Charlotte, NC – July 29, 2008 – The Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County (PLCMC) announces some updates to this year’s star-studded line-up. Tickets are still scheduled to go on sale August 1. Check www.novellofestival.org for updates. See the full schedule below. Changes include an additional event, “Live Trout” and details about ticket-buying for Khaled Hosseini. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Novello Festival of Reading October 2-30.

All events are geared for adult audiences unless otherwise indicated.

Thursday, Oct. 2 – A Novello Evening with Scott Turow

7 p.m., ImaginOn – $15

Turow is an attorney and suspense author of the best-selling novel Presumed Innocent.



Friday, Oct. 10 – Novello presents “Live Trout” featuring Timmy & Susana Abell

7 p.m., ImaginOn – FREE (tickets required)

Live Trout is a blending of traditional storytelling, poetry, puppetry and song performed by North Carolina’s award winning husband and wife team, Timmy and Susana Abell.



Saturday, Oct. 11 – WordPlay Saturday and Book Brunch

9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., ImaginOn – FREE for kids of all ages

WordPlay Saturday is the library's annual free festival for families that celebrates books and the joy of reading for youth of all ages.



WordPlay Schedule
9:30 a.m. - Book Brunch (held in the Wachovia Playhouse inside ImaginOn) – This is an opportunity to mix-and-mingle with notable authors and illustrators for youth. Book Brunch takes place on the same day as WordPlay Saturday, and this year’s exciting event features Cynthia Kadohata, Margaret Haddix, Deborah Gregory, Charles Smith Jr., Lucia Gonzalez, Frank Remkiewicz, A.M. Jenkins, Gabrielle Zevin, Josh Elder, Ellen Hopkins and Jay Asher.
11 a.m. - 4 p.m. - WordPlay Saturday (outside ImaginOn)
11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Book Brunch authors book signing. (Books will be available for purchase.)

Sunday, Oct. 12


A Novello Afternoon of Book Lust with Nancy Pearl

2 p.m., ImaginOn – $15

Known for the Librarian Action Figure modeled in her likeness, Pearl is the author of the best-seller Book Lust.



Wednesday, Oct. 15 – A Novello Evening with Khaled Hosseini

7 p.m., Ovens Auditorium – $15, $25, $35

Hosseini is the author of the international best-seller The Kite Runner.



Thursday, Oct. 16 – A Novello Evening with Armistead Maupin

7 p.m., ImaginOn – $15

Maupin is the author of nine novels, including the six-volume Tales of the City series and, most recently, Michael Tolliver Lives.



Friday, Oct. 17 – Titans of the Graphic Novel with Harvey Pekar and Alison Bechdel

7 p.m., ImaginOn – $15

Pekar is best known for his autobiographical, slice-of-life comic book series American Splendor. Bechdel is the creator of the comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For and author of the critically acclaimed graphic memoir Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic.



Tuesday, Oct. 21 – Carolina Writers’ Night featuring John Hart

7 p.m., ImaginOn – FREE (tickets required)

Hart’s debut, Down River, catapulted him onto the New York Times bestseller list. The evening will culminate with the announcement of this year’s Novello Festival Press Literary Award Winner.



Thursday, Oct. 23 – A Novello Event: Grown Deep Like the Rivers: African-American Poetry

7 p.m., ImaginOn – FREE (tickets required)

Join us for a free celebration of African-American poetry old and new with local and regional poets.



Saturday, Oct. 25 – A Novello Evening with Colson Whitehead

7 p.m., ImaginOn – $15

A recipient of the MacArthur Foundation “genius award,” Whitehead is the author of Apex Hides the Hurt and John Henry Days, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.



Wednesday, Oct. 29 – A Novello Evening with Sara Paretsky

7 p.m., ImaginOn – $15 (or buy together with Windy City Clues – $35 total in advance)

Paretsky is the award-winning creator of the V.I. Warshawski detective novels.



Thursday, Oct. 30 – Windy City Clues: An Evening of Food, Fiction and Friends with Sara Paretsky

6 p.m., Main Library – $25 in advance, $30 at the door

Sample Chicago-style food and drinks and collect clues with Paretsky. This exciting evening is brought to you by the Friends of the Public Library.



How to get Novello tickets



Tickets for Khaled Hosseini

Hosseini will be appearing at Ovens Auditorium (2700 East Independence Blvd.)

Tickets for this event only will be sold by Ticketmaster and are $35, $25, and $15, depending on seating preference (service charges apply, see below). There are three ways to order:

o Online: www.ticketmaster.com

o Phone: (704) 522-6500

o In person: At the ticket office located in the lobby of Cricket Arena at 2700 East Independence Blvd. (Open M-F, 10 a.m. -5 p.m.)

Note: Ticketmaster assesses a per transaction service charge for all online and phone orders. You can avoid the service charge by purchasing your tickets in person at the Cricket Arena Box Office. There is also a $1.00 ‘Ovens Renovation’ charge added to each ticket price.



Tickets for all other Novello events

All other tickets are available through the Library’s partnering agency, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte. There are several ways to order:

o Online: www.novellofestival.org

o Phone: (704) 973-2828

o In person: At the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte box office in ImaginOn at 300 E . 7th Street, (Open M-F, 10 a.m. -5 p.m.)

o By mail: Send a check, made payable to Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, to the address below. Include your name, address, daytime phone number and which performances you wish to attend. (Call 704-973-2828 to confirm ticket availability.)

Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, Attn: Box Office

ImaginOn, 300 E. 7th St., Charlotte, NC 28202

Note: This Children’s Theatre Box Offices assesses a $5 per transaction service charge to all online and phone orders placed using a credit card. Visa and MasterCard are accepted. You can avoid the service charge by purchasing your tickets in person or by mailing in a check. All tickets will be mailed if order is placed at least one week prior to the event. If order is placed less than one week prior to the event, tickets will be held at the box office located at ImaginOn.