Book and literary festivals are very popular. Authors participate to get word out about their latest book and to meet their readers. Readers attend to meet favorite authors, hear them speak on panels or read from their newest books. Most authors have book signings and will personalize the book for a reader. There are book festivals all over the country and some of the ones in March are located in major cities like Chicago, Tucson, and New Orleans.
Tucson Festival of Books
The third Tucson Festival of Books will take place March 12-13, 2011, on the campus of the University of Arizona. The operating hours for both days are from 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. There will be free parking and since the University will be on spring break, Festival participants and spectators won't be competing with students for parking. The free 64-page festival guide includes a Festival planner pullout including a detailed map to help you find any event, author, exhibitor or venue – and the nearby free parking spots.
The Festival anticipates 400 authors and 100,000 visitors to participate in this year's events. Profits from the Festival are donated to literacy programs throughout Arizona. The Festival donated $350,000 to programs in its first two years.
Authors scheduled to appear at the Festival include C.J. Box, who writes the Joe Pickett series of novels; Robert Crais, author of the best-selling Elvis Cole novels; romance writer, Calista Fox; science-fiction writer, Diana Gabaldon, author of The Outlandier Series; poet Cynthia Hogue; and, legal and crime thriller writer, John Lescroart.
Virginia Festival of the Book
The Virginia Festival of the Book will take place March 16-20, 2011, in various locations in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia. The Festival is considered the largest gathering of authors, writers, and readers in the Commonwealth. The Festival programs range from traditional author readings and book signings to a StoryFest day of children's authors and storybook characters; from a panel on how to publish a novel to a discussion on running a book club; from a workshop on book-binding to a discussion on freelancer's rights. All programs are open to the public; with the exception of a few ticketed events, programs are free of charge.
Special events include a Leadership Breakfast with David Shenck, author of The Genius in All of Us: New Insights Into Genetics, Talent, and IQ; An Evening With Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help; and, Crime Wave Luncheon with Kathy Reichs, author of the Temperance Brennan novels.
25th Annual Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
2011 is a banner year for the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival, which celebrates its 25th anniversary, March 23-27, overlapping with its eponymous playwright's 100th birthday on March 26.
Authors scheduled to attend include Pulitzer-Prize winner Robert Olen Butler, Winston Groom (Forrest Gump), Armistead Mauphin (Tales of the City), John Connolly , Nevada Barr, Dorothy Allison (Bastard Out of Carolina), and Laura Lippman.
Special events include "Bright, Beautiful Things: A World Premiere of Tennessee Williams One-Acts," eight Master Classes for writers and readers conducted by leading authors, agents and editors, and a lecture and film presentation by John DiLeo based on his new book, Tennessee Williams and Company: His Essential Screen Actors.
Each year, the Festival has an unusual closing ceremony. The public is invited to get into the act at the Stanley and Stella Shouting Contest, in playful homage to the bellowing mates in Williams' masterpiece, A Streetcar Named Desire.
More Festivals
Other festivals in March include the Children's Literature Festival in Warrensburg, Missouri, and another Tennessee Williams Festival in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
Debbie Whittemore - I've been blogging for the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) since 2006. SIBA is a trade association which represents over ...
Join the Conversation