Durham's Michele Andrea Bowen made the cover of the Independent in 2006 with the publication of her novel Holy Ghost Corner, one of a number of books that have made her one of the top novelists of African-American religious fiction. Bowen's not shy about exploring the darker side of the pulpit, and her newest book returns to the scandal-ridden Gospel United Church of 2001's best-selling Church Folk. Appropriately, her latest is titled More Church Folk. It's 1986 and the Rev. Theophilus Simmons now has a congregation in St. Louis (where Bowen grew up), but he must contend with a scam to tap church funds and ransack the place. Bowen will read from and sign copies of More Church Folk starting at 7:30 p.m. —Zack Smith