Appalachian Blessings
Learn MoreEvents/Speaking

If you’d like to book me for for your event, shoot me an e-mail at sarah@sarahloudinthomas.com
Speaking Topics
- Writing Classes
- The path to publication – It’s different for everyone!
- Pitches, queries, and proposals – What’s in your “sales” toolbox?
- Compass Point Plotting – Plotting for Pantsers
- Christian (CBA) or general (ABA) market–which is right for you?
- Forgiveness – Join me for a lesson in forgiveness drawn from my novels (and more importantly, the Bible!).
- Place as Character – The setting for my novels–Appalachia–is practically its own character in my stories. Let’s discuss how to make your setting as strong as your story.
Fee Schedule
- Zoom call/book chat – FREE! (depending on availability)
- Most events/appearances within 90 minutes of Lenoir, NC – $50
- Class/workshop – Up to 2 hours of teaching – $75 + travel (depending on location)
If you have questions about your event or want to know if I can teach a specific topic, don’t hesitate to reach out. I LOVE talking about stories, writing, and reading and would be happy to tailor a talk to your event!
Upcoming Events
September 29-30, 2023 – GetLit! – Hudson, NC – I’ll be coordinating The Mitford Museum’s second annual literary weekend as well as teaching a fiction class. Join outstanding writers including Patti Callahan Henry, Mark Powell, and Phoebe Zerwick for conversation and education.
October 26, 2023 – Library Journal Day of Dialog panel. This will be a virtual event. Links coming soon!
January 28 – February 3, 2024 – The Path to Publication – I’m so excited to be presenting a week-long workshop at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. With its rich Appalachian heritage, this is a place that fits me to a T!
February 23-25, 2024 – Asheville Christian Writers Conference at the Billy Graham Training Center in Asheville, NC.
April 3-5, 2024 – Public Library Assoc. Conference – I’ll be in Columbus, OH, for the launch of These Tangled Threads at a LIBRARY CONFERENCE!! Talk about perfect timing. Plus, I’ll get to travel through WV on my way there and back. More details to come.
Video Introduction to Miracle in a Dry Season
Past Events
2022
August 16, 2022 – Virtual Writing Workshop – I’ll be presenting a FREE class titled Setting as Character in partnership with the Carl Sandburg Home. Click through to register and join us for a lively discussion about bringing the setting of your story to life.
September 30-October 1 – GetLit! – Hudson, NC – I’ll be coordinating The Mitford Museum’s first annual literary weekend as well as teaching fiction classes. Join outstanding NC writers including Wiley Cash, Sarah McCoy, and Joseph Bathanti for conversation and education.
October 20-21 – WV Book Festival – Charleston, WV – I’ll be teaching a workshop and trying not to stalk other authors at the event. Like C.J. Box and Elin Hilderbrand!
2021
February 25, 2021 – Book Chat – Hosted by Mills River Presbyterian Church, this virtual event will offer an overview of my books, a snippet or two of story, and plenty of time for chatting with YOU! To RSVP, contact Kathy Ziprik at ZiprikPR@gmail.com. The first 30 people to sign up will be scheduled for the free one-hour call.
February 26-28, 2021 – Asheville Christian Writers Conference at the Billy Graham Training Center in Asheville, NC.
May 12 – Holly Tree Country Club – Simpsonville, SC – Book club chat about The Right Kind of Fool.
June 22, 2021 – Historical Novel Society North America – Hosting the Inspirational Fiction Conversation Room from noon to 2 p.m. If you’re attending this virtual conference I hope you’ll join us for some great conversation!
June 25, 2021 – ABA or CBA Which is Right for You? – 1:30-2:30 p.m. – Presentation at the Historical Novel Society North America’s virtual conference. Click to learn more!
2020
December 10, 2020 – An Appalachian Christmas – Grab a mug of cocoa and curl up by the fire for a virtual evening with Appalachian authors Ann Gabhart (Appalachian Summer), Cindy Sproles (What Momma Left Behind), and ME! We’ll chat about books, holiday traditions, answer questions, and do some giveaways.
Click for a BOOK CHAT with Lisa Wingate from November 19, 2020 – I so appreciate Lisa, bestselling author of Before We Were Yours and The Book of Lost Friends for joining me to chat about my latest release, The Right Kind of Fool.
October 15, 2020 – Get Your Book Done by 2021 – Sharon C. Jenkins and her team are offering a full day for writers to help you live your dream of becoming a published author. I’ll be the featured fiction author along with a non-fiction panelist and media expert. This day-long event is a precursor to The Living Your Dreams Conference at Alpine Lake Resort in Terra Alta, WV.
March 8, 2020 – Mills River Presbyterian Church Book Club – Mills River, NC at 12:15 p.m. – Join me for a lesson in forgiveness from Miracle in a Dry Season.
February 21-23, 2020 – Asheville Christian Writers Conference at the Billy Graham Training Center in Asheville, NC.
2019
November 21, 2019 – Upshur County Public Library – 5:30-7 p.m. – Book release event for When Silence Sings. I’ll share a bit of Thurmond, WV’s, history, read some snippets, and offer books for sale and signing.
November 3, 2019 – Book Launch at Sassafras on Sutton – 3 p.m. – Two days before When Silence Sings officially releases, I’ll be giving a talk and signing books at the cutest bookstore in the South! Come get your early copy (or just shop!) at 108 Sutton Avenue in Black Mountain, NC.
September 13-15, 2019 – Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) – The Spartanburg Marriott, Spartanburg, SC.
August 10, 2019 – Pennwriters Area 7 Mini-Conference, Leesburg, Va. – Join us for morning and afternoon classes followed by a keynote with George Guidall–audiobook narrator extraordinaire!
June 7-9, 2019 – WV Writers Conference – Cedar Lakes Conference Center, Ripley, WV.
February 22-24, 2019 – Asheville Christian Writers Conference at the Billy Graham Training Center in Asheville, NC.