Kentucky Book Festival: Running through Saturday

This year the Kentucky Humanities Council’s fortieth annual celebration of the state’s authors—and books, generally—concludes at Joseph Beth Booksellers at Lexington Green tomorrow.

In addition to about 140 authors present to sell and sign their books and talk with fans lots more is going on with speakers, a writing workshop, and two craft discussions/

All events are free and available both in person and online. The store opens at 10 am. The first event starts at 10:30 am.

The festival is requesting that all authors, attendees, staff, and volunteers wear masks while attending the Kentucky Book Festival; sanitizing stations are available onsite.

Programs will take place on one of two stages: the UK Main Stage and in the UK Healthcare Writer’s Room. Featured on the main stage, beginning at 10:30 will be Amy McGrath speaking with Kathy Stearman.

Other presenters there include Brian Kilmeade (11:30); HW Brands and Dr. Lindsay M. Chervinsky (12:30); Shawn Pryor and Dr. Vanessa M. Holden (1;30); Crystal Wilkinson and Frank X Walker, in conversation with poet Jeremy Paden (2:30); a conversation featuring Silas House, Jayne Moore Waldrop and Marianne Worthington (3:30); Kimmery Martin (4:30); and Elin Hilderbrand talking with Dianna Rostad (5:30).

Meanwhile, between 10:30 and 5:30, the more craft-oriented discussions will be held in the Writer’s Room featuring: a writing workshop “Family Stories: Evoking Emotion in Your Characters” with Susan Beckham Zurenda, author of Bells for Eli (12:30) and two craft discussions.

Craft discussions are: “Writing Southern Historical Fiction” with Angela Jackson-Brown and Michael A. Almond (1;30) and “Writing Through Grief” with Maryanne O’Hara and Kim Edwards (2;30).

Other topics in the Writer’s Room include building a writing community (3:30) and self-publishing (4:30). For more information about speakers, topics, or just the day’s logistics visit https://www.kyhumanities.org/programs/kentucky-book-festival or https://www.josephbeth.com/