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March 11, 2004

Mystery Writer Carolyn Hart to Speak at the Library of Congress

Pulitzer Prize-Nominated Author Will Discuss Why She Writes Mysteries

Mystery writer Carolyn Hart, creator of the popular "Death on Demand" mystery series, and author of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated novel "Letter from Home," will speak at the Library of Congress on Wednesday, April 28 at 1p.m., in Dining Room A on the sixth floor of the Library's James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. The presentation is sponsored by the Humanities and Social Sciences Division and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. The lecture, titled "Why Mysteries?" is free and open to the public. No tickets are required. Hart will discuss why she writes mysteries; she will also discuss her novel, "Letter from Home" and her book, "Murder Walks the Plank," the latest title from her series "Death on Demand." A book signing will follow the lecture.

Carolyn Hart is the author of 36 novels with more than 2.5 million books in print. She was one of 10 mystery authors invited to speak in the Mysteries and Thrillers Pavilion at the Library of Congress' 2003 National Book Festival on the Mall in Washington, D.C. A winner of numerous awards and accolades for her ingeniously plotted, spellbinding fiction, Hart is the only author to be nominated seven times for the coveted Agatha Award. In March 2004, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oklahoma Center for the Book. A native of Oklahoma, Hart resides in Oklahoma City.

"Letter from Home," a World War II-era novel set on the homefront, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for fiction by the Oklahoma Center for Poets and Writers at Oklahoma State University in Tulsa. The book was included among the "Best Books of 2003" as chosen by Publishers Weekly. The novel captures the spirit of a small Oklahoma town in the tumultuous summer of 1944, when events are dominated by war - and then by murder.

Hart's popular "Death on Demand" series features a young mystery bookshop owner, Annie Darling, and her husband, Max. The 15th title in the series, "Murder Walks the Plank," was published this month.

The Humanities and Social Sciences Division provides reference service and collection development in the Main, Local History and Genealogy and Microform reading rooms at the Library of Congress. It regularly sponsors programs in the arts, humanities and social sciences. The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress was established in 1977 to stimulate public interest in books, reading and libraries. It provides a broad range of programs through its "Books and Beyond" series in Washington, and through its 50 state affiliates throughout the country.

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PR 04-052
03/11/04
ISSN 0731-3527

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