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Georgia Literary Festival honors Byron Herbert
The annual Georgia Literary Festival has outdone itself this year by releasing an impressive schedule in advance of the actual event. This year's festival promises a refreshing combination of literary talent in surroundings that are unsurpassed in autumn beauty. Beyond the strong commitment this festival always holds for literary excellence, this year will be a real treat for anyone to peruse such offerings in a picturesque, quiet, and inspirational setting. The Georgia Literary Festival is designed to celebrate and highlight the work of notable Georgia authors at a location near their birthplace. This year the honoree is renowned poet/ novelist Byron Herbert (Hub) Reece whose birthplace is in nearby Blairsville, GA. Reece's many works include his first volume of poetry titled Ballad of the Bones (1945) and his Pulitzer Prize nominated work for Bow Down in Jericho (1950). What is fascinating about this year's festival is how well the committee has tied together a theme celebrating Reece with activities to be enjoyed by anyone. Festival attendees are a short drive away from Young Harris College where Reece served as poet-in residence and Vogel State Park where a trail in named in Reece's honor. The keynote speaker for this event is Former Georgia Secretary of State and current Young Harris College president, Cathy Cox. Additional honored guests include the award winning author Phillip Lee Williams (A Distant Flame, Blue Crystal, and the Heart of a Distant Forest), Dr. Bettie Sellers, a renown Reece expert as displayed in The Bitter Berry: The Life of Byron Herbert Reece, as well as a wide variety of speakers such as Helen Lewis, Amy Blackmarr, Doris Davenport, Dana Wildsmith, Joe Dabney, and many more. Still this impressive list of presenters is only one part of the excitement surrounding the 2007 Georgia Literary Festival. The downtown park will be filled with activities for the whole family including storytellers, marionette shows, and lots of good food. There will be Granny storytellers for the youngest children and "hands on" traditional musical instruments displayed including the banjo and dulcimer for those children just a little older. Clowns and costumed book characters will be roaming the park to entertain. While the children are busy with activities including face painting, puppets, and a youth poetry contest; parents can partake in some of the other literary activities offered. Hear some of your favorite authors speak or attend a panel discussion exploring the people and history of the North Georgia Appalachian Mountains. String Bands will provide a genuine Appalachian feel as they perform throughout the event. For those of you unfamiliar with Blue Ridge, GA and the North Georgia area, you will be pleasantly surprised. While the mountainous beauty of this location provides an incredible opportunity to explore a little bit of Appalachia, all attendees will also benefit from the experience this town has in coordinating ancillary events to coincide with the festival. Across from the southern style park is a train depot which provides not only a trip through the nearby mountains and towns, but a chance to hear storytellers read at the train depot in neighboring McCaysville. The Blue Ridge Community Theater will be presenting a performance of Mark Twain and the entire downtown area is well known for its quality craft and antique shops. All this is conveniently located near the festival area, eliminating the need for long commute times to various events. If you are looking for a fall family adventure, the 2007 Georgia Literary Festival will not disappoint. There are a variety of lodging accommodations available including cabins, motels and Bed and Breakfast establishments including one that sits on an alpaca farm. The Fannin County Chamber of Commerce has more lodging information available at http://www. blueridgemountains.com.
A schedule of events follows or you can visit the Georgia Literary Festival website at http:// www.georgialiteraryfestival.org for more information, schedules, and last minute updates.
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