Agenda - 10-01-2013 - 4b - Laserfiche WebLink

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Children's Author John Claude Bemis Selected as 2013 Piedmont Laureate Hillsborough children's book author, educator and presenter John Claude Bemis has been selected as the region's 2013 Piedmont Laureate. Mr. Bemis will be introduced as the new laureate throughout the Piedmont Laureate sponsoring agencies' four - county area at various workshops, reading programs and speaking engagements. The Piedmont Laureate appointment was announced on the Murphey School Radio Show on Saturday, February 23rd The Piedmont Laureate program is dedicated to building a literary bridge for residents to come together and celebrate the art of writing. Co- sponsored by the City of Raleigh Arts Commission, Alamance County Arts Council, Durham Arts Council, Orange County Arts Commission and United Arts Council of Raleigh & Wake County, the program's mission is to "promote awareness and heighten appreciation for excellence in the literary arts throughout the Piedmont region." The program focuses on a different literary form each year (poetry in 2009, novels in 2010, creative non - fiction in 2011, drama /screenwriting in 2012 and children's literature in 2013). "John Bemis brought his book and aspects of American folklore alive for our students with a lively and entertaining program," said Dr. Rhonda Zayas - Palmer, a librarian at Ravenscroft School. "He did what has become increasingly difficult in our video age — he inspired them to read!" For being named the Piedmont Laureate, Mr. Bemis will receive an honorarium and serve until December 31St, 2013. His duties will include presenting public readings and workshops, participating at select public functions and creating at least one original activity to expand appreciation of children's literature. A schedule of the Laureate's 2013 activities will be posted in March on the sponsoring agency websites and on the Piedmont Laureate website at www.piedmontlaureate.com. An inspiring speaker and entertaining performer, John Claude Bemis brings his passion for music, folklore and spinning exciting tales to his novels and presentations. The first novel in his Clockwork Dark trilogy, The Nine Pound Hammer, was nominated for the North Carolina Children's Book Award and was selected as a New York Public Library Best Children's Book for Reading and Sharing. The trilogy continues with The Wolf Tree and The White City and has been described as "original and fresh" and "a unique way of creating fantasy." His latest novel is The Prince Who Fell from the Sky. A musician and educator, John lives with his wife and daughter in Hillsborough, N.C. For more information about the Piedmont Laureate program, visit www.piedmontlaureate.com- contact Martha Shannon, Director of the Orange County Arts Commission, at mshannonp_orangecountync.gov or 919/968 -2011 or contact any of the other sponsor agencies of the program.