Upcountry Literary Festival

2023 Upcountry Literary Festival Announces Keynote Speaker, Fredrick Tucker

After a four-year hiatus forced by Covid-19, the Upcountry Literary Festival at USC Union will return live to the stage in the USC Union Auditorium on November 3rd (1:00 - 5:00), and November 4th (9:00 - 1:00). Among those presenting will be a nationally-recognized writer with strong Union ties.

Fredrick Tucker, an author and historian from Duncan, SC, can claim his Union tie through his late mother, Ruth Ann Cogdell Tucker, who was born and grew up in the Monarch community, later moving to Duncan, where she served for many years as a teacher in Spartanburg County. Mrs. Tucker died earlier this year at age ninety-two, and in tribute her son this summer conducted an exhibition of his mother’s memorabilia at the Union County Arts Council, including instances of her stylish and colorful wardrobe. The exhibition was a resounding success, attracting many viewers.

Tucker has written extensively of Duncan and Union history and is also the author of biographies of Broadway and TV sitcom actress Alice Pearce (best known for her supporting role as Gladys Kravitz on the Bewitched series) and of Verna Felton, a voice artist who earned an Emmy nomination for her supporting role on the show December Bride. Both books stemmed from Tucker’s life-long love of the supporting players on major American TV comedies. Fredrick Tucker is a retired social studies/history teacher and still resides in Duncan.

The event is free and open to the public. Authors will have their books for sale. For further information, contact Randy Ivey at rivey@mailbox.sc.edu or 864-441-7279.

Friday, November 3^rd

1:00 PM: Welcome by Dr. Randy Lowell, Dean of USCU and Professor of Psychology

1:05 PM: Introduction by Randy Ivey, Senior Instructor of English at USCU

1:10 PM: Joey Holland, novelist and memoirist, introduced by Randy Ivey

1:30 PM: Thomas Alan Holmes, poet, introduced by Dr, Steve Lownes, Associate Professor of Languages at USCU

1:50 PM: Hester Booker, memoirist, introduced by USCU student

2:10 PM: Tally Johnson, author and ghost storyteller, introduced by Dr. Andrew Pisano, Associate Professor of English at USCU

2:30 PM: Break

2:50 PM: Randy Ivey, fiction writer, poet, and memoirist, introduced by Dr. Avery Fouts, Professor of Religion and Philosophy at USCU

3:20 PM: Break

3:30 PM: Keynote address by George Singleton, novelist and story-writer, introduced by Randy Ivey

4:15 PM: Break

4:30 PM: Freddie Vanderford, musician, introduced by Derik Vanderford, writer and son

5:00 PM: Festival adjourned

Saturday, Nov. 4^th

9:00 AM: Introduction by Randy Ivey

9:05 AM: Michael Cody, novelist and story-writer, introduced by Randy Ivey

9:25 AM: Rieppe Moore, poet, introduced by Caden Jackson, interim director of USCU Student Services and USCU graduate; presentation of The Tandy R. Willis Award for Most Promising Writer to Rieppe Moore.

9:45 AM: Jim Clark, poet and musician, introduced by Nanette Jenkins, local musician

10:10 AM: Break

10:30 AM: Fredrick Tucker, historian and biographer, introduced by Tina Cee, coordinator for the Union Arts Council

10: 50: Break

11:00 AM: Marjorie Hudson, novelist, introduced by USCU student

11:20 AM: Val Nieman, poet and novelist, introduced by USCU student

11:40 AM: Dialogue on the Craft of Fiction: Val Nieman and Marjorie Hudson

12:10 PM: Break

12:30 PM: Jesse Graves, poet, introduced by Rieppe Moore

1:00 PM: Festival adjourned