9/7/04 Connor Henton, 334/844-4948 (hentocl@auburn.edu)

TELLING ALABAMA'S STORIES AT OLD ALABAMA TOWN IN SEPTEMBER

AUBURN - Telling Alabama's Stories, the spoken-word festival sponsored by the Alabama Center for the Book (ACFTB), will come to life on Saturday, Sept. 25, at Kiwanis Park in Montgomery's Old Alabama Town.

This year Irish, Australian, Mexican and Native American storytellers will help show Alabama's rich and diverse heritage. Mystery writers Ace Atkins, Tim Dorsey and Carolyn Haines will kick off the festival with a book signing. Then tellers will spend the day spinning tales of suspense, drama and, of course, Alabama's native myths and legends. Each storyteller will perform for 30 minutes. A schedule will be posted at www.alabamabookcenter.org as well as at the event.

West Alabama printer Amos Kennedy will display his passion for printing and "all things book" along with featured artist Charlie Lucas. The 2004 tellers include Anne Dalton, Verna Gates, Juan Gomez, Sammye Hill, Dolores Hydock, Cynthia Jancaterino, Eve Kneeland, Charlie Lucas, Renee Morrison, Ruth Rambo, Bernadette Smith, Mark Stewart, Charles Tortorici, Joseph Trimble and Margayle Williams.

Now in its third year, Telling Alabama's Stories promotes family literacy, books, reading and, this year, a little mystery. Telling Alabama's Stories is sponsored by ACFTB with Old Alabama Town, the Alabama Public Library Service, the Alabama Writers' Forum, the Alabama State Council on the Arts, and other local and state supporters.

Telling Alabama's Stories' gates will open at 10 a.m. The book signing featuring Atkins, Dorsey and Haines will run from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Admission is $2 per person or $5 per family and is open to the public. Books and merchandise will be on sale throughout the day. Refreshments will be available.

For more information please contact the Alabama Center for the Book at 334/844-4948 or check its Web site at www.alabamabookcenter.org.

Auburn University is a comprehensive research institution with more than 23,000 students and 6,500 faculty and staff. Ranked among the top 50 public universities nationally, Auburn is Alabama's largest educational institution, offering more than 230 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs.
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