Shore Lit, a non-profit dedicated to bringing free, community author events to Maryland’s Eastern Shore, celebrates one year this month.
Shore Lit Founder/Director Kerry Folan.
Since launching in summer 2022, Shore Lit has partnered with local arts organizations including the Academy Art Museum, The Shore Poetry Journal, and the Talbot County Free Library to host readings and book talks with a diverse selection of internationally renowned writers. Short story writer Rion Almicar Scott, novelist Helon Habila, lyric fiction writer Maud Casey, novelist Christopher Tilghman, novelist Jung Yun, cultural critic Lawrence Weschler, and poets Catherine Pierce, John Nieves, Ned Balbo, and Jane Satterfield, among others, have shared their work with the mid-Shore community as Shore Lit Visiting Writers.
In June 2023, Shore Lit partnered with The Ivy Book Shop in Baltimore to offer a Pride pop-up book shop featuring queer lit for all ages as part of the Delmarva Pride Street Festival.
This summer, Shore Lit Founder Kerry Folan and Academy Art Museum Director Sarah Jesse are co-hosting a community book club at AAM. “I think that having access to art, culture, and literature is what can create a more connected and creative community,” says AAM Director Sarah Jesse.
“Gathering as a community to discuss the ideas books offer us is an opportunity for connection that is very rare and very special in modern life.” says Shore Lit Founder/Director Kerry Folan.
“My goal for Shore Lit’s second year is to connect with new people in our region. So many members of our community are involved in book clubs and informal reading groups. I’m hoping they learn about Shore Lit and the incredible authors that are coming to the area, and consider aligning their reading choices with our programs. Our visiting writers represent diverse perspectives and work across a variety of genres. I hope everyone can find one or two that they can connect with.”
Shore Lit’s fall line-up will feature two events in partnership with the Academy Art Museum: On September 15, 2023, Tania James will discuss her new novel Loot, one of this summer’s most-anticipated books. On October 13, CJ Hauser will discuss their award-winning essay collection, The Crane Wife.
For updates on Shore Lit events and other exciting cultural events happening on the Shore, sign up for the Shore Lit monthly newsletter at shorelit.org.
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