Remembering Dorothea Benton Frank: An Evening with her Friends and Family, Thursday, July 22

Register below by Tuesday, July 20

Thursday, July 22, 7-8 pm (webinar)
In Partnership with the School of Humanities & Social Sciences

In 2019 the literary community lost an icon in Dorothea Benton Frank and the College of Charleston lost a beloved friend. A New York Times Best Selling Author, she penned numerous novels including Sullivan's Island: A Low Country Tale, The Land of Mango Sunsets, and By Invitation Only. Register to join us Thursday, July 22, at 7 pm for a virtual discussion among those who knew and loved her most as they reflect on her life as a mother, a friend, and an inspiring member of a community of supportive authors. Moderated by Gibbs Knotts, PhD, Dean of the School of Humanities & Social Sciences, the panel will include:

  • Carrie Feron, Ms. Frank’s Editor at HarperCollins Publishers
  • Victoria Frank Peluso '08, Ms. Frank’s daughter and co-author of Teddy Spaghetti and contributor to Reunion Beach
  • Patti Henry, New York Times Best Selling Author of Surviving Savannah, The Favorite Daughter, Losing the Moon, and The       
     Perfect Love Song and contributor to Reunion Beach
  • Mary Alice Monroe, New York Times Best Selling Author of The Summer of Lost and Found, The Beach House, On Ocean       
     Boulevard, and Swimming Lessons and contributor to Reunion Beach

In late April, Reunion Beach: Stories Inspired by Dorothea Benton Frank was released, and, not surprisingly, it is already a New York Times Bestseller. The book is a collection of stories by bestselling authors who also happened to be great friends who support each other. It is a testament to Ms. Frank’s impact on the industry and the many lives she touched.

Ms. Frank was not only a benefactor of The College, she was generous with her time to those who dreamed of successfully publishing their own works. Affectionately known as "Aunt Dot" to many MFA students on campus, she understood that students needed to learn from those with first-hand accounts of and in the industry. In 2020, the Frank family established a writing series and a Fellowship in the College’s MFA Creative Writing Program in her memory.

While registration is free for the webinar, we ask you to consider donating $10 or more to benefit the Dorothea Benton Frank Fellowship at the College. One Frank Fellowship is awarded each year to an incoming MFA Creative Writing student whose application and creative writing sample demonstrate exceptional talent.

Step one: Register for the webinar. On the day of the event, you’ll receive a link to view the webinar. If you successfully registered for this webinar, please check your email in the morning on Thursday, July 22, for the link to the webinar. Often, the email can be found in your junk/spam folder if it's not in your inbox.

Step two: Click the link on Thursday, July 22, at 7 pm, to join the webinar live. It will be recorded and posted on our YouTube channel afterward for you to view and share with friends.

Register online below by Tuesday, July 20

*You will receive a confirmation email within 24 hours after a successful registration. If you DO NOT receive this confirmation, please contact Meredith Chance, Associate Director of CofC Clubs and Affinity Groups, at  chancem@cofc.edu ASAP.

Event Registration