The Athens-Clarke County Library resembled the aftermath of a rock concert Friday night as long lines of fans waited for autographs.

Only the celebrities weren’t musicians or actors – they were four of Georgia’s most acclaimed authors.

When it came time for the authors’ speeches the auditorium was filled beyond capacity.

Many stood against the back walls to listen to the authors discuss everything from their writing process to streaking at Creswell.

Terry Kay

“The Book of Marie” has been almost 30 years in the making and deals with the difficult transitions of the Civil Rights Movement through the eyes of two characters, Cole and Marie.

“My intention was to examine the sweep of social change of the American South from post- World War II to the mid-1990s as reflected in the Civil Rights Movement.”

Ferrol Sams

Sams’ latest novel, “Down Town,” traces four generations of a family living in a Georgia town.

“The seeds of writing started when I kept hearing people of my generation in Fayetteville say, ‘Things are not the same, the town is not the same, we don’t have characters anymore.’”

Mary Kay Andrews

She also is known as Kathy Hogan Trocheck and is a graduate from the University.

She started a series of mystery novels, and the most recent is “Blue Christmas,” which is based in Savannah.

“It’s a place where the past is not forgotten,” Andrews said in reference to the town. “Savannah has so much history – just the atmosphere makes it a special place.”

Grady Thrasher

His first children’s book, “Tim and Sally’s Vegetable Garden,” introduces children into the world of gardening. Thrasher was inspired by memories of gardening with his grandmother as a child.

“As the poem developed, I decided to turn it into a ‘how-to’ for children,” Thrasher said. “I’m enjoying the fact that 90 percent of the purchasers of the books are grandparents.”