FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jennifer Mayer January 20, 2012 Tel: 478/742-5084

Email: jmayer@historicmacon.org

STEVE BERRY TO HONOR SIDNEY LANIER MACON, Ga. — International and New York Times bestselling writer Steve Berry, known for his meticulously researched thrillers with a historical twist, will visit Macon in February. Historic Macon Foundation, the Lanier Center for Literary Arts and the History Matters Foundation will join forces to present a reception and writers’ workshop during his visit. Berry is the bestselling author of The Jefferson Key, The Emperor’s Tomb, The Paris Vendetta, The Charlemagne Pursuit and five other novels. Raised in Georgia, Berry is a graduate of the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. His road to publication took 12 years, 85 rejections and more than five manuscripts before selling a story. After this long and arduous process, Berry is now a fixture on the New York Times bestseller lists and has more than 12 million books in print in 51 countries. In addition to being an accomplished author, Berry is becoming nationally known as a major supporter of historic preservation. The American Library Association recently appointed him as the first National Preservation Week spokesman. In 2010, Steve and his wife Elizabeth founded History Matters, a nonprofit organization that fosters historic preservation of our national treasures. The Berrys have traveled the world raising funds for a wide range of historic preservation projects. Their route will bring them to Macon in February to visit Elizabeth’s mother, Harriet Sheffield Buckey, a well-known watercolorist and active member of the Macon arts community, and to present a reception and writers’ workshop with Historic Macon. Two Gentlemen of Georgia: Steve Berry Salutes Sidney Lanier, a reception to celebrate poet, musician and soldier Sidney Lanier’s (1842–1881) 170th birthday, will take place Feb. 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Armory Ballroom, 484 First St. The event will pay tribute to the connection between Steve and Sidney as writers and Georgia natives on the anniversary of Lanier’s birth. A presentation in true Steve Berry-style, a Q&A and a book signing, will begin at 6:30 p.m. On Feb. 4, Steve will lead the workshop, Lessons from a Bestseller, which includes his 11 Rules of Writing. The workshop will end with the wildly popular talk on the Business of Publishing by literary marketing executive and International Thriller Writers Executive Director Elizabeth Berry. The writers’ workshop will be held at the Sidney Lanier Cottage, 935 High St., on Feb. 4 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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Steve Berry to honor Sidney Lanier, page 2 All proceeds from the reception and workshop will benefit the mission of Historic Macon. Advance ticketing is required. Tickets are $35 for the reception, $85 for the workshop or $100 for a combination ticket to both events. Visit www.historicmacon.org or call (478) 742-5084 to purchase tickets. For more information about Steve Berry, go to www.steveberry.org Attachment 1: Photo of Steve Berry

Attachment 2: Photo of Sidney Lanier

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Steve Berry to honor Sidney Lanier, page 3 About Historic Macon Foundation Historic Macon Foundation is a nonprofit organization that advocates for Macon’s historic and architectural heritage, facilitates preservation and revitalization efforts in the community and educates and inspires appreciation for Macon, GA. The Middle Georgia Historical Society and the Macon Heritage Foundation merged in 2003 to create Historic Macon Foundation. The Foundation maintains and promotes the Sidney Lanier Cottage, which is open for public visitation Monday–Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Historic Macon Foundation’s offices are located in the Sidney Lanier Cottage at 935 High St., Macon, GA 31201. For more information, visit www.historicmacon.org or call 478/742-5084. About the Lanier Center for Literary Arts Sidney Lanier (1842–1881) was a writer, poet, musician, soldier and mathematician. He was born in the Sidney Lanier Cottage at 935 High St. in Macon, Ga. In honor of Lanier’s legacy, Historic Macon Foundation, the owners of the Cottage, have established the Lanier Center for Literary Arts. In addition to sponsoring writers’ workshops and other literary events, Historic Macon has a regular series of book signings. For this series, entitled Sidney’s Salons, Historic Macon invites well-known authors and bright, up and coming authors to read, answer questions and sign books. For more information, visit www.historicmacon.org or call 478/742-5084.

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