On December 3, 2009, writer Lee Smith will host The Women's Center's sixth annual "Tea With Lee" at Foster's Market in Chapel Hill. This year's guest speaker will be bestselling author Frances Mayes.

Each year, Hillsborough writer Lee Smith invites a North Carolina woman writer to speak and read from her works at a tea sponsored by The Women's Center. Past speakers have included Elizabeth Spencer, Jill McCorkle, Lee Smith, Haven Kimmel and Sarah Dessen.

Proceeds from the sale of tickets to the tea and the sale of books by both authors support The Women's Center's mission to partner with women and girls to build their knowledge, skills and confidence to become self sufficient. The Women's Center provides financial literacy education, career exploration and preparedness, legal information, adolescent empowerment programs, and connections to community resources. Founded in 1979, The Women's Center serves over 4,000 individuals a year.

Frances Mayes is the author of four books about Tuscany. The now-classic Under The Tuscan Sun was a New York Times bestseller for more than two and a half years and became a movie starring Diane Lane. It was followed by Bella Tuscany and two illustrated books, In Tuscany and Bringing Tuscany Home.

A third book about Tuscany, Everday in Tuscany : Seasons of An Italian Life will be published in March 2010. Mayes is the author of the novel, Swan, and six books of poetry. She is also a frequent contributor to food and travel publications.

Mayes and her husband split their time between their home in North Carolina their villa in Cortona, Italy. They have 600 olive trees on their property and recently completed the harvest for the new oil. "I especially love this ancient ritual for the end of the year. In our town, everyone picks olives and every mill has a fireplace so you can grill bruschetta immediately and taste your oil moments after it is pressed," Mayes recounted in an e-mail recently.

A sale of autographed books by Mayes and Smith will take place after the reading. In addition to tea, coffee and wine, Sara Foster will prepare a Tuscan inspired menu featuring the Mayes' olive oil.

Tickets for the event are $50. They may be purchased through The Women's Center's website, www.womenspace.org or by telephoning The Women's Center at 919-968-4610.

Related Links

1. http://www.womenspace.org