I am planning ahead for all the great book festivals this year – travel reservations are in and time off requested. I really love these festivals for the intimate setting and the ability to talk with authors one-on-one to learn more about their books and themselves. You can click the links to visit the festival pages to learn more about each. The list below is far from extensive but includes some of my favorites from around the country – I’m noting the ones I’ll be attending. Which are on your calendar for this year?
January
January 29-30: Lions in Winter Literary Festival – Charleston, IL. Set at Eastern Illinois University, this year’s festival will feature three authors: Minda Honey, Jacqui Germain, and Julia Fine
January 31-Feb 1: Sunshine State Book Festival – Gainesville, FL. This festival will have a writer’s intensive workshop on the 31st and a festival open to the public on the 1st. This free event will have dozens of authors selling their books along with panel discussions. I may be attending this one – still up in the air.
February
February 6-9: Savannah Book Festival – Savannah, GA. Do you love Savannah? Then this is definitely the book for you. Set in multiple venues around the historic district, this year’s event will feature Anna Quindlen, Sebastian Junger, and Ben Mezrich, along with a host of other great writers.
February 22: Williamsburg Book Festival – Williamsburg, VA. This is the 10th year of this great event! With great panels and presentations, along with exhibits by dozens of authors, this event feels like it has something for everyone.
February 27-March 1: Monroeville Literary Festival, Monroeville, AL. Monroeville is the Literary Capital of Alabama and the birthplace of both Harper Lee and Truman Capote. This festival honors their legacies with awards and author panels. While their schedule has not yet been released, this 5th year of the festival promises to be entertaining!
March
March 1: Amelia Island Book Festival, Fernandina Beach, FL. I am excited to be returning to this festival for the second time! Last year’s festival feature panels by some of my favorite authors as well as exhibits from dozens of authors. Lesson learned from last time – park closer and bring a rolling cart for all the books I’m buying!
March 13-16: Left Coast Crime Festival, Denver, CO. This one always grabs my attention because the location changes every year! If you are in to crime and mystery books, this is the festival for you!
March 22: Pasadena Festival of Women Authors, Pasadena, CA. This festival is just a bit different. You can buy a table in the ballroom for the main speaker’s stage, and tickets to breakout groups. It’s much more like a gala than a festival (and much more expensive), but is bringing together so many great female authors that it’s worth a mention.
March 29: Books by the Bay, Pensacola, FL. I don’t have much information on this one – they have not yet released the lineup of speakers, but it seems to be a great collection of author exhibitors and speakers. This is another I am trying to make it to, but still TBD.
Are you headed to any of these festivals? Are there others you think are worth the listing here? Drop me a note in the comments!
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What I’m Reading
- Current print book: Follow Me to Africa, Penny Haw
- Current audio book: Girl, Serpent, Thorn, Melissa Bashardoust
- Book I’m most looking forward to: Lethal Prey, John Sandford
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