Two authors will make their Washington debuts at River Walk Gallery and Arts Center on Sunday. The gallery will host “Tea at River Walk,” a forum where area writers read excerpts from their works, sign copies and answer questions from the audience.

“Most of these people are new writers and a lot of them are local, or regional, and they’re Southern writers,” said Jayne Wall, a River Walk member and organizer of the literary teas. “It’s really to try to introduce people in town to the talent that we have here and around these parts.”

Sunday’s featured authors are Lynn Cavanaugh-Blades, from Wilmington, and Heather Cobham, of Oriental.

Cobham’s book, “Hungry Mother Creek,” touted as “a story of love, loss and the healing power of speaking your truth,” take place in Oriental.

“She writes about the river, the creek, but really, she writes about a woman who lost a husband who wasn’t such great shakes as a husband,” Wall said.

Cavanaugh-Blades has strong ties to the area — as a child, visiting Pamlico Beach with family, according to Wall. Personal experience is the foundation for “Your Hand in Mine We Will Go,” which is set at Pamlico Beach. It’s the story of a 7-year-old girl whose shyness is cured through faith and the trials of a hurricane.

“It talks about a lot things that we could be nostalgic about because we were there,” Wall said.

With authors like mystery series writer Marni Graff participating in “Tea at River Walk” in the past, the event has become popular destination for the literary set. The tea starts at 2 p.m. and is open to the public.

“We’re serving wine, water and cookies — I just call it ‘Tea’ at River Walk because it’s in the afternoon,” Wall laughed.

Wall said the event is just another way for River Walk to showcase local artists’ talents.

“There’s so much talent here, of all kinds,” Wall said. “I’ve never lived in a place where you can pass 10 people on the street and, out of 10, one of them will be an artist.”

River Walk Gallery and Arts Center is located at 139 W. Main St., Washington. For more information, call 252-974-0400.