'Ladies of Covington' series author to speak at library Tuesday

By: Ragan Robinson | Hickory Daily Record
Published: August 28, 2009

HICKORY --

Boo Bost was thrilled when one of her favorite authors responded to her fan mail with a personal letter.

Now Bost, 78, will get a chance to meet Joan Medlicott, author of "The Ladies of Covington" series, in person.

Medlicott is a Barnardsville author with stories set near Asheville. She will be in Hickory to sign books, talk about her work and answer questions Tuesday. Her appearance is part of the N.C. Literary Festival, scheduled for Sept. 10 through 13 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The free public festival features 100 North Carolina authors. This year, to give people in other parts of the state a chance to celebrate North Carolina's writing and writers, festival organizers are taking authors on the road.

Patrick Beaver Memorial Library is one of six in the state hosting an author in conjunction with the festival.

Medlicott was one of the library's choices when librarians sent a request to the festival committee.

That was because staffers know the Covington series author has a following here, said Janice Knotts, the library's marketing coordinator.

Count Bost among them.

The characters in Medlicott's series range in age from around 50 to 60, she said. That's a welcome rarity in literature, according to Bost.

"They're just lovely books," she said. "The characters all have different interests but they still can live together."

She thinks that's an important lesson for anyone.

Medlicott also is an inspiration for many senior citizens. She began writing when she was 60.

Her appearance will give Hickory fans one up on those in Chapel Hill. A scheduling conflict will keep her away from the N.C. Literary Festival at UNC, said festival publicist Martin Armes. That means her only book signing will be at the Patrick Beaver library.