FOSL Sponsors Annual Murder Goes South... Mystery Festival

The annual Murder Goes South... a Festival of Readers and Writers of the Southern Mystery was held today at the Smyrna Community Center. The special guest presenter was Tamar Myers.

Other guest presenters were Debby Giusti, Deborah Malone, Pamela V Mason, Bryan Powell, Larissa Reinhart, Louise B Richardson, Patricia Sprinkle, Lane Stone, Tina Whittle. 

Murder Goes South was first presented by Friends of Smyrna Library in 2003.  The annual event celebrates the history, beauty and tradition of Southern writers of mystery. This year’s event was sponsored with Sisters in Crime – Atlanta Chapter.

Thank you to our guests and attendees for another well done event!  Ms. Myers (left) is pictured next to former Murder Goes South guest presenter Patricia Sprinkle.    

Smyrna Public Library Inaugurates New Monthly Program - LEGO Club

With sponsorship from the Friends of Smyrna Library, the Smyrna Public Library has inaugurated a new program for 2014 and beyond – the LEGO Club!

For ages 5-10, the LEGO Club provides bricks and inspiration for kids to create a different design each month. 

DUPLO bricks will also be provided for kids 4 and under. Check the online library calendar for the monthly date for the club meetings throughout the year.

FOSL purchased the initial inventory of LEGO and DUPLO bricks.  New or gently used donations from the public are welcome.

Winter 2014 Recommended Reading List

The Friends of Smyrna Library recommend the following books for the winter reading season. This season’s featured book is Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich

Accused by Lisa Scottoline 
And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
Dark Witch by Nora RobertsDavid And Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell
Dear Life by Alice Munro
Death of an Artist by Kate Wilhelm
Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
Dust by Patricia Cornwell
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Fifty Shades Of Grey by E. L. James
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb
Identical by Scott Turow
Inferno by Dan Brown

Killing Jesus by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
Mirage by Clive Cussler With Jack Du Brul

Nine Horses by Billy Collins

Orange Is The New Black by Piper Kerman

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Proof Of Heaven by Eben Alexander

Quiet by Susan Cain

Starry Night by Debbie Macomber

Stella Bain by Anita Shreve

Sycamore Row by John Grisham

Tatiana by Martin Cruz Smith

The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg

The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin

The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson

The First Phone Call From Heaven by Mitch Albom

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton

The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon by Alexander Mccall Smith 

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

The Valley Of Amazement by Amy Tan

Things That Matter by Charles Krauthammer

We Are Water by Wally Lamb

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

White Fire by Douglas Preston And Lincoln Child

Winners by Danielle Steel

Compiled by FOSL Volunteer

FOSL Sponsored War of 1812 Lecture on The Fort Daniel - Fort Peach Tree - Peachtree Road Connection

Local historian and archaeologist Wayne Waldrip spoke on the topic "Supplying General John Floyd and Andrew Jackson: The Fort Daniel/ Fort Peachtree/ Peachtree Road Connection" yesterday at the Smyrna Public Library.  During the War of 1812, the state of Georgia built a series of forts to control the Creek Indians, who were then allied with the British against the United States. These outposts, located just south of the Chattahoochee River, included Fort Peachtree at Standing Peachtree and Fort Daniel. A road now called Old Peachtree Road, was built connecting these frontier military installations. The speaker has been deeply involved in archaeological and historical research on this critically important War of 1812 defensive system and the attendees thoroughly enjoyed his presentation and depth of knowledge on this topic.

The "First Sunday" lecture series is held in the Smyrna Public Library Meeting Room and is sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Watercolors Exhibit by Lynn Henry Opens in Art Gallery

Artist Statement:

Growing up in Minnesota, Lynn Rank Henry took every art class her school provided. After moving to Georgia and working for years at Georgia State University and then Coca-Cola, her lifelong interest in art pushed her to harness her creative urges and paint.

She loves to travel and has spent many years exploring the United States, Canada, and Europe. Through her travels, she has gained an appreciation for diversity in people, cultures, architecture, and nature. She savors the painting process and picks up her paintbrush as often as she can.

At this time of her life, Lynn is primarily a watercolorist focusing on landscapes, cityscapes, and portraiture.

Lynn's love of watercolors allows her to grasp diverse and unique moments that reflect her love of nature and people. She feels watercolors are much like visual poems, and loves watching the paint melt into the water and thaw the stiffness of the paper.

She is currently attending classes at Kennesaw State University's Continuing Education Program where she met Asa Stigaard. Both artists strive to create paintings that reflect their travels, that are powerful in their visual beauty, and that resonate in some emotional way with the viewer.

Lynn is influenced by masters such as Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, and Andrew Wyeth.

She can be reached at lynnhenry9@hotmail.com

Watercolors exhibit by Ása Stigaard Opens in Art Gallery

Artist Statement:

The arts have always been a big part of Icelandic culture and I was brought up in an environment that fostered a deep appreciation of both art and music. My grandmother was an artist and I used to love watching her paint. Art was my favorite class in school where I developed my first interest in drawing and sketching.

When I left my home country to work for the Embassy of Iceland in Washington D.C., I began a long period of time in which managing my career and raising a family took precedence and overwhelmed my artistic instincts. But I knew how I wanted to spend my time once I retired.

In 2004 I began taking art classes again, this time at Kennesaw State University Continuing Education. I started with drawing and working with pen and ink before I discovered my passion: watercolor. I found that working with watercolor immersed me in the experience of creation and allowed my imagination to drive my artistic expression.

My work has been influenced by several instructors: Pat Fiorello, Gary Baughman, Pat Weaver, and, most especially, Kathy R. Forbes at Kennesaw. I continue to take classes at Kennesaw and after ten years of painting I have uncovered a deep appreciation for a medium that gives me insight into people, nature, and the world around me.

You can reach Asa at asamalm@earthlink.net

Wooden Bowls and Wood Turnings by Richard Herklotz Opens in Display Gallery

Artist Statement:

I was born in Glen Ridge N.J. and grew up in the small town of Basking Ridge, N.J. I graduated from Ridge High School in 1966, attended Davis and Elkins College in Elkins W.V. for 2 ½ years. I entered the Air Force in April of 1969, after basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas, I served at Travis AFB, California and Yokota AFB, Japan, during the Vietnam conflict. I was stationed at Dobbins AFB in 1971 and met Elaine in 1972 while there. We married in July of 1973 and remained in Georgia.

I have always enjoyed working with wood, building several items for our first house. I inherited most of my father’s power tools. Among those tools was a Sears lathe and a few turning chisels. I experimented with the lathe and was able to turn some nice pieces from wood found in the firewood pile or limbs fallen from trees in the yard. I now have a much better Poolewood lathe and am able to turn larger and more intricate pieces.

Turning has become a joy for me. It is fascinating to watch as an ugly piece of log becomes a thing of beauty as spins on the lathe. Most of the wood (90%) I use comes from the Cobb county area. Many pieces are where I have seen a pile of limbs left by the road for the city or county to get. Friends and co-workers have brought me pieces of eastern red cedar, wild cherry, crab apple and other woods from the North Atlanta area, Tennessee, South Georgia and even Oregon. I still have a few pieces of black walnut from my father-in-laws farm in Tallapoosa, Ga.

You can reach him at herkit@bellsouth.net