Ron Rash, New York Times bestselling Southern author of Serena, returns to Appalachia at the height of World War I with his new novel, The Cove (Ecco, hardcover, $26.99), the story of a blazing but doomed love affair caught in the turmoil of a nation at war.

*Please note that the ticket price for this event includes one hardcover copy of The Cove (the book can be picked up at Fiction Addiction, or we can bring it to the event for you).

Deep in the rugged Appalachians of North Carolina lies the cove, a dark, forbidding place where spirits and fetches wander, and even the light fears to travel. Or so the townsfolk of Mars Hill believe - just as they know that Laurel Shelton, the lonely young woman who lives within its shadows, is a witch. Alone except for her brother, Hank, newly returned from the trenches of France, she aches for her life to begin.

Then it happens - a stranger appears, carrying nothing but a beautiful silver flute and a note explaining that his name is Walter, he is mute, and is bound for New York. Laurel finds him in the woods, nearly stung to death by yellow jackets, and nurses him back to health. As the days pass, Walter slips easily into life in the cove and into Laurel's heart, bringing her the only real happiness she has ever known.

But Walter harbors a secret that could destroy everything - and danger is closer than they know. Though the war in Europe is near its end, patriotic fervor flourishes thanks to the likes of Chauncey Feith, an ambitious young army recruiter who stokes fear and outrage throughout the county. In a time of uncertainty, when fear and ignorance reign, Laurel and Walter will discover that love may not be enough to protect them.

Ron Rash is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel Serena, which was a finalist for the 2009 PEN/Faulkner Award and is going to be made into a movie (projected release date is in 2014), as well as three other prizewinning novels, One Foot in Eden, Saints at the River, and The World Made Straight; four collections of poems; and three collections of stories, including Chemistry and Other Stories, which was a finalist for the 2007 PEN/Faulkner Award, and Burning Bright, which won the prestigious Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award in 2010. Twice a recipient of the O. Henry Prize, Rash teaches at Western Carolina University.

If you cannot make the event, you can reserve a personalized copy of many of Mr. Rash's books by contacting Fiction Addiction in advance at 864-675-0540 or at info@fiction-addiction.com.

ABOUT FICTION ADDICTION

Fiction Addiction is a local, woman-owned, independent bookstore established in 2001. The store carries a mixture of new and used fiction and nofiction, including children's books, as well as gift items. For more information, visit our website at http://www.fiction-addiction.com or call us at 864-675-0540.

ABOUT BOOK YOUR LUNCH

The Book Your Lunch author event program was launched in September 2009, and is a new way to bring authors and readers together -- right here in Greenville. This luncheon series provides the ultimate food for thought with a wide range of authors -- from mystery writers, to award-winning regional novelists to nonfiction and cookbook authors. Jill Hendrix, the owner of Fiction Addiction, founded the event program and is responsible for book the authors. Book Your Lunch is co-sponsored by Greenville's independent restaurant group, Table 301. For more information about Book Your Lunch, please visit our website at http://www.bookyourlunch.com.

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