Bob Plott will discuss his newest book, Colorful Characters of the Great Smoky Mountains, at 3 p.m. on Jan. 14 at Blue Ridge Books.

Plott is a North Carolina native who can trace his family roots in the Old North State back to 1750, when his great-great-great-grandfather Johannes Plott arrived here with five of the family hunting dogs. These dogs would later become renowned as the premier big game hunting dog breed in America — the Plott bear hound.

Blue Ridge Books is located at 152 South Main Street in Waynesville. For more information call 828.456.6000.