Join us at the next installment of the Speaker at the Center series with Author Patricia Brandon.

She will discuss her historical fiction novel, Rise of the Pale Moon. Set against the backdrop of the Revolutionary War era in coastal South Carolina, Rise of the Pale Moon weaves a compelling tale of three young women from distinct backgrounds: an indentured servant from London, a chattel slave raised on the Montague Hall plantation, and a Catawba Indian captured by the Cherokee and traded into slavery. Forced to navigate complex relationships with one another, as well as with the master and his family, they must choose between remaining in their familiar circumstances or risk a courageous and daring escape that could alter their destinies, as well as the course of the war. Rise of the Pale Moon is a riveting exploration of the indomitable human spirit. As the birth of a new nation unfolds around them, the journey of the young women underscores the transformative power of unity, friendship, and love, despite immense sacrifice, fear, and adversity. This narrative is a timeless examination of the human condition, highlighting shared struggles, dreams, and the determination to survive - a reminder of hope’s enduring power, even in the darkest of times.

About the Author:  I’m homegrown – raised, braised, and cured in a charcuterie of the Deep South, with the wonderful nuances of family, friends, and our famously fractured characters. One of only three girls in a host of boy cousins and two brothers, I learned to find my own way somewhere between Southern belle and tomboy. I was that kid at the top of the summer reading list challenge, tucked away in a secret fort, or obscure beach cottage loft on a rainy day, devouring a smorgasbord of goodies from biographies and Nancy Drew mysteries to C.S. Lewis and The Scarlet Letter. Books were – and still are – both the escape and the connection.

Patricia Brandon

For more information, please get in touch with McCabe Rentz, SC Center for the Book Coordinator, at 803-734-4816 or mrentz@statelibrary.sc.gov 

Starting Time: Doors open at 5:30PM and the author talk begins at 6:00PM.

Location & Parking: The event is held at the South Carolina State Library, 1500 Senate Street, Columbia, SC 29201. On-street metered parking is available.

Enter between the two lions.

Accessibility: FM Auditory Assistance, large print materials, and other accessibility accommodations are available upon request. Please get in touch with the program organizer in advance if you require a reasonable accommodation to participate.