A New York Times Bestseller
Reunion Beach: Stories Inspired by Dorothea Benton Frank
By Patti Callahan Henry, Elin Hilderbrand, Adriana Trigiani, Mary Alice Monroe
and more
Just in time for Summer!
In this warm and moving anthology, a group of bestselling authors and writers pay tribute to legendary, larger-than-life New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank and her literary legacy.
Reunion
Beach
Stories Inspired by Dorothea Benton Frank
April 27, 2021
By: William Morrow Publishers /HarperCollins
Available in Hardcover, e-book, audio, audio CD
Large print paperback (5/11)
e-book
Audio
Audio CD
Inspired by the title Dorothea Benton Frank planned for her next book—Reunion Beach—these close friends and colleagues channeled their creativity, admiration, and grief into stories and poems that celebrate this remarkable woman and her abiding love for the Lowcountry of her native South Carolina—a land of beauty, history, charm, and Gullah magic she so brilliantly brought to life in her acclaimed novels.
From Patti Callahan, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis and Surviving Savannah, comes The Bridemaids, a story about a trip to the South Carolina beach.
From Mary Alice Monroe, New York Times bestselling author of The Beach House Series, comes Mother and Child Reunion, a heartwarming story set under the warm South Carolina sun.
From Adriana Trigiana, New York Times bestselling author, comes a heartwarming, humorous interview from the hereafter with Pat Conroy and Dorothea Benton Frank, two beloved icons of Southern literature.
From Elin Hilderbrand, #1 New York Times bestselling author, a sequel to Summer of ’69.
Letters, short stories, poems, and essays from:
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Mary Norris, New York Times bestselling author and staff writer for The New Yorker
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Cassandra King Conroy, bestselling and award-winning author of Tell Me A Story
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Nathalie Dupree, James Beard Award-winning cookbook author
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Marjory Wentworth, former Poet Laureate of South Carolina
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Gervais Hagerty, author of In Polite Company
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Jacqueline Bouvier Lee, Peter Frank, Victoria Peluso, and William Frank
Authors
Reunion Beach also features:
A Tribute to
Dorothea Benton Frank
Infused with Dorothea Benton Frank’s remarkable spirit, Reunion Beach is a literary homage and beautiful keepsake that keeps this dearly missed writer’s flame burning bright.
Patti Callahan
Patti Callahan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of fifteen novels including the Historical Fiction, Becoming Mrs. Lewis—The Improbable Love Story of Joy Davidman and C.S. Lewis and Surviving Savannah. In addition, she is the recipient of The Harper Lee Distinguished Writer of the Year for 2020 and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year for 2019 and The Christy Award—A 2019 Winner "Book of the Year.” The author is also the host of the popular seven-part original "Behind the Scenes of Becoming Mrs. Lewis Podcast Series”. Patti is also the Co-creator and co-host of the weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction.
Patti and Dottie met when Patti’s first book was released in 2004 at a SIBA conference where the friendship was instant and long-lasting.
Elin Hilderbrand
Elin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket, has three children and is the author of 27 novels, including SUMMER OF ‘69.
Elin met Dottie in the spring of 2017 at the annual Post & Courier luncheon in Charleston and Elin says, “It was love at first sight.” The two authors proceeded to meet on Nantucket every chance they got and they texted and emailed non-stop. They dreamed of doing a joint cooking show called “Cook the Books,” where they would invite a third author on to make a signature dish for each episode. They also talked about a cookbook called “The Southern Belle and the Gray Lady.” Elin’s summer of 2020 novel, 28 Summers, is dedicated to Dottie and Dottie makes a cameo appearance in Elin’s summer of 2021 novel, Golden Girl. “I will never again have a writer friend like Dottie,” Elin says. “Those of you who knew her understand what I mean, and those of you who didn’t will just have to trust me. They broke the mold.”
Adriana Trigiani
Adriana Trigiani is the New York Times bestselling author of eighteen books in fiction and nonfiction, published in 38 languages, making her one of the most sought-after speakers in the world of books today. Adriana is an award-winning playwright and writer/director in film and television. Adriana co-founded The Origin Project, an in-school writing program that serves over 1,700 students in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia. Adriana hosts a weekly Facebook Live show, Adriana Ink, every Tuesday evening at 6 PM EST featuring guest authors, giveaways and more. Follow along with Adriana on Facebook and Instagram @AdrianaTrigiani. Adriana lives in New York City with her family.
Mary Alice Monroe
Mary Alice Monroe is the New York Times bestselling author of 27 books, including her latest novel, The Summer of Lost and Found. More than 7.5 million copies of her books have been published worldwide, and she’s earned numerous accolades and awards, including induction into the South Carolina Academy of Authors’ Hall of Fame. Mary Alice is an active conservationist and serves on the Board of the South Carolina Aquarium and The Leatherback Trust. Monroe has also published two children’s books, which complement the environmental themes she’s known for in her novels. Monroe’s first Middle Grade book, The Islanders, was released June 15, 2021.
Cassandra King
Cassandra King is an award-winning author of five bestselling novels and two nonfiction books in addition to numerous short stories, essays, and magazine articles. Her latest book, Tell Me A Story, a memoir about life with her late husband, Pat Conroy, was named SIBA’s 2020 non-fiction Book of the Year. A native of LA (Lower Alabama), Cassandra resides in Beaufort, South Carolina, where she is honorary chair of the Pat Conroy Literary Center.
When Pat gave Dottie Frank a blurb for her first book, Sullivan’s Island, Cassandra invited Dottie for a visit to Fripp Island, and the Conroys and Franks became fast friends.
Nathalie Dupree
Nathalie Dupree is the author of fourteen cookbooks. She is best known for her approachability and her understanding of Southern cooking, having started the New Southern Cooking movement now found in many restaurants throughout the United States, and co-authoring Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking.
Nathalie, as she is known to her fans, has won wide recognition for her work, including four James Beard Awards and numerous others. She was also founding Chairman of the Charleston Wine and Food Festival, a founding member of many culinary organizations including the prestigious Southern Foodways and the International Association of Culinary Professionals. She is married to author Jack Bass and lives in Charleston, SC. She travels extensively, lecturing and teaching.
