A Lowcountry night — the unveiling of Pat Conroy’s last literary work

Just days before what would have been Pat Conroy’s 71st birthday, Cassandra King, his widow, unveiled the literary legend’s posthumous “A Lowcountry Heart: Reflections on a Writing Life” at the University of South Carolina Beaufort Center for the Arts.

Writers, fans and lovers of the Lowcountry gathered Saturday night for a seminar, reception and book signing with King to celebrate the life of Conroy, his works and his final piece of writing.

Scott Graber, an attorney and longtime friend of Conroy’s, recalled his memories with the novelist, from eating lunch at Griffin Market every Thursday to his friend’s final moments of life.

“He was sort of here one day and gone the next,” he said.

Graber said Conroy had a way of writing, almost a self evisceration, that made a lot of his readers feel as if he were talking about them.

“People identified with that,” he said. “(Tonight) is sort of a final act of loyalty for them.”

Conroy, who died from pancreatic cancer in March, celebrated his 70th birthday at the Center for the Arts in Beaufort. Lynn Smith, a research coordinator for pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina, made his birthday cake — a replica of a shrimp boat named “Miss Lila” like the one from “Prince of Tides.” She said it was an honor.

“It felt like walking on air,” she said. “It felt like something I didn’t deserve.”

Smith, who’s been a Conroy fan since she was 18 years old, also designed the cake presented at the book’s unveiling: a replica of Conroy’s writing desk, lined with his works. She said this cake was different from the one she made for his birthday because it was for everyone.

“This cake, the process was sadness and joy,” she said. “This is more for Cassandra King and for Pat Conroy’s family ... and his fans. To me, it’s just more joyful.”

Among the fans that night, Karen Hipp, an attorney, said she found out about his death from a post on Facebook. After confirming the news, she changed her cover photo to the famous opening lines of “Prince of Tides”:” “My wound is geography. It is also my anchorage, my port of call.”

“A lot of my friends were online...(and) had such a visceral reaction to what had happened,” she said.

In spite of his death, Hipp said the event and the debut of “A Lowcountry Heart” was joyful. She fondly recalled the time when she stood in line for hours when she was eight months pregnant for a book signing and how he made everyone feel like they were the only person in the universe when he met with them.

“His words are so evocative of the Lowcountry. It distills the essence of this place, but is expansive as a commentary on human nature and complicated relationships,” she said.

“I was not born until I was fifteen years old. It happened here, in Beaufort, in sight of a river’s sinuous turn, and the movements of its dolphin-proud tides, its modest, easy grandeur, where I once celebrated being sixteen; now I will turn seventy by its same scrupulous landscape and the place I will one day be buried— in great gratitude and an infinity of joy. Great love...” — Pat Conroy, “A Lowcountry Heart: Reflections on a Writing Life”

This story was originally published October 22, 2016 at 9:32 PM with the headline "A Lowcountry night — the unveiling of Pat Conroy’s last literary work."