Published: July 30, 2008 11:40 pm      

'First Novels' premieres on MPB’s 'Writers' Aug. 7

JACKSON — Experience the premiere episode of “First Novels” on Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s (MPB) Emmy® Award-winning series “Writers” Thursday, Aug. 7 at 8 p.m.

Authors Pia Ehrhardt, Jack Pendarvis and John Hart are featured as they speak to host Gene Edwards about writing their first novels. All have different styles and approaches, as well as having novels in various stages. At the time of the taping, Ehrhardt was rewriting her first; Pendarvis had just published his first; Hart was finishing his third.

John Hart is the writer of “King of Lies”; his first novel. It spent three weeks on “The New York Times” best sellers’ list. Hart was born in Durham, North Carolina, but later moved to Rowan County, where his novel is set.

Pendarvis’ first published story was “Our Spring Catalog,” a tongue-in-cheek literary list. He has written two short story collections and his first novel is “Awesome.” Pendarvis resides in Oxford, Miss.

Ehrhardt has a graduate degree in writing and is based in New Orleans. Her collection of short stories, “Famous Fathers & Other Stories,” was published in June 2007.