Please check the “About” section of this blog for information on the scope of this project. If we have missed something, please let us know.
The blog will be updated as the North Carolina Collection acquires new titles, and we welcome suggestions of books to add to our list. If you’ve published, written, or read any good North Carolina novels lately, we would love to hear about them.
Please post your comments to the blog, or contact: Eileen McGrath at levon@unc.edu or 919.962.1172.
I was wondering if Wanda Canada was going to write any more GREAT stories with Carroll Davenport? I have been checking regularly with my book store in Charlotte, but they have not seen anything as of yet. I really enjoyed both of her novels and even was lucky enough to received signed copies from the little book store.
Thank you,
Carla
While I’m not sure about Ms. Canada’s plans for her next book, I do know that this Monday (July 21) she was the guest-speaker for the Clueless Mystery Book Club at the Wake County East Regional Public Library in Knightdale. The contact for that event was listed as Janet Morley (jmorley@co.wake.nc.us) and she might know more.
If you find out that a new book is coming, please let us know!
–Jenny
Hi
I love this site! I noticed the reviews of Sugar Queen. Author Sarah Addison Allen will have a novella coming out this fall from my company, BelleBooks, in audio and ebook. IN MY DREAMS is about the everyday magic of life in a small NC town. I can provide a review copy of the print manuscript if you’d like. All best, Deb Smith, Editorial, BB Audio
I am looking for NC literature for 4th grade Social Studies that can be intergrated into Language Arts.
I read a wonderful novel set in the Outer Banks. I cannot remember the author or title. Three high school friends come to terms with the death of another friend twenty years after graduation. The deceased woman’s mother has cancer and is a pastor’s wife. It bothers me to no end that I can’t remember it. I fell in love with the Carolinas with my son and daughter in law stationed at Parris Island and living in Beaufort. Dorothea Bention Frank, Nicholas Sparks and Anne Rivers Siddon, to name just a few favorite authors. Could you help me with the name or the author, please?
The old-friends-at-the-beach theme is a very common one in North Carolina fiction. With that in mind, I’m not sure if I know exactly which book you are thinking of, but you might take a look at these: Last of Something by Susan Kelly, Circle of Grace by Penelope Stokes, and Outer Banks by Anne Rice Siddons.
Does anyone else have any ideas for Cheryl?
-Jenny
Hell Swamp, the third Logan Hunter mystery, will be released on February 21st by L&L Dreamspell. Please add this to the North Carolina list. It is set along Black River in the south eastern part of the state. Thanks!
I love Wanda Canada books as well.
Thank you for the information on the new Logan Hunter novel. We will order it this week. We don’t post a summary until we have the book in hand, so watch this blog in March.
Thank you for featuring my book, A Perfect Escape, on your site. What a nice surprise to find it in a Google Alert this week. I wanted to let you know that I have a couple of other books set in North Carolina, on the Outer Banks. The series is The Legend of Blackbeard’s Chalice, and book one is titled The Curse, book two, The Cult. The Quest is coming this spring (although the time-travel series started on the Outer Banks, this third book is actually set in Ohio, but still has the Blackbeard premise running through it). I’d love to speak more with you about this series if you are interested. Thanks so much.
maddie james
maddie.james@insightbb.com
Thank you for your comment, Ms. James. I am the person who makes book purchases for the North Carolina Collection. I will follow up the series and be back in touch if I need more information.
Eileen McGrath
I am a UNC-CH alum from North Carolina and I published my first novel, Sunday Morning Secrets last year. It is the story of Jonathan Pierce, pastor of King’s Chapel, a prominent church in (fictional) Lovette, NC. He is torn between protecting his church and keeping his wife’s abominable secret – a secret that eventually leads to murder. Visit the website for more info and the venues where the book is available for purchase. I would love to have it included on this site.
The Sunday Morning Secrets website is http://www.sundaymorningsecrets.com
Thank you for your messages, Ms. McFarland. We will order your book for the North Carolina Collection. Once we have the book in hand, we will add it to this site. Check back around Memorial Day.
For the children and YA section the Maggie Valley Trilogy by Kerry Madden needs to be included.
The three books in the series take place in the Haywood County town of Maggie Valley in the 1960s. Gentle’s Holler is the first book, Louisianna’s Song is book two and Jessie’s Mountain is number three.
Thanks for the wonderful site and I’m recommending it to the youth services staff in public libraries across the state.
I am looking for a second book from an author I just read in april or may about… The series starts (first book) about a witch who moves from north carolina to canada to take over her grandmothers “curio” shop that is filled with magic items… The remaining family in North Carolina is controlled by women who are also the loca “red hat ladies” club in the north carolina area I think near asheville… Men can have magical powers but get out of control and become animalistic.. The book involved dragons, elves, and other Fae fighting in this “plane” and in their own and I cant remember the author or the book name and I have had no luck finding it… I know that it has a north carolina connection in that the family is from there so I though I would try to contact you all…
Help
Matthew,
This is not a book that we know, but we will see if we can find out about it.
Matthew,
We conducted a search to try to find a book that fits your description and came across Shirley Damsgaard’s “Ophelia and Abby Mysteries.” In the seventh novel of that series, The Seventh Witch, Damsgaard brings the witch duo to the Blue Ridge Mountains from Iowa where they encounter family members with magical powers. Please see the series and novel entries for more information, and thank you for bringing this title to our attention.
Although a few elements from your description are not found in the Damsgaard’s series, we think that these novels are close to what you describe. Another series that you might try is the “Women of the Otherworld” by Kelley Armstrong. Although there is a minimal connection to North Carolina, these books seem to be a close match because of the Canadian setting and the focus on the supernatural in the form of werewolves.
Shirley Damsgaard’s “Ophelia and Abby Mysteries.
What a delight-ful book the seventh installment of the series is. I can’t help thinking that this series has improved with each new book. In this adventure, the whole family travel to the mountains for great Aunt Mary’s 100th birthday party. Many secrets about Ophelia’s ancestry are revealed which gives the reader a clearer picture of both Abby and Ophelia. I bought the kindle edition and read it in one go and enjoyed it immensely. I recommend it highly!
Cheers, thanks for this post. It reminded me of a fet things, just a sec I will share my thoughts cuz I`m a bit busy now
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You have most of the other authors published by McBryde listed. How can I get my books listed as well? Thanks, Skip Crayton…”Remember When” and “The Letter Sweater.”
The posts in this blog cover only novels set in North Carolina. We try to create a posting for each newly-published novel that we get; in general, we don’t have the time to blog about novels published before the blog began in 2008. If you have published any novels set in the state, please email the ordering information for them to: levon@unc.edu.
I will be traveling to North Carolinatwice in the next few months. I would like ot read some books set in North Carolina and like your site. I am legally blind and would like to confine my search to books available on CD/DVD (not Kindle). Is there a way to search for NC books (novels or histories / non-fiction) in CDDVD format.
Thanks for developing this site.
Jarret
Dear Mr. Lobb,
We are happy to help you search for North Carolina audio books. To search for titles using the UNC Libraries webpage:
1) go to the “Advanced Search” page of the library catalog (http://search.lib.unc.edu/search.jsp?tab=advanced).
2) on the fifth line on the left side of the screen (the entry marked “Words in Subject Heading”), enter the phrase “North Carolina — fiction.”
3) on the third line on the right side of the screen (the entry marked “Formats”), use the drop-down menu to select “Audio.”
4) click on “Search” on the bottom left side of the screen.
This will give you a list of novels held by the UNC Libraries that fall into the North Carolina fiction category. You mentioned that you are also interested in histories and non-fiction titles as well as in DVDs. You can use the steps above to modify your search, such as by entering other terms (i.e. “North Carolina — History”) or selecting different formats (i.e. “Videos and DVDs”), for a different list.
This method can also be followed using most library catalogs, likely including your home public library. Your local librarian can also help you, especially if a title that you are interested in is available only through Inter-Library Loan.
You may also consult your state library, which may offer services for the visually handicapped. The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress (http://www.loc.gov/nls/index.html) provides audio books to libraries throughout the United States. To search for a local library that carries this free service, you can search for your state at the following link: http://www.loc.gov/nls/find.html.
If you are interested in purchasing audio books, we suggest trying Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Audiobooks-Books/b/ref=sa_menu_ab8?ie=UTF8&node=368395011). On the top search bar, make sure that “Audiobooks” is selected from the drop-down menu. Enter your search terms, and click “Go.”
We appreciate your comment, and we will use it to enhance the blog. In the next few weeks, we will begin adding an “Audio” category and additional catalog link to entries for which the NCC has an audio copy.
Thank you for your kind words, and we hope that you have wonderful trips to North Carolina!
I am searching for a murder mystery where a body is found in a restaurant in the Outer Banks, NC. This is all the info I have. Anyone have any ideas?
Ms. Straightiff,
Could you be thinking of Wendy Howell Mills’ “Callie McKinley – Outer Banks Mystery” series? Her two novels, ‘Callie & the Dealer & a Dog Named Jake’ (2001) and ‘Death of a Mermaid’ (2002), feature Callie McKinley as a restaurant manager on the Outer Banks. Murder is involved in both books, and a body is found in the restaurant’s freezer in the first.
Other possible stories include Ellery Adams’ ‘A Deadly Cliché’ (2001), which features a restaurateur in the (fictional) coastal town of Oyster Bay. B.J. Mountford has mystery series set in the Outer Banks. Other authors have mystery novels set on the North Carolina coast, although they are not set in the Outer Banks. Margaret Maron’s “Judge Deborah Knott Mysteries” series features two seaside settings: ‘Shooting at Loons’ (1995) is set in Harker’s Island, and ‘Sand Sharks’ (2009) is set in Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach. Wanda Canada and T. Lynn Ocean also have mysteries set in Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach.
Do any of these sound right? Thank you for your inquiry!
Thank you so much. The one does sound exactly like what I was describing. I also appreciate the other suggestions as I love beach setting books, especially Outer Banks. I have read some of Margaret Maron’s and liked them. The only thing better is being there! I love this site, being able to find suggestion for books and communicate with others. I’m anxious to get out there and find some of these.
I would like to submit my 3rd book and first novel, Strays, to North Carolina Novels. Set in the Smoky Mountains, it’s the story of a young woman caught in the chaos of a life she didnt’ want. What follows is a look at the human quest for purpose and meaning through the eyes of nature. If plants and animals could speak they would probably share the brand of simple and practical wisdom that the diverse cast of characters offers to the protagonist of Strays.
Published by Personhood Press June 1, 2011, Strays, is nationally distributed by IPG, Baker & Taylor and Ingram. I am a resident of Franklin in Western N.C. and would love to have it reviewed and added to the list of North Carolina titles.
If there is anything else required to submit my book, you can reach me at the email above. Thank you so much!
We have your book on order and will include it in this blog when it comes in and is cataloged. If you check back in a month or so, it should be here.
I have family on St James Island and alway go into SouthPort,that is where
I found Wanda Canada books with Carol Davenport land I love to read and
I love her two books. I’m from Marion Indiana and I can’t find her books
here I’m hope you can tell me if she has any or will have any new books
coming out, I would love to order them on line
Sondra
Ms. Canada’s third Carroll Davenport novel, Beach Murders, is finished, but she has not yet found a suitable publisher for it. She is currently at work on a young adult novel with the working title Annie Dove.
I (Heather Heaton) am recommending my new ebook (“Her Letters from Prison”) as a motivational resource for reading pleasure, review, contemplation, and comment. My ebook will validate your inquisitive doubts about what goes on in women’s prisons; it can justify the efforts spent toward ministries to women’s prisons; and it can be an inspirational (tell-it-like-it-is) resource for drug rehab/prevention programs. The book is non-fiction prison romance (It is what it is!); and the original letters are included as images for authenticity. You can go to http://www.heather-heaton.com and purchase “Her Letters from Prison”, Parts 1 and 2.
If you don’t happen to own a Kindle, Nook, or some other eReader device, then download the FREE Adobe Digital Editions software to your computer to read the “epub” version of my ebook as purchased from Smashwords. Multiple versions of my ebook are available on Smashwords.
I am a 34 year old college student trying to better my life, in spite of the baggage I carry from my previous life. To date, I have been quite successful in accomplishing this goal; and I will use the proceeds from the book to help support myself. My picture is posted, with my book descriptions, at Smashwords. I can be contacted using email at heatherheaton@rocketmail.com.
My recently published ebook is entitled (“Her Letters from Prison: Part 1 & Part 2″, by Heather Heaton). The ebook was published at Smashwords (www.smashwords.com). A brief description of the ebook follows:
1. Breanna tells the true story of her experiences in prison through her letters to her friend Heath. This is a story of survival and a quest to make a better life. The letters describe the daily shocking events of prison life involving drugs, sex, utter devastation and humiliation, anger, hopelessness, despair, and finally happiness and hope.
2. Breanna’s “truth” stands still even as the world around her trembles and burns! Bad things do happen to good people; and Breanna is the perfect example of this truth.
3. Breanna’s inner strengths and principles eventually win out over the corruption and evil that surrounds her. With God’s help, Breanna survives the horrible experiences of prison life and regains her self-confidence and hope for a better life.
4. “Breanna” was an inmate at Tutwiler Women’s Prison from 2007 to 2009.
5. “Breanna” benefitted from women’s prison ministries and the LIFE Tech-Wetumpka state-funded self-help program.
The Introduction page of the ebook follows:
Introduction:
The story you are about to read is true. Unfortunately, it’s my story; and the truth is often much more intriguing than fiction. I have had to deal with this story (this situation) for more than the past ten years. I started living out this story with all the hopes and dreams of most (if not all) young American girls; and I will finish this story by realizing most of those hopes and dreams, even though they have been interrupted for a time (in prison) that seems like time and time again. Through it all, I have managed to learn some life lessons that I hope to give to you; and I am hoping that you can pick up on these lessons earlier in life than I have done. I should have learned these lessons long ago. If I had learned these lessons long ago, I assure you that I would not have written the material you are now reading. My hope is that nobody else has to endure what I have endured learning life lessons that should be given to youngsters and adolescents early in life by the ones who truly love them. But here again, there are probably other youngsters and adolescents, much like me, who will have to learn these life lessons painfully for themselves, the hard way – by experiencing them first hand. Well, if you continue to read my story, here’s what you will experience – drugs, sex, violence, prison, utter devastation/humiliation, anger, hopelessness, despair, and finally happiness and hope!
If you don’t take me seriously and you follow in my path, you are going to experience false hope and disillusionment! You are going to experience broken trusts, by those whom you trusted most! You are going to experience pain and agony that brings you to the brink of self-destruction! You will lose your freedom! You will lose the right to think for yourself and to make your own decisions! You will lose your sense of self-worth and self-dignity! You are going to lose your ability to support yourself! You are going to lose your self-confidence! You are going to be victimized; and you can do little to avoid this! You will struggle and struggle and struggle just to get yourself back onto an even keel! But if you can ever manage to muster a tremendous mountain of stubbornness and determination, and if you can begin to think better of yourself, you will be able to recover most, but not all, of your ability to manage your own affairs while regaining some of your self-confidence and feeling of self-worth. I am just about to accomplish this in my life! Being just about able to accomplish this in my life is what has led me to (it has allowed me to) share my story with you. At first, I didn’t think I could ever share my story with anyone. But, I really don’t want you to actually share (live through) my experiences, even if you think you can handle it. Just read this story and do something positive in your own life.
Note: Names have been changed to protect each individual’s privacy.
Dedication:
This work is dedicated to Valrise Bendolf (Clay County Dept. of Corrections Holding Facility), Jackie Ratliff (Kilby – Montgomery Womens’ Facility), Fawn Romie/Mr. Roberts/Gary Parsons (Life Tech) and all of Mr. Robert’s little roses that he so diligently cultivated. For all their good works, these people saved my life!
I hope that you find this ebook both interesting and helpful.
Sincerely,
Heather Heaton
heatherheaton@rocketmail.com
http://www.heather-heaton.com
http://www.herlettersfromprison.com
Customer/Reader Review of “Her Letters from Prison”
Heather, ever since you first contacted me about your ebooks (and when I received them) I have been giving them traction. At least two women on my case load checked them out, (like a library card so I would get them back) and were very moved by the content. I haven’t had another problem with their behavior since they read them. So…I know they are working. They should be required reading, ordered by a Judge before women are sentenced to probation, so that they would fully understand the consequences of their behavior. The coverage by The Prison Art Coalition blog is very good news both for Heather and for those that will read her story.
They (“Her Letters from Prison: Parts 1 & 2) should be used as text books for the next Life Tech facility for Women!!! I wish I had some pull for money to build a better one. I pray for it.
Gary Parsons
Parole Officer
State of Alabama – Board of Pardons & Parole