The sweet sounds of Appalachia will be heard in Ames Saturday with the return of former Iowan Susan Shore. Shore, folk singer and songwriter, will kick off this season’s Mooncookie Cafe concert series. “She’s a wonderful singer,” said BeJae Fleming, booker for the Mooncookie Cafe concerts. “I still think of her as an Iowa act as I’ve known her for many years.” Shore lived in Iowa for 16 years but grew up in New Jersey. “Though she doesn’t have Appalachian roots, her music is a tradition-sounding, rural-country kind of thing,” Fleming said. “She’s certainly inspired by this music.” Shore has performed at universities across the state, particularly the University of Iowa and at ISU’s Maintenance Shop. As a singer and songwriter, Fleming said she appreciates the quieter atmosphere in the Fellowship building for both the singer and the audience. “It’s a wonderful situation in which to hear and to play,” Fleming said. “You get to really hear the performer in this venue.” Fleming said Mooncookie Cafe concerts are unlike any other. “It’s a fabulous experience,” she said. “The cafe is separate from the space, so the audience is very focused on the act and performance.” Fleming said the performer also has the chance to share herself with the audience, unlike a restaurant or bar venue. “Performers can share more of themselves in this intimate setting,” Fleming said. “It’s a very focused attention, so the performer can do the best show he or she has in them.” Although the event is at the Unitarian Universalist building, Fleming said it is open to the public. Associate Professor of English Kathy Hickok said she has been to about half of the Mooncookie events since they opened two years ago and thinks they are very enjoyable. “There are national, excellent performers,” she said. “It’s a wonderful alcohol-free, coffee-house environment and the student group provides baked goods.”