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<a href="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Lifestyle-ShortStoryAmerica-JACKETREVISE.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1367" title="Lifestyle-ShortStoryAmerica JACKETREVISE" src="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Lifestyle-ShortStoryAmerica-JACKETREVISE-209x300.jpg" alt="" width="209" height="300" /></a>Beaufort-based Short Story America’s first anthology is coming out in a beautiful first edition on June 24th. The book features 56 great short stories by today’s authors, including four stories by the series’ editor, Beaufort writer T.D. (Tim) Johnston, and one by Beaufort writer/actor/director Gail Westerfield. <!--more-->The 544-page anthology has been hailed as “literary fiction at its best” and as “new life to literature” in advance reviews.

Area residents and visitors are invited to a book launch party and signing on Friday evening, June 24, from 6 - 8 p.m. at Lowcountry Winery on Bay Street. Tim Johnston and Gail Westerfield will be greeting guests and signing books at the event, which kicks off the inaugural first edition of the Short Story America Anthology series.

Short Story America is also in its second year of publishing new and classic stories online, at www.shortstoryamerica.com, and is preparing to launch audio versions of short stories this summer, all of which are being produced right here in Beaufort. <em>Writer’s Digest</em> has rated Short Story America as one of the Fifty Best Online Literary Magazines in the world, and now Short Story America is planning for its first story festival and conference right here in Beaufort. The dates of the 2012 festival will be announced this month. If you can’t make it to the launch party, you can order the book online directly from Short Story America at www.shortstoryamerica.com. The book will also be available at Beaufort Bookstore, McIntosh Books, Lowcountry Winery, Berry Island Cafe and several of Beaufort’s finest art galleries.

If you want to get a signed copy in person from author Tim Johnston, call him at 843-597-3220 or 843-522-1977 to make an appointment to visit him at Short Story America’s home offices, which are located in Beaufort Town Center, above the Pizza Inn. If you’re looking for great summer reading, please support Beaufort’s own worldwide publishing company and today’s writers of great short stories.

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