Charleston is "muse" for local authors Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor

There is a saying in the Lowcountry: the lure of Charleston always draws you back. This past Thursday, resident authors Sue Monk Kidd and her daughter, Ann Kidd Taylor, were drawn back to pack the pews of downtown's rustic St. Stephen's Church following a 14-city book tour.

The historic house of worship, gracing 67 Anson Street, reverberated with comfortable conversation as the crowd awaited the authors. The chatter quickly quieted as Sophia Institute founder Carolyn Rivers introduced the stars of the evening: New York Times best selling author Sue Monk Kidd and newcomer novelist Ann Kidd Taylor.

The duo recently collaborated to pen "Traveling With Pomegranates," a memoir of their simultaneous journeys through tumultuous periods of maturation. The book, which alighted in the top ten of the Times Best-Seller's List in September, has amassed a following of devotees appreciative of the honest portrayal of two women, "crossing the thresholds of womanhood at two ends of life; one at the beginning, and one at the end," as Ann eloquently expressed.

Sue is the "writer in residence" for Charleston's The Sophia Institute, whose novel "The Secret Life of Bees" recently received smashing box-office success as a full-length adaptation by Fox Searchlight Productions. The release of this newest major work, placed her and Ann as top picks for the Institutes' Lecture and Dialogue series.

"Sue is [also] part of our Board of Emeritus, and her work is in alignment with that of the Sophia Institute," founder Carolyn Rivers elaborated, "and of course we love Ann and her [past] work with Skirt! [Magazine]."

Thedialogue between the two authors began with Sue, who revealed several intimate details about the collaboration.

"The overwhelming, initial question I received was, 'And are you still speaking?'," she said. "Yet, the experience only deepened our relationship."

Eventually, the crowd joined in a question and answer session. The predominantly female audience, responded eagerly, some with more intimate questions, others asking for details relating to the book. One member inquired after the numerous trinkets and amulets collected throughout the memoir, to which Sue laughingly admitted an affinity to hoarding. According to her, Ann, who was married at Middleton Place, even wore most of the metals pinned underneath her wedding dress.

In private, the bond between the two is unmistakable.

"Ann was the one to get the ball rolling," Monk Kidd admitted fondly, "but I definitely was in support of it all the way. "

The event, organized by Helen Rutledge, culminated with an open invitation to the Phoebe Pember House for book signings and a taste of all things pomegranate.

Amongst this small, close community, the pair personally dedicated books well into the evening.

"We wanted to share this with our friends and those we love," said Monk Kidd of Thursday's grand finale appearance, "Charleston is, in many ways [our] Muse."