2012

James L. Swanson is the Edgar Award–winning author of the New York Times best-seller Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer. In 2009, Patricia Cornwell named Swanson's Manhunt and Truman Capote's In Cold Blood as the two best nonfiction crime books ever published. His newest book, Bloody Crimes: The Chase for Jefferson Davis and the Death Pageant for Lincoln’s Corpse, brings to life two epic events of the Civil War era: the thrilling chase to apprehend Confederate president Jefferson Davis in the wake of the Lincoln assassination and the momentous 20-day funeral that took Abraham Lincoln’s body home to Springfield, Illinois.

Jeffrey Stepakoff began his career writing for film and television in Hollywood, and has credits on 36 television episodes. He has written for 14 different series and has worked on seven prime-time staffs, producing hundreds of hours of internationally-recognized television, including the Emmy-winning The Wonder Years, Sisters and Dawson’s Creek, which he co-executive produced. His debut novel, Fireworks Over Toccoa, was a Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance "Okra" Pick and an American Booksellers Association Indie Next List Notable.  His second novel, The Orchard, also a SIBA pick, was released in July 2011.

Anna Jean (A.J.) Mayhew writes from her vivid memories of growing up in the segregated South. Her debut novel, The Dry Grass of August, won the prestigious Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Fiction from the North Carolina Literary and Historical Society, joining past winners Lee Smith and Reynolds Price. The novel is also a 2011 Okra Pick of Southeastern Independent Booksellers Alliance and a candidate for the New Writers Award of the Great Lakes Colleges Association. Mayhew is currently working on her second novel, Tomorrow’s Bread.

Vanessa Diffenbaugh is the author of the astounding best-selling debut novel, The Language of Flowers, which chronicles the story of an 18-year-old girl, Victoria, who was recently emancipated from the foster care system. Released in late August 2011, the novel has received critical acclaim. A foster mother herself, Vanessa Diffenbaugh is the founder of the Camellia Network, whose purpose is to create a nationwide movement to support youth transitioning from foster care.

Mark Childress is the author of seven novels, including Crazy in Alabama, One Mississippi, and his latest novel, Georgia Bottoms, which Fannie Flagg dubbed as “another laugh-out-loud Southern classic.” Born in Monroeville, Alabama, Childress is a graduate of the University of Alabama, a former reporter for The Birmingham News, Features Editor of Southern Living magazine and Regional Editor of The Atlanta Journal- Constitution. He has been writing fiction full time since 1987.

Keynote Speaker: Karin Slaughter is the international and New York Times best-selling author of several novels, including the Grant County and Will Trent series. Most recently, she combined the two series to form a third, which includes the novels Undone, Broken and Fallen. Known for her razor sharp writing style, Ms. Slaughter’s novels have sold over 20 million copies worldwide and have been published in nearly 30 languages.  Dubbed as “one of the best crime novelists in America,” Karen Slaughter, a Georgia native, attributes much of her success to libraries and is founder of the SaveTheLibraries project.