This year’s Texas Book Festival (TBF) is booming with exemplary authors and events to inspire readers of all ages in the art of writing, reading and literary imagination.
The 2018 Texas Book Festival will be taking place Saturday, October 27 through Sunday, October 28 around the Texas State Capitol Building in downtown Austin. The TBF is free and open to the public.
Serving as one of the largest literary festivals in the country, the annual TBF features more than 250 nationally and critically recognized adult and children’s authors, more than 100 exhibitors, local food vendors, family activities, and countless opportunities to meet authors and fellow readers.
The Writing Barn wanted to highlight some of the past, present and future authors, speakers and friends at TBF who have held workshops and intensives at the Barn and to provide events we think are highly worth attending!
On Saturday, October 27:
- WB Friend & Previous Faculty, Matt de la Pena
- Carmela Full of Wishes: with Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson
- Kirkus Reviews Tent (Congress and 11th Street), 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM
The TBF is so excited to welcome Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson, the dynamic author-illustrator duo behind “Last Stop on Market Street” with their moving new picture book about family, to dreamers and to finding hope in the most unexpected places. Make some wishes with us today!
- WB Friends and Previous Faculty, Amy Gentry
- Austin360 Book Club with Amy Gentry
- Capitol Extension Room E2.012 (1100 Congress Avenue)
Austin360 Book Club’s October’s theme is thrills, so TBF is reading the acclaimed thriller by Austin author Amy Gentry, Good As Gone! Join Gentry, along with Statesman and Austin360 staffers, to talk about the book and to hear about Gentry’s brand new thriller coming in 2019, Last Woman Standing. Moderated by Sharon Chapman, Features Editor; Katey Psencik, Online Content Producer; Emily Quigley, Assistan Features Editor.
Another event with Amy Gentry:
- Writing About Music
- Capitol Extension Room E2.014 (1100 Congress Avenue), 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
Writers, music lovers, and critics Amy Gentry (Tori Amos’s Boys for Pele) and Jessica Hopper (Night Moves) pay homage to the forces and songs that shaped them, from Tori Amos’s iconic album Boys for Pele to the clubs and streets of Chicago’s youthful nightlife.
- WB Friend Meg Medina, WB Friend & Previous Faculty, Sarah Smarsh
- Meet the Kirkus Prize Finalists
- Kirkus Reviews Tent (Congress and 11th Street), 12:30 PM – 1:15 PM
Kirkus Reviews, the nation’s leading prepublication journal of book reviews, is proud to sponsor the annual Kirkus Prize, which bestows $150,000 divided by three winning writers. At this panel, you’ll hear the finalists of this year’s Prize—some of this year’s most intriguing and insightful writers—talk about their most recent books, including Kiese Laymon, Ling Ma, Naima Coster, Katie Williams, Tomi Adeyemi, Meg Medina, Sarah Smarsh and Shane Bauer. Moderated by Clay Smith.
- WB Friend, Sarah Bird
- Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen
- Texas Tent (Congress and 8th Street), 1:00 PM – 1:45 PM
Bestselling Texas author Sarah Bird shares the story of Cathy Williams, a former slave who disguises herself as a man to join the Buffalo soldiers and the protagonist in Bird’s new novel, “Daughter of a Daughter of Queen.”
- WB Friend and Previous Faculty, Natalia Sylvester
- Todos en la Familia
- Latinx Lit Tent (804 Congress Avenue), 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM
In affecting new novels by Natalia Sylvester (Everyone Knows You Go Home) and Luis Alberto Urrea (House of Broken Angels) family, the experience of migration and the long reverberations of the past entwine to create propulsive, emotional stories that have been at the top of every must-read list in 2018. Join them for a discussion of the people, moments and ideas that have inspired their new work.
- WB Friend and Previous Faculty, Sarah Smarsh
- Squeezing the Middle Class
- C-SPAN 2 / Book TV Tent (Congress and 11th Street), 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Working hard, staying broke, and getting squeezed: the American middle class is in a state of red alert. Join journalists Sarah Smarsh (Heartland) and Alissa Quart (Squeezed) for a frank, eye-opening discussion of the economic pressures and harsh forces shaping the middle class.
- WB Friend Crystal Allen, WB Friend and Previous Faculty, Christina Soontornvat (moderator)
- Lights, Camera, Create!
- Next Chapter Tent (Congress Avenue), 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
In life, there aren’t any shortcuts! But, you can sing, dance, or write your way through any challenge. Creativity can get you far! Come get inspired by characters who have to use their creativity and courage to solve problems. Moderated by Christina Soontornvat.
- WB Friend, Don Tate
- Read Me A Story with Don Tate
Published author Don Tate. Photo courtesy of African American Literature Book Club. - Read Me A Story Tent (Congress Avenue), 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
- Read Me A Story with Don Tate
Illustrator Don Tate reads No Small Potatoes, the true story of one of history’s most successful potato farmers who began life as a slave but dreamed of owning his own farm. Over time he rented land, he worked hard, built a family, and an empire and was named the “Potato King of the World”!
- WB Friends and Faculty: Michael Noll and Natalia Sylvester (Listen to Natalia on our podcast!)
- Writers League of Texas: Obsessed with Texas
- Texas Tent (Congress and 8th Street), 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
Writers’ League of Texas Program Director Michael Noll will moderate a conversation with authors Lacy Johnson and Natalia Sylvester about the enduring appeal of the Lone Star State and why writing about its unique landscape, complex history, and compelling people never gets old. Moderated by Michael Noll.
Other WB-Known Authors at TBF on Saturday:
Books:
On Sunday, October 28:
- WB Friend, Crystal Allen
- Girl Power!
- Next Chapter Tent 1 (Congress Avenue), 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
Get ready for action, adventure, and awesome-ness! Let’s talk about our favorite heroines in the Whatever After, Maya Tibbs, and Judy Moody series and learn what it takes to be your own personal heroine.
- WB Friend, Cynthia Leitich Smith
- Love, When You Want It Least
- YA HQ Tent (Congress Avenue), 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
High school: classes, tests, school newspaper, dance lessons, film club, drama club, family drama—nobody has time for love, right? Especially not when it isn’t the sort of love you ever wanted or planned for. Bestselling authors Cynthia Leitich-Smith (Hearts Unbroken), Nisha Sharma (My So-Called Bollywood Life), and Ibi Zoboi (Pride) present their newest novels, full of true-to-life struggles and follow-your-heart feelings.
- WB Friend, Vanessa Roeder (Read Vanessa’s WB Success Story)
- Read Me A Story with Vanessa Roeder
- Read Me A Story Tent (Congress Avenue), 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Author and illustrator Vanessa Roeder reads Lucy and the String, a sweet and silly story about Lucy who spots a string and can’t help but give it a yank, and before she knows it, at the end of the string, she finds a bear! Now she must find a way to both make his pants stop unravelling and win this dubious bear’s heart.
- WB Friends, Don Tate and Chris Barton
- Educator Session: Using Picture Books to Help Teach History
- Capitol Extension Room E1.010 (1100 Congress Ave), 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM
Sometimes seeing is believing and picture books are the ticket to comprehension for some our trickiest state standards. Join Chris Barton and Don Tate for a conversation about bringing non-fiction to life using picture books. Educators, this session is designed especially for you! Moderated by Christina Nelson.
- WB Friend, Diva Srinivasan
- Read Me A Story with Divya Srinivasan
- Read Me A Story Tent (Congress Avenue), 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Local illustrator Divya Srinivasan reads Little Owl’s Snow, a story about Little Owl who watches the season changing into winter—his first winter. He observes leaves falling, animal friends hibernating, and a chill from his feathers to his feet, and just as he and his friend the racoon are watching their breath make fog in the cold air, it happens: Snow!
- WB Friend and Faculty: Jo Whittemore and Samantha Clark (Listen to Samantha on the WB Podcast!)
- What If?
- Next Chapter Tent (Congress Avenue), 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
Day dreamers, get ready! Let’s talk magic, animals, flying, superheroes and mysteries, and the fun, fearless characters you’ll meet in three new books. Let’s answer some of your what if questions! Moderated by Cyndi Hughes.
- WB’s very own Founder & Faculty, Bethany Hegedus
- Read Me A Story with Bethany Hegedus
- Read Me A Story Tent (Congress Avenue), 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM
Author Bethany Hegedus reads Alabama Spitfire, the true story of Nelle Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird, who from the get-go was a spitfire. Unlike most girls her age, Nelle wore overalls, climbed trees, devoured books with her best friend, Tru, and wrote stories until she discovered the one she was born to tell, fulfilling her dream of being a writer.
- WB Friend & Faculty, Michael Noll
- Beyond Their Books: Unique Relationships with Writers
- Capitol Extension Room E2.036 (1100 Congress Avenue), 12:30 PM – 1:15 PM
Michael Noll (The Writers’ Field Guide to the Craft of Fiction), Program Director for the Writers’ League of Texas and curator of the craft blog Read to Write Stories, and Beowulf Sheehan (Author), portrait photographer of hundreds of compelling authors and figures, share their unique perspectives on working with and getting to know writers beyond their pages. Join them for an interesting look at the writer’s life from a whole new angle. Moderated by Rebecca Markovits.
- WB Friend, Daria Peoples-Riley (Listen to Daria on the WB Porchlight Podcast!)
- Read Me A Story with Daria Peoples-Riley
- Read Me A Story Tent (Congress Avenue), 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM
Author and illustrator Daria Peoples-Riley reads This Is It, a story about a young dancer whose shadow springs to life and leads her on a joyous exploration of the city, a journey which teaches her to have confidence in her skills, her body, and her ability to shine, and all of it just in time for her audition!
- WB Friend, Carolyn Dee Flores
- Read Me A Story with Carolyn Dee Flores
Carolyn Dee Flores featuring her published works. Photo courtesy of Carolyn Flores. - Read Me A Story Tent (Congress Avenue), 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM
- Read Me A Story with Carolyn Dee Flores
Author and illustrator Carolyn Dee Flores reads The Amazing Watercolor Fish, a story about a lonely pet fish that longs to know what exists in the world beyond her bowl—she imagines a giant tree, a wooly goat, and a purple sea, and wonders if there could be someone out there who looks like her. When she meets a nearby fish, Mike, she uses watercolors to paint (and discover) the world as she thinks it could be.
- WB Friend, Varian Johnson
- Close to Home
- Next Chapter Tent (Congress Avenue), 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM
Sometimes how we look on the outside doesn’t reflect how we feel on the inside and you aren’t sure what to think, who to talk to, or what to do. Don’t worry though, Sharon Draper, Varian Johnson and Pablo Cartaya are here with characters who have been there and made it through. Join us to talk about the mysteries of being you.
- WB Friend, Carrie Fountain (Listen to Carrie on WB’s Porchlight Podcast!)
- Not Your Everyday Teen Problems
- YA HQ Tent (Congress Avenue), 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM
Exiled to a summer of food-truck servitude for a prank gone wrong, following a missing friend’s single clue while trying to move on with life, showing the world your biggest secret and facing the fallout—these are not your everyday teen problems. Maurene Goo (The Way You Make Me Feel), Kendra Fortmeyer (Hole in the Middle), and Carrie Fountain (I’m Not Missing) introduce us to their unique characters and offbeat stories
- WB Friend, AG Ford
- Read Me A Story with A G Ford
- Read Me A Story Tent (Congress Avenue), 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Illustrator AG Ford reads Construction Site on Christmas Night, where the trucks are gearing up for Christmas by building a special gift, but what they don’t expect is that there’s a surprise waiting for them too! Join Excavator, Bulldozer, Crane, Dump Truck, and Cement Mixer as each finishes their part in this important job nearing Christmas.
- WB Friend & Faculty, Natalia Sylvester
- Destiny Versus Choice in New Fiction
- Capitol Extension Room E2.014 (1100 Congress Avenue), 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Rachel Heng (Suicide Club) and Natalia Sylvester (Everyone Knows You Go Home) examine the most final and unknown aspect of the human experience in their new books. These authors have channeled their curiosity surrounding the mystery of death into two new novels, one more dystopian than the other, but both with a focus on a father’s impact in a hostile world. Moderated by Matthew Patin.
- WB Friends, Divya and Daria
- The Art of the Story: In the Studio with Illustrators
- Next Chapter Tent (Congress Avenue), 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Love teaching? Love art? Love teaching art?! (Or maybe you just love picture books in general?) Join us for a behind-the-scenes look into the art and artists of some of our new favorite picture books of the year!
- WB Friends, Typewriter Rodeo
- Typewriter Rodeo: Poetry on the Fly
- Capitol Extension Room E1.010 (1100 Congress Ave), 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
What happens when four poets bring their typewriters to a fair and start offering spontaneous, custom-composed poems? A crowd forms. The “rodeo” begins. All over the world. If you liked Humans in New York, you will love Typewriter Rodeo, a collection of custom, typewritten poems along with the personal stories and portraits of the recipients.
- WB Faculty, Cate Berry (Read Cate’s WB Success Story)
- Read Me A Story with Cate Berry
- Read Me A Story Tent (Congress Avenue), 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Local author Cate Berry reads Penguin & Tiny Shrimp Don’t Do Bedtime! in which Penguin and Tiny Shrimp are very clear: they DO NOT have a bedtime story to share with you. There are no soft beds or cozy covers here. There are fireworks and shark infested waters! This book will never make you sleepy. Not at all. Not even a little…
- WB Faculty and Friend, Carolyn Cohagan
Time Next by Carolyn Cohagan - Real World Issues, New World Rules
- YA HQ Tent (Congress Avenue), 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
In these fantasy adventure stories, intrepid young heroines battle some familiar issues—such as the patriarchy—as well as crooked rulers, secretive cults, and the occasional monster. Join Mackenzi Lee (The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy), Carolyn Cohagan (Time Next) and Amy Rose Cappetta (The Brilliant Death) as they talk about rewriting the rules in the worlds they create.
Other WB-Known Authors at TBF on Sunday:
Be sure to browse the festival’s bookstore before the event, and we hope to see you there!
Post by WB intern Sadie Lipe.
Sadie Lipe is a recent graduate from Loyola University Chicago with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Journalism and a minor in Marketing. Hailing from the windy city, Sadie recently moved to Austin and is loving soaking up the southwestern sunshine every minute she can. When she’s not copy editing or brainstorming content creation, you can find her writing poetry or reading fiction novels at her favorite local ATX coffee shops. Her many passions include stocking her cabinets full of superfoods, whisking up some delicious matcha, discussing holistic nutrition, reading classic fictional literature and consuming the greatest cups of coffee she can find.