an avid reader and reviewer, have steered this first event and hope it continues for years to come.
Here is the schedule of authors and the times they will be talking to those attending. Authors have 30 minutes each, with 15 minutes in between presentations in each auditorium so fans and friends have time to spend with the authors.
The day starts out with Walter Bennett, author of the award winning “Leaving Tuscaloosa,” a novel set in Alabama at the start of the civil rights struggle. He will be in Stanback Auditorium at 10 a.m. His book was reviewed in the Salisbury Post May 19, 2013 (http://www.salisburypost.com/article/20130519/SP04/130519676/0/SEARCH&slId=7).
Susan Tekulve, author of “In the Garden of Stone,” winner of the South Carolina First Novel Prize in 2012, will be in Stanback Auditorium at 10:45.
Catawba College professor, actor, director and novelist Kurt Corriher, author of “Salvation: A Story of Survival” and the thriller, “Someone to Kill,” will be in the Hurley Room at 11 a.m.
See Wayne Caldwell, author of “Cataloochee” and “Requiem by Fire,” both tales of the Appalachians, will be in Stanback Auditorium at 11:30 a.m.
Jon Buchan, author of “Code of the Forest,” a legal drama that takes place in the South Carolina Lowcountry, will be in the Hurley Room at 11:45 a.m.
Valerie Nieman, whose most recent book is “Blood Clay,” will be in Stanback Auditorium at 12:15 p.m.
Anthony Abbott, author of the luminous book of poetry, “The Angel Dialogues,” will be in the Hurley Room at 12:30 p.m. An interview with Abbott appeared in the Post March 30 (http://www.salisburypost.com/article/20140330/SP04/140339993/0/SEARCH&slId=2)
Perennial favorite Ann B. Ross will be in Stanback Auditorium at 1 p.m. Her book was reviewed in the Post on April 6, (http://www.salisburypost.com/article/20140406/SP04/140409850/0/SEARCH&slId=1)
Ed Southern, executive director of the North Carolina Writers’ Network and author of “Parlous Angels,” will be in the Hurley Room at 1:15 p.m.
Fred Chappell, one of North Carolina’s literary treasures, and author of books of poetry, novels and short stories, will be in Stanback Auditorium at 1:45 p.m.. He was North Carolina’s poet laureate 1997-2002.
Susan Woodring, North Carolina author of the book ”Goliath,” as well as other works, will be in the Hurley Room at 2 p.m.
Ariel Djanikian, of Chapel Hill, with her debut novel, “The Office of Mercy,” about a utopian society, will be in Stanback Auditorium at 2:30 p.m. Deal Safrit reviewed her book for the Post on April 12 (http://www.salisburypost.com/article/20140413/SP04/140419906/0/SEARCH&slId=1)
The day will climax with an appearance by Salisbury’s thriller writer, John Hart, at 3:15 p.m. in Stanback Auditorium. Hart is the author of four books, including “Iron House” and a multiple award-winner, including back-to-back Edgar Awards
Readers, writers, fans and anyone interested in books and authors are invited to any or all of the presentations. Some authors will be available all day, but some have other rendezvous to go to.
Basinger and Safrit are eager to see the festival succeed and to introduce authors from around the region. What happens this year will help them plan what to do next, who to invite and what time of year is best for a reading festival.

There is no cost for admission. Find more information on the library website, www.rowanpubliclibrary.org or call 704-216-8240.