Monday, August 29, 2016

Monday Muse: Fall Book Festivals

Today, Monday Muse rounds up a selection of book festivals happening in September and early October.

AJC Decatur Book Festival ~ September 2-4, 2016, Decatur, Georgia ~ The keynote event is "The Life and Work of Pat Conroy", which will include Conroy's wife, novelist Cassandra King Conroy. More than 600 authors, including Coleman Barks, Frans de Waal,  and Monica Youn, are scheduled to attend.

Decatur Book Festival on FaceBook and Instagram

Carolina Mountains Literary Festival ~ September 8-10, 2016, Burnsville, North Carolina ~ Keynote presenters include poet and novelist Fred Chappell, science writer David Haskell, and novelist Christine Hall. Some events are free. Writing workshops (fiction, memoir, nonfiction, poetry) and keynote events are ticketed.

CM LitFest on FaceBook

Brooklyn Book Festival ~ September 12-18, 2016, Brooklyn, New York ~ Margaret Atwood, Sherman Alexie, Pete Hamill, Joyce Carol Oates, Salman Rushdi, A.O. Scott, and Ocean Vuong are just a few of the literary stars expected to be present. Children's Day is Saturday, September 17.

Brooklyn Book Festival on FaceBook and Tumblr

10th Annual Fall Into Fiction Extravaganza ~ September 22-25, 2016, Carson, California ~ Sponsored by United California African-American Bookclubs, the festival aims to bring together readers and authors. More than two dozen authors plan to be present.

UCAAB on FaceBook

South Dakota Festival of Books ~ September 22-25, 2016, Brookings and Sioux Falls, South Dakota ~ Sponsored by the South Dakota Humanities Council, the festival features Ron Capps, founder and director of the Veterans Writing Project; columnist and writer Michael Dirda; former U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser, South Dakota State Poet Laureate Lee Ann Roripaugh, and novelist Jane Smiley, among many others. A "Young Readers Festival" is planned, in addition to writing workshops, lectures, open mic events, book signings, and readings.

Baltimore Book Festival ~ September 23-26, Baltimore, Maryland ~ More than 100 exhibitors and booksellers, as well as local, celebrity, and national authors will be on hand for readings, book signings, workshops, panel discussions, storytelling, and more. The presenting authors are Becky Albertalli, Bronwyn Dickey, Bridget Hodder, Terry McMillan, and Glen Weldon.

Baltimore Book Festival on FaceBook and Twitter

Library of Congress National Book Festival ~ September 24, 2016, Washington, D.C. ~ The lengthy list of authors, illustrators, and poets scheduled to appear at the festival includes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Ken Burns, Edwidge Danticat, Angela Davis, Adam Gopnik, Marilyn Hacker, Joy Harjo, Lois Lowry, Jay McInerney, Eileen Myles, Joyce Carol Oates, Diane Rehm, Marilynne Robinson, Calvin Trillin, and Bob Woodward. Among the numerous events: panel discussions, a book expo and sale, and a poetry slam. This season's poster is by the Japanese illustrator Yuko Shimizu and may be downloaded (pdf). 

LOC on FaceBook


Fall for the Book ~ September 25-30, 2016, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia ~ Now a week-long, multiple-venue event, the regional festival has lined up more than 150 authors this year. Sandra Cisneros and Diane Rehm are the headliners. The poets expected to appear include Dana Levin, Natlie Diaz, Oliver Bendorf, and Patrick Rosal. All readings are free. The 2016 poster contest winner is Ben Small.

Fall for the Book on FaceBook

✭ Northern Arizona Book Festival ~ October 10-16, 2016, Flagstaff, Arizona ~ More than 50 local and visiting writers will be participating. A featured event is the launch of Eggtooth Chapbook Contest.


Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word ~ October 14-16, Nashville, Tennessee ~ Under the sponsorship of Humanities Tennessee, the free three-day festival offers readings, panel discussions, and book signings with several hundred authors.

Humanities Tennessee on FaceBook

No comments: