Jenna Bush Hager

Cohost of the fourth hour of The Today Show. Founder of The Today Show book club, Read With Jenna, coauthor of the #1 'NYT' Bestselling 'Ana's Story' and two children's books that she wrote with her mother, Laura - including 'Read All About It', urging children to read.

Octavia Spencer

Now a veteran actress and one of Hollywood's most sought-after talents, she launched her career with A Time to Kill and secured an academy award for her role in The Help. Also an author: 'Rani Rhodes, Ninja Detective: The Case of the Time-Capsule Bandit' was her first novel.

Kathryn Stockett

Born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. American novelist well-known for her 2009 debut novel 'The Help' after 100+ weeks as a 'NYT Bestseller.' With an english and creative writing degree, worked in magazine publishing and marketing for sixteen years.

Marie Benedict

Mission-driven and determined to unearth the hidden stories of women. 'New York Times' and 'USA Today' bestselling author of nine books all translated around the globe. 'The Mitford Affair' and 'The Personal Librarian' (with Victoria Christopher Murray) and more.

Tayari Jones

'NYT' best-selling author of four novels, most recently 'An American Marriage' - an Oprah's book club pick and Barack Obama's year-end round up selection as well as awarded the Women's prize for fiction, aspen words prize and an naacp image award.

Denise Kiernan

NYT, WSJ, AND NPR BESTSELLING AUTHOR. NONFICTION BOOKS INCLUDE “THE GIRLS OF ATOMIC CITY," “THE LAST CASTLE,” AND “WE GATHER TOGETHER.” JOURNALIST PUBLISHED IN WaPo, NYT, WSJ, ROLLING STONE, VILLAGE VOICE. FEATURED GUEST ON THE DAILY SHOW, NPR’S WEEKEND EDITION, PBS NEWS HOUR, MORNING JOE, AND MORE.

Cassandra King

Award-winning author of five novels, nonfiction short stories, magazine articles, and essays. Creative writing teacher at the college level and also human interest reporter. Central to Southern author community and honorary chair of Pat Conroy literary center.

Jay Bergen

Now Saluda based, began as a trial lawyer in New York for forty-five years covering the majors. Then authored his memoir 'Lennon, The Mobster and the Lawyer,' the untold story of Bergen's star-studded case representing friend John Lennon against mobster Morris Levy.

Ashley Elston

Author of #1 New York Times Bestseller and Reese's Book Club pick, 'First Lie Wins' now optioned for television by ABC signature with Octavia Spencer and Krista Vernoff. Also the author of six YA, Ashley lives in Louisiana with her husband and three sons.

Cait Hoyt

Book agent at renowned creative arts agency (CAA) she represents many of the world's leading activists, journalists, actors, musicians, writers, directors and producers in the publishing industry, including Will Smith, Lady Gaga, Jenna Bush, Channing Tatum, Eva Chen, Tim McGraw, Jimmy Fallon and more.

Patti Callahan Henry

NEW YORK TIMES, GLOBE AND MAIL, AND USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF SEVENTEEN NOVELS. PODCAST HOST OF ORIGINAL CONTENT FOR HER NOVELS, SURVIVING SAVANNAH AND BECOMING MRS. LEWIS. co-host and co-creator of Friends and Fiction and contributor to Parade Magazine.

Mary Alice Monroe

NYT BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF 27 BOOKS, adult novels and CHILDREN’S BOOKS WHICH COMPLEMENT her ENVIRONMENTAL focus as conservationist. Nearly 8 million copies have been published worldwide, with numerous accolades and awards, SC Academy of Authors’ Hall of Fame.

Cinelle Barnes

FORMERLY UNDOCUMENTED MEMOIRIST, ESSAYIST, AND EDUCATOR FROM the PHILIPPINES, AND AUTHOR OF MONSOON MANSION: A MEMOIR and EDITOR OF A MEASURE OF BELONGING: 21 WRITERS OF COLOR ON THE NEW AMERICAN SOUTH, among others appearing in the NYT, Garden & Gun, Literary Hub & More.

Lydia Fitzpatrick

Lydia Fitzpatrick is a Princeton University graduate and a recipient of a Stegner Fellowship from Stanford University. Her debut novel, Lights All Night Long, came out from Penguin Press, and her short stories have appeared in The Best American Mystery Stories, One Story, and elsewhere. She lives in Charleston, and her second novel is forthcoming from Knopf.

George Dawes Green

FOUNDER OF THE MOTH, UNCHAINED tour and radio hour which received a peabody award is also INTERNATIONALLY CELEBRATED AUTHOR with his debut and another novels becoming major motion pictures with actors SAMUEL L. JACKSON, DEMI MOORE AND ALEC BALDWIN.

Gervais Hagerty

with a B.A. IN PSYCHOLOGY FROM VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY, a POST-COLLEGE STINT IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, and WORk AS A radio and tv NEWS REPORTER/PRODUCER, this charlestonian added an M.B.A. FROM THE CITADEL and became an author with IN POLITE COMPANY aS HER FIRST, and successful NOVEL.

Wiley Cash

NYT Bestselling author of four novels and the founder of 'This Is Working', an online creative community. Cash's short stories and essays have appeared across many publications such as The Oxford American and Garden & Gun, he currently lives in North Carolina with his wife and daughters.

Brad Taylor

Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.), is a twenty-one-year veteran of the U.S. Army Infantry and Special Forces, includ­ing eight years with Delta Force. Author of seventeen NYT bestsellers and a security consultant on asymmetric threats for various agencies, he currently lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with his wife and two daughters.

Victoria Benton Frank

Author of "My Magnolia Summer" and born in New York City, she considers herself to have dual residency in the Lowcountry. A graduate of the College of Charleston and the French Culinary Institute, she worked in restaurants in New York before returning to Charleston, SC where she lives with her husband, two kids, and sweet pup.

Get Involved

There are many ways to support The Book Drop, big and small. Whether you or your organization would like to support the Book Drop initiative in a lasting way by:

To become a Founding Sponsor or Community Partner, or for other sponsorship opportunities, please contact Jen Comer at jcomer@charlestonlibrarysociety.org

Fund a CLS First Library Set

Fund a Little Free Library

For general sponsorship questions, please email info@charlestonlibrarysociety.org