Virtual Booths – Spring 2021

Say It Loud!

Say It Loud! Readers and Writers is a literary arts organization developed to support educational institutions and community based organizations design and incorporate innovative literary arts

Book Publicists of Southern California

Book Publicists of Southern California was founded in 1976 by Irwin Zucker, also the founder of Promotion in Motion, and is based in Hollywood, California. Its

The Skeptics Society

The Skeptics Society is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) scientific and educational organization whose mission is to engage leading experts in investigating the paranormal, fringe science, pseudoscience,

Smashwords

Smashwords was founded in 2008 to make it fast, free and easy for any writer, anywhere in the world, to self-publish an ebook. Today, Smashwords

Just Us Books

Just Us Books is an independent publisher of children’s books that celebrate the diversity of Black people, history, and culture. Founded in 1988 by Wade

IWOSC

Founded in 1982, IWOSC — Independent Writers of Southern California is one of LA’s longest-running professional writers’ organizations. IWOSC welcomes people at any level of

Little Lion Company

Little Lion provides services that prioritizes Community to keep people Connected, Engaged, and Healthy. We emphasize high quality and rewarding experiences that positively impact participants,

OwlCrate

OwlCrate was a dream born in a basement suite. Back in November 2014, Korrina and Robert set out to create a project that would bring

C.S. Lewis & Co.

C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists is a small book publicity firm that takes pride in developing personal, highly collaborative relationships with authors and publishers. We

RISE Brewing Company

Our Mission: To make high-quality, great-tasting beverages with the freshest organic ingredients we can source. We’re friends with one goal: make high-quality, great-tasting beverages with the

Horror Writers Association

THE HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION (HWA) is a nonprofit organization of writers and publishing professionals around the world, dedicated to promoting dark literature and the interests

Boss Girl Raye

Boss Girl Raye and The Genius Agency Help You Produce, Protect, and Tell Your Story to the Masses.™ Experts in delivering integrated legal information, strategy,

Schedule (Pacific Time)

Keynote & Panels

Day 1 – For Readers Saturday, April 17	All times listed in Pacific Time.
10:30am PT	Welcome Message from The BookFest Founder Desireé Duffy, and Special Guest Deborah Kobylt
10:45am PT	Opening Keynote by Bert Sarkkinen – From the Timber in the Trees to the Paper in Our Books, Let’s Find Long-Term Happiness
11:00am PT	A Conversation with Michael Shermer – Being a Skeptic Today
12:00 Noon PT	Books That Force You to See the World Differently
1:00pm PT	Must Love Books and Television: The Connection between Television, Writers, and Pop Culture
2:00pm PT	Mental Health and Physical Wellness Books for the Extended Pandemic
3:00pm PT	A Conversation with Patrick M. Oliver: Creating the Next Generation of Readers, Writers and Leaders
4:00pm to 6:00pm PT	Live Author Chats – Hosted by Jenna Busch and Anastasia Washington
4:10pm PT	Sharon Koifman from Distant Job and author of Surviving Remote Work talks about thriving while working from home, and what the future holds for remote workers.
4:20pm PT	Amber Nichole, No, don’t look away. How to facilitate inclusion and dialogue between children of all abilities using play from the perspective of a parent and educator.
4:30pm PT	Jeff Sweat talks about his harrowing Covid experience and getting back to writing. He is the author of YA fiction including the books Mayfly and Scorpion.
4:40pm PT	Karen Sloan-Brown, author of The Fortunes of Blues and Blessings will talk about the Fisk Jubilee Singers Grammy win and what it means to chase one’s dreams.
4:50pm PT	Debra Eckerling, author of Your Goal Guide, speaker, and founder of The DEB Method and Write On Online talks about setting goals.
5:00pm PT	T.L. Bequette, author of the forthcoming Good Lookin’ talks about how being a criminal defense attorney in Oakland, California, who’s tried over 20 murder cases, inspires his writing.
5:10pm PT	Bill McCormick, aka Bill McSciFi, author of Splice: Hit Bit Technology and The Brittle Riders Trilogy, tells the story of how Russian bootleggers and Amazon Tech support gave him his nickname.
5:20pm PT	Celeste Duckworth from Vertikal Media Group and host of A Taste of Ink Live talks about empowering authors and our communities.
5:30pm PT	Julian Reeve, author of Captain Perfection & the Secret of Self-Compassion: A Self-Help Book for the Young Perfectionist talks about self-compassion and other perfectionism.
5:40pm PT	Mandy Jackson-Beverly, author of The Creatives Series: a dark vampire thriller, speaker, and host of The Bookshop Podcast, talks about the role of indie bookshops in communities. Reads from her latest collection of ghost stories.

Day 2 – For Writers Sunday, April 18
9:00am PT	A Conversation with Jonathan Maberry: Being a Prolific Writer
10:00am PT	How to Work Successfully with a Free-Lance Editor
11:00am PT	Sharing Your Story: The Secret Ingredient in Your Memoir is You
12:00 Noon PT	PR Pro Tips for Powerful Book Promotions
1:00pm PT	The Science of Storytelling: How To Use Science, Structure and Sizzle to Create a Bestselling Novel or Non-Fiction Book
2:00pm PT	Goodreads 101: What Every Writer Needs to Know
3:00pm PT	A Conversation with Mark Coker, founder of Smashwords
4:00pm PT	Ask the Industry Experts Anything: A Live Q&A for Writers of Every Level

Live Author Chat (AMA)

Saturday, April 17, 2021
4:00pm to 6:00pm Pacific Time

4:10pm PT	Sharon Koifman from Distant Job and author of Surviving Remote Work talks about thriving while working from home, and what the future holds for remote workers.
4:20pm PT	Amber Nichole, No, don’t look away. How to facilitate inclusion and dialogue between children of all abilities using play from the perspective of a parent and educator.
4:30pm PT	Jeff Sweat talks about his harrowing Covid experience and getting back to writing. He is the author of YA fiction including the books Mayfly and Scorpion.
4:40pm PT	Karen Sloan-Brown, author of The Fortunes of Blues and Blessings will talk about the Fisk Jubilee Singers Grammy win and what it means to chase one’s dreams.
4:50pm PT	Debra Eckerling, author of Your Goal Guide, speaker, and founder of The DEB Method and Write On Online talks about setting goals.
5:00pm PT	T.L. Bequette, author of the forthcoming Good Lookin’ talks about how being a criminal defense attorney in Oakland, California, who’s tried over 20 murder cases, inspires his writing.
5:10pm PT	Bill McCormick, aka Bill McSciFi, author of Splice: Hit Bit Technology and The Brittle Riders Trilogy, tells the story of how Russian bootleggers and Amazon Tech support gave him his nickname.
5:20pm PT	Celeste Duckworth from Vertikal Media Group and host of A Taste of Ink Live talks about empowering authors and our communities.
5:30pm PT	Julian Reeve, author of Captain Perfection & the Secret of Self-Compassion: A Self-Help Book for the Young Perfectionist talks about self-compassion and other perfectionism.
5:40pm PT	Mandy Jackson-Beverly, author of The Creatives Series: a dark vampire thriller, speaker, and host of The Bookshop Podcast, talks about the role of indie bookshops in communities. Reads from her latest collection of ghost stories.
5:50pm PT	Debbie Monteggia, poet and author of Tears of Change reads poetry from her book and shares a message of hope and inspiration.