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Press Room

The BookFest Press Room

The BookFest features an array of literary speakers, experts, and authors, which has included: Mitch Albom; Kevin J. Anderson; Angela Bole; Mark Coker; Robert G. Diforio; Cheryl Willis Hudson; Wade Hudson; Sarah Kendzior; Jonathan Maberry; Lisa Morton; Karla Olson; James Rollins; Connie Schultz; Michael Shermer; Mark K. Shriver; Danny Trejo; Helene Wecker; Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, and many others. 

The BookFest® is represented by Black Château. Please click here for media inquiries, requests for interviews, and press coverage.

The BookFest is the leader in virtual literary events and produces vital conversations on the world’s stage for those who love to read, and those who love to write. It has been featured in these media outlets plus hundreds more:

For the most recent BookFest press releases, visit the Black Château Press Room.

To request BookFest Reports to see full media coverage and audience metrics, contact us here.

Archives of previous press releases below.

The BookFest® Creates Strategic Alliances with Literary Brands and Will Make Special Bellwether Announcement

The BookFest Spring 2023 invites readers, writers, and the literary community to discover exclusive offers and unique opportunities April 1st and 2nd.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA – The BookFest® returns for its 7th biannual virtual event on April 1st and 2nd, 2023, with the support of many literary brands through strategic alliances and sponsorships. Plus, a special announcement will be made regarding The BookFest Bellwethers. This new coterie of supporters is part advisory panel, part patrons, and part elite body of thought-leaders—more will be revealed during The BookFest Spring 2023. Booklovers, readers, writers, and members of the literary community are invited to watch and participate in this season’s bookish adventure to discover more.

The BookFest Founder Desireé Duffy says, “The BookFest continues to grow with so many fabulous brands, literary organizations and people joining in the festivities in a multitude of ways. It creates a win-win experience because book lovers discover new books and brands, writers find new resources, and literary brands and organizations connect with new supporters. Oh, and I can’t wait to tell everyone about the BookFest Bellwethers at The BookFest Spring 2023.”

Bookinfluencers returns as a presenting sponsor for The BookFest Spring 2023. The company connects literary influencers around the world with new books and authors.

A new BookFest strategic alliance is with Relatable Media, the parent company of The Relatable Voice Magazine, which will provide a Special BookFest Edition of its April Issue. The collector’s item includes articles written by BookFest authors, highlights of The BookFest Awards, The BookFest #TBR List, a look behind the scenes of The BookFest, and much more.

Lucia Matuonto, Founder of Relatable Media, says, “It is an honor to collaborate with The BookFest and bring this special issue to BookFest fans and members of the reading and writing community.”

Top Shelf Magazine, The Author’s Porch Magazine, and MyStar95.com contribute once again to The BookFest as media supporters. These firms help promote The BookFest to their audiences as well as offer programming assistance and other support through their networks.

The BookFest is renowned for the Big Bundle of Books Giveaway and the Children’s Book Giveaway. The prize packs include books from authors participating in The BookFest as well as from children’s book authors who submitted through The BookFest Awards. Providing additional prizes are Slumberkins and Saddleback Leather Co.

Slumberkins is an emotional learning brand on a mission to empower children to be caring, confident, and resilient. The “Let’s Have a Garden Party” set, which includes several books and super-soft toy kins and minis, is part of the prize package.

Saddleback Leather Co. provides a $100 gift card in the Big Bundle of Books Grand Prize Giveaway. The company creates high-quality leather products, and the gift card can go toward a book bag or product of the winner’s choice.

Authors contributing books for the giveaway include Jonathan Maberry and Tosca Lee who are providing signed copies of their latest books. Randi Braun; Virginia Fox; Rebecca Inch-Partridge; Steven Joseph; Kelly Anne Manuel; Mark J. Rose; E.A. Smiroldo; Sara Winokur, as well as beach book bags and prizes from Books That Make You, are also included. The giveaways are open to entries until Saturday evening of every BookFest. Winners are announced at the conclusion of the Live Author Chats.

The BookFest Virtual Gift Bag is sent to BookFesters at the end of day on Sunday. It contains special offers and downloadable items from brands and authors including: The Author’s Leverage; Author’s Porch Magazine;  Bedside Reading;  Book Award Pro;  Valerie Fentress, Deborah Herman; IWOSC; Literary Agent Andy Ross; Russell Nohelty and Wannabe Press; Relatable Voice Magazine, and others. People can become a BookFester and receive the Virtual Gift Bag for free by signing up for email alerts. They will also receive news and updates about The BookFest and become part of a growing online bookish community.

The BookFest Spring 2023 and past BookFest events are supported by an expanding family of literary brands and organizations, including: The Author’s Leverage; Book Award Pro; Book Publicists of Southern California; Book Riot; Boss Girl Raye Mitchell; Every Library; Horror Writers Association (HWA); Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA); Independent Writers of Southern California (IWOSC); Just Us Books; Invouq; Open Door Publications; Owlcrate; Rise Brewing Company; Skeptics Society; TV Guestpert; Vertikal Alliance International; Vogue Translations; Wannabe Press;  Women’s National Book Association; Writers & Publishers Network and many others. These organizations help to make every BookFest a success and help ensure that attendees have access to the best and most innovative ideas and insights in the world of books and publishing. To see all current and past sponsors and supporters, visit their Virtual Booths and Speaker Pages on The BookFest website.

The BookFest hosts authors, literary experts, and speakers participating in Panel Discussions, Conversations, Special Segments and Live Author Chats. It streams online and is an always free-to-attend two-day event. Attendees of The BookFest Spring 2023 can expect to hear from an impressive lineup of speakers and special guests, including: Tashena Anderson; Glenda Benevides; Randi Braun; Charles Breakfield; Rox Burkey; Robin Currie; Melinda Curtis; Danièle Cybulskie; Rich Davis; Valerie Fentress; Sheila H. Forman; Beth Freely; Virginia Fox; Deborah Herman; Jeffrey Herman; Rebecca Inch-Partridge; Hannah Jacobson; Steven Joseph; Lisa Diane Kastner; Dianne Lake; Tosca Lee; Dr. Roger Leslie; CJ Ives Lopez; Jonathan Maberry; Kelly Anne Manuel; Lucia Matuonto; Chelsea McKenna; Doug McIntyre; Dr. Raye Mitchell; Tawny Molina; Donalee Moulton; Russell Nohelty; Nzondi; Aimee Ravichandran; Mark J. Rose; Steven Sanchez; Lori H. Schwartz; Gavin Seah; Flo Selfman; EA Smiroldo; Parchelle Tashi; Dennis E. Taylor; Edo van Belkom; Sara Winokur; Gary Young and more. These speakers bring diverse perspectives on writing, publishing, marketing, and technology, and will share their expertise with attendees. Additional names may be added, and the speaker lineup is subject to change.

The full schedule can be found on The BookFest Website. Visitors can find the livestream linked on the home page on the day of the event. As well, it will stream through the Books That Make You Channel on YouTube and The BookFest Facebook Page. Hashtags #TheBookFest and #TheBookFestSpring2023 are also being used to spread the word.

The BookFest is produced by Black Château Enterprises and presented in part by Books That Make You.

ABOUT THE BOOKFEST®

The BookFest is the leader in virtual literary events and produces vital conversations on the world’s stage for those who love to read, and those who love to write. It launched May 2020 at a time when lockdown forced many live events to be cancelled. Free to attend, the biannual event happens in the spring and fall, and streams panel discussions, conversations, and live interactive sessions. As an award winner, The BookFest has recognitions from the Webby Awards with a nomination in 2021, a gold award from the Muse Creative Awards in 2020, and a silver award from the w3 Awards in 2020. The BookFest features an array of literary speakers, experts, and authors, which has included: Mitch Albom; Kevin J. Anderson; Angela Bole; Mark Coker; Robert G. Diforio; Cheryl Willis Hudson; Wade Hudson; Sarah Kendzior; Jonathan Maberry; Lisa Morton; Karla Olson; James Rollins; Connie Schultz; Michael Shermer; Mark K. Shriver; Danny Trejo; Helene Wecker; Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, and many others. The BookFest is presented by Books That Make You and produced by Black Château Enterprises. The BookFest is a registered trademark of Desireé Duffy, who is the founder of all three. For more information, visit The BookFest.com.

The BookFest® Spring 2023 Announces Official Schedule Featuring Randi Braun, Deborah Herman, Jeffrey Herman, Lisa Diane Kastner, Tosca Lee, Jonathan Maberry, Flo Selfman, and Many More

The BookFest returns for a 7th biannual livestream event April 1st and 2nd, 2023 with an array of authors, literary experts, and speakers. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA – The BookFest® returns for its 7th biannual virtual event on April 1st and 2nd, 2023 with an array of authors, literary experts, and speakers participating in Panel Discussions, Conversations, Special Segments and Live Author Chats. Presented by Book  influencers, The BookFest Spring 2023 delves into timely topics including the use of artificial intelligence in writing, the journey books take to make it to screen, the craft of world-building, how writers can develop book proposals, and more.

The BookFest Founder Desireé Duffy says, “We’re thrilled to bring another BookFest to the book-loving community. It is always free to attend, and we hope people from around the world enjoy it.”

The BookFest Award winners will be announced during the presentation during A Salute to The BookFest Award Winners which will air throughout The Livestream and in its entirety at the end of the day on Sunday, April 2nd. Winners will be posted on The BookFest website and will be notified by email.

Flo Selfman, Past President of the Independent Writers of Southern California (IWOSC), copyeditor for award-winning books, with a distinguished career in book publicity and promotion, receives the Honorary Achievement BookFest Award.

Selfman says, “I’ve been surrounded by books my whole life, at home and in my professional world. To be selected for this award is validation of a lifelong love. Thank you.”

The BookFest streams online and is an always free-to-attend two-day event. The BookFest Spring 2023 features these speakers, just to name a few:

·         Randi Braun. sought-after thought leader, speaker, and author of the women’s leadership book Something Major: The New Playbook for Women at Work

·         Deborah Herman, bestselling author, publisher, former literary agent, CEO of Micro Publishing Media (MPM) and intuitive writing coach who is also an expert at author branding and skilled in navigating the modern publishing world

·         Jeffrey Herman, literary agent with more than a thousand domestic and international book deals made—including many bestsellers—specializes in adult non-fiction, and author of Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Publishers, Editors and Literary Agents

·         Lisa Diane Kastner, Founder and Executive Editor of Running Wild Press and RIZE Press

·         Tosca Lee, multiple award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of twelve novels whose number one goal is to entertain and transport her readers

·         Jonathan Maberry, New York Timesbestselling author 5-time Bram Stoker Award-winner, and comic book writer

The opening keynote will be delivered by Randi Braun on Day 1 with a talk titled:Ignore those Selfcare Myths — We’re on the Precipice of Something Major. Virginia Fox delivers the keynote on Day 2 with: How a Moment Makes a Writer.

Attendees of The BookFest Spring 2023 can expect to hear from an impressive lineup of speakers, including: Tashena Anderson; Glenda Benevides; Randi Braun; Robin Currie; Melinda Curtis; Danièle Cybulskie; Rich Davis;Valerie Fentress;Sheila H. Forman; Beth Freely; Virginia Fox; Ace Antonio Hall; Deborah Herman; Jeffrey Herman; Rebecca Inch-Partridge; Hannah Jacobson; Steven Joseph; Lisa Diane Kastner; Dianne Lake; Tosca Lee; CJ Ives Lopez; Jonathan Maberry; Kelly Anne Manuel; Chelsea McKenna; Doug McIntyre; Dr. Raye Mitchell;Tawny Molina; Donalee Moulton; Russell Nohelty; Lucia Matuonto; Mark J. Rose; Lori H. Schwartz; EA Smiroldo;Parchelle Tashi; Dennis E. Taylor; Edo van Belkom; Sara Winokur and more. These speakers bring diverse perspectives on writing, publishing, marketing, and technology, and will share their expertise with attendees. Additional names may be added and the speaker lineup is subject to change.

People are encouraged to register for email updates on the website to stay informed, and to join The BookFest Adventure Facebook Group.

The Saturday, April 1st, 2023, livestream programming is dedicated to readers. Listed in Pacific Time, the programming includes:

10:30am PT – Welcome Message from The BookFest Founder Desireé Duffy

10:35am PT – Opening Keynote by Randi Braun: Ignore those Selfcare Myths — We’re on the Precipice of Something Major

10:45am PT – Salute to The BookFest Award Winners Spring 2023

11:00am PT – A Conversation with Tosca Lee

11:45am PT – When Science Fiction Is Based on Science Fact with EA Smiroldo

12:00pm PT – Where Do They Get Those Wonderful Ideas?

12:45pm PT – Writing, Reading and Working Doesn’t Have to Be a Pain in the Neck with Valerie Fentress

1:00pm PT – Readers and Writers, You Need to Be Smarter than a Robot – and Quick

1:45pm PT – Think like a Writer: Act like a Superstar with Dr. Raye Mitchell

2:00pm PT – From Book to Screen—Authors Reveal Their Journey

2:45pm PT – Entitled: What Makes a Great Book Title? With Donalee Moulton

3:00pm PT – A Conversation with a Member of the Manson Family with Dianne Lake and Deborah Herman

3:45pm PT – Salute to The BookFest Award Winners Spring 2023

4:00pm PT to 6pm PT – Live Author Chats, hosted by Doug McIntyre and co-hosted by CJ Lopez

The Saturday, April 2nd, 2023, livestream programming is dedicated to readers. Listed in Pacific Time, the programming includes:

10:30am PT – Welcome Back Message from The BookFest Founder Desireé Duffy

10:35am PT – Keynote – Virginia Fox: How a Moment Makes a Writer

10:45am PT – A Salute to Flo Selfman Winner of the Honorary Achievement BookFest Award

11:00am PT – A Conversation – Running Wild with Lisa Diane Kastner and Jonathan Maberry

11:45am PT – Transform Your Book into Premium and Profitable Online Courses with Parchelle Tashi

12:00pm PT – It’s a Mad, Mad Author’s World

12:45pm PT – Turning Bad Reviews into Positives with Tawny Molina

1:00pm PT – The Library Market for Authors with Robin Currie

1:45pm PT – Leveraging Book Awards and Accolades with Hannah Jacobson

2:00pm PT – Decoding the Book Proposal with Deborah Herman and Jeffrey Herman

2:45pm PT – Salute to The BookFest Award Winners Spring 2023—Full Video

 

The full schedule can be found on The BookFest Website, and changes may occur. People can become a BookFester by signing up for email alerts and receive news and updates. They will also receive the Virtual Gift Bag, which is sent at the end of each BookFest.The Big Bundle of Books Giveaway is back, too. It is open to entries until Saturday evening of every BookFest. Winners are announced at the conclusion of the Live Author Chats. 

The BookFest is produced by Black Château Enterprises and presented by Bookinfluencers and by Books That Make You.

The BookFest Spring 2023 is also supported by a number of BookFest Bellwethers and great organizations, including The Author’s Leverage, The Authors Porch, IWOSC, Relatable Voice Magazine, TV Guestpert, Wannabe Press, and many others. These organizations help to make the event a success and to ensure that attendees have access to the best and most innovative ideas and insights in the world of books and publishing.

The event’s hub is the website TheBookFest.com, and visitors can find the livestream linked there on the day of the event. As well, it will stream through the Books That Make You Channel on YouTube and The BookFest Facebook Page. Hashtags #TheBookFest and #TheBookFestSpring2023 are also being used to spread the word.

ABOUT THE BOOKFEST®

The BookFest is the leader in virtual literary events and produces vital conversations on the world’s stage for those who love to read, and those who love to write. It launched May 2020 at a time when lockdown forced many live events to be cancelled. Free to attend, the biannual event happens in the spring and fall, and streams panel discussions, conversations, and live interactive sessions. As an award winner, The BookFest has recognitions from the Webby Awards with a nomination in 2021, a gold award from the Muse Creative Awards in 2020, and a silver award from the w3 Awards in 2020. The BookFest features an array of literary speakers, experts, and authors, which has included: Mitch Albom; Kevin J. Anderson; Angela Bole; Mark Coker; Robert G. Diforio; Cheryl Willis Hudson; Wade Hudson; Sarah Kendzior; Jonathan Maberry; Lisa Morton; Karla Olson; James Rollins; Connie Schultz; Michael Shermer; Mark K. Shriver; Danny Trejo; Helene Wecker; Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, and many others. The BookFest is presented by Books That Make You and produced by Black Château Enterprises. The BookFest is a registered trademark of Desireé Duffy, who is the founder of all three. For more information, visit The BookFest.com.

 

The BookFest® Fall 2022 Announces Official Schedule Featuring Beatrice Adenodi, Angela Bole, Virginia Fox, Philip Fracassi, Karla Olson, Katharine Sands, Robert J. Sawyer and Many More

The BookFest returns for a 6th biannual livestream event October 22nd and 23rd with an array of authors, literary experts, and speakers. Being aware and talking action is a theme with discussions about book bannings and climate change. The Horror Writers Association joins as a presenting sponsor and helps brings a spooky and autumnal theme to this online bookish adventure™.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA – The BookFest® returns for its 6th biannual virtual event on October 22nd and 23rd, 2022 with an array of authors, literary experts, and speakers in Panels, Conversations, Special Segments and Live Author Chats. Presented by the Horror Writers Association and Bookinfluencers, The BookFest Fall 2022 has a spooky, autumnal theme. In response to the issues of our times, being aware and taking action are also themes with discussions about book bannings and climate change taking the virtual stage.

The BookFest Award winners will be announced during the presentation during A Salute to The BookFest Award Winners which will air throughout The Livestream and in its entirety at the end of the day on Sunday, October 23rd. Winners will be posted on The BookFest website and will be notified by email.

The BookFest streams online and is an always free-to-attend two-day event. The BookFest Fall 2022 features these speakers, just to name a few:

  • Beatrice Adenodi, storyteller, sought-after a business leadership consultant, speaker, first generation Nigerian American, founder of Mirror Inc. and author of Mindless Behaviors: Breaking through Unseen Barriers
  • Angela Bole, CEO of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and incoming CEO of Firebrand Group  
  • Virginia Fox,bestselling European author who is releasing the Rocky Mountain Romances book series in the United States
  • Philip Fracassi, author of novels and short stories, and screenwriter of films that have been distributed by Disney Entertainment and Lifetime Television. The New York Timescalls his work, “terrifically scary”
  • Karla Olson, books publisher at Patagonia, past chair of IBPA, president of IBPA affiliates Publishers and Writers of San Diego and Publishers and Writers of Orange County, and founder of Read Local, a marketing coalition for authors  
  • Katharine Sands, literary agent representing fiction, non-fiction, and memoir. Agent provocateur of Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch a Literary Agent’s Eye, a collection of pitching wisdom from leading literary agents  
  • Robert J. Sawyer, bestselling novelist, award-winning scriptwriter, one of only eight writers ever to win all three of the top Science Fiction awards: the Hugo, the Nebula, and John W. Campbell Memorial Award

Delivering the opening keynote is Beatrice Adenodi with a talk titled The Whispers in Our Stories. On Day Two, Karla Olson, books publisher at Patagonia, delivers the keynote titled The Magic of Storytelling.

BookFest Fall 2022 features an array of authors, literary leaders, and experts, including: A. Beatrice Adenodi; Meghan Arcuri; Jonathan Arnold; William Bernhardt; AG Billig; Neil Bockoven, PhD; Diann Boehm; Angela Bole; Naomi Simone Borwein; Brian Bosch; Peter Bromberg; Carylee Carrington; Rich Davis; Dave Duffy; Jeff Eckert; Geneve Flynn; Virginia Fox; Philip Fracassi; Becky Parker Geist; Maxwell I. Gold; DC Gomez; Jennifer Gordon; Austin Gragg; Ina Hillebrandt; Frances Lu Pai Ippolito; Mandy Jackson-Beverly; Sharon Jenkins; Angela Johnson; Steven Joseph; Deborah Kobylt; Paul Levine; Mack Little; Lucia Matuonto; Mickey Mikkelson; Dr. Raye Mitchell; Leslie Ann Moore; Lee Murray; Jen Nash; Karla Olson; Herbie J Pilato; Chester L. Richards; Jeff Rivera; David L. Robbins; Mike Robinson; Clyve Rose; Mark J Rose; Katharine Sands; Robert J Sawyer; EA Smiroldo; Stuart Waldner; and Lee Wind. Additional names may be added and the speaker lineup is subject to change.

Attendees can browse “Virtual Booths,” which are pages for BookFest sponsors, like a physical booth one might find at a festival. There is also a “Books Page” showcasing books from participants. The BookFest organizers encourage attendees to browse books and support the authors and sponsors who help bring this free-to-attend event to attendees around the globe.

People are encouraged to register for email updates on the website to stay informed, and to join The BookFest Adventure Facebook Group.

The Saturday, October 22nd, 2022, livestream programming is dedicated to readers. Listed in Pacific Time, the programming includes:

11:30am PT – Welcome Message from The BookFest Founder Desireé Duffy

11:35am PT – Opening Keynote by Beatrice Adenodi: The Whispers in Our Stories 

11:45am PT – Salute to The BookFest Award Winners

12:00pm PT – A Conversation with Phillip Fracassi – An Author Alone with Strangers

1:00pm PT – Climate Change: So This Is how the World Ends

1:45pm PT – Do You Hear What I Hear? With Becky Parker Geist

2:00pm PT – Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Time Travel, Horror, Oh My!

3:00pm PT – It’s a Thriller of a Chat with William Bernhardt

3:30pm PT – Yes They Are Banning Books – What You Need to Know and How You Can Help

4:30pm PT – The Adventure of a Lifetime Chat with Chester L. Richards

4:45pm PT – Falling in Love with Reading with Virginia Fox

5:00pm PT – A Conversation with Neil Bockoven, PhD. – Paleo Human Mysteries

6:00pm to 8:00pm PT – Live Author Chats and Readings – Presented by the Horror Writers Association

The Sunday, October 23rd, 2022, programming is geared toward writers. Listed in Pacific Time, the programming includes:

11:35am PT – Keynote by Karla Olson: The Magic of Storytelling

11:45am PT – Salute to The BookFest Award Winners

12:00pm PT – A Conversation with Angela Bole – Agility in an Ever-Evolving Industry

12:45pm PT – Historical Fiction Writing with Clyve Rose

1:00pm PT – Anthologies, Publications and Showcase Submissions – A Talk with the Judges

1:45pm PT – Public Relations and Interview Tips with Mickey Mikkelson

2:00pm PT – The Critiki-Bar: Page One Manuscript Critiques (An agent and an author walk into a bar…)

2:45pm PT – Making Connections with Jen Nash

3:00pm PT – Building Your Author Platform

3:45pm PT – Breaking Books – How To Land a TV Deal

4:00pm PT – Legal Eagles to Help Your Bookish Adventure Soar

5:00pm PT – Salute to The BookFest Award Winners – Full Video

The full schedule can be found on The BookFest Website, and changes may happen. People can become a BookFester by signing up for email alerts and receive news. They will also receive the Virtual Gift Bag, which is sent at the end of each BookFest. The Big Bundle of Books Giveaway is back, too. It is open to entries until Saturday evening of every BookFest. Winners are announced at the conclusion of the Live Author Chats. 

The BookFest is produced by Black Château Enterprises and presented by the Horror Writers Association, Bookinfluencers and by Books That Make You.

Other supporters of The BookFest include:

Authors Porch; Black Château Enterprises; Book Publicists of Southern California; BookRiot; Boss Girl Raye; D.E.B. Method; EveryLibrary; Independent Book Publishers Association; Independent Writers of Southern California; Invouq; Just Us Books; MyStar95.com; Open Door Publications; OwlCrate; Rise Brewing Company; Self-Publishing Mastery; The Skeptics Society; WannaBe Press; the Women’s National Book Association/Los Angeles; Vertikal Life Magazine and the Writers and Publishers Network (WPN).

The event’s hub will be the website TheBookFest.com, and visitors can find the livestream linked there on the day of the event. As well, it will stream through the Books That Make You Channel on YouTube and The BookFest Facebook Page. Hashtags #TheBookFest and #TheBookFestFall2022 are also being used to spread the word.

ABOUT THE BOOKFEST®

The BookFest is the leader in virtual literary events and produces vital conversations on the world’s stage for those who love to read, and those who love to write. It launched May 2020 at a time when lockdown forced many live events to be cancelled. Free to attend, the biannual event happens in the spring and fall, and streams panel discussions, conversations, and live interactive sessions. As an award winner, The BookFest has recognitions from the Webby Awards with a nomination in 2021, a gold award from the Muse Creative Awards in 2020, and a silver award from the w3 Awards in 2020. The BookFest features an array of literary speakers, experts, and authors, which has included: Mitch Albom; Kevin J. Anderson; Mark Coker; Robert G. Diforio; Cheryl Willis Hudson; Wade Hudson; Sarah Kendzior; Jonathan Maberry; Lisa Morton; James Rollins; Connie Schultz; Michael Shermer; Mark K. Shriver; Danny Trejo; Helene Wecker; Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, and many others. The BookFest is presented by Books That Make You and produced by Black Château Enterprises. The BookFest is a registered trademark of Desireé Duffy, who is the founder of all three. For more information, visit The BookFest.com.

The BookFest Adventure™ Livestream Event Fall 2022 Dates Announced – Plus the BookFest Awards™ Return

The BookFest Adventure™ Fall 2022 Happens October 22nd and 23rd, 2022. The free-to-attend livestream event features programming for both the reading and writing communities.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA – The BookFest Adventure™ official dates for the fall livestream event are announced. Readers and writers can attend for free October 22nd and 23rd, 2022. The BookFest Awards™ also return to honor outstanding books and authors who demonstrate excellence in the literary arts.

Desireé Duffy, Founder of The BookFest Adventure, says, “The outpouring of support for the first The BookFest Awards was incredible. We received so many wonderful submissions and now are proud to continue the BookFest Awards as a tradition with each The BookFest Adventure livestream event.”

Early bird pricing for submissions is in effect until June 30th, 2022. Use code fall25 to receive 25% off entry fees.

Submissions for The BookFest Awards Fall 2022 may be entered on The BookFest Adventure website. More information is also found there, including a complete list of eligible genres and categories.

Books are judged using an array of criteria to evaluate story, message, genre, theme, and aesthetics. Awards are bestowed based on genre and subgenre, as well as other categories such as best cover art and best website. There are four levels of awards including first place, second place, third place and honorable mention.

Books submitted for consideration to The BookFest Awards are evaluated with a three-round judging system: first by an expert vetting team to ensure submitted work meets necessary criteria, then by The BookFest associate judging committee, and then final determinations are made by the executive BookFest Awards judging committee.

Winners of The BookFest Awards will be announced during The BookFest Adventure livestream event. Awards are given in book genres as well as other categories such as best cover art and best website. There are four levels of awards in each subcategory.

All book award winners will receive:

Free downloadable certificate
Free downloadable award graphic to use on their website, social media, newsletter etc.
Free placement on The BookFest Adventure website award winners’ page

Optional purchase of award certificate

Optional purchase of award trophy

Optional purchase of award stickers

(Additional certificates and trophies may be purchased for coauthors, cover illustrators, editors, etc., but must be purchased under your account.)

Third place book award winners will receive: everything above plus be mentioned in a special article about The BookFest Award winners.

Second place book award winners will receive: everything above plus be linked to in The BookFest newsletter with 20,000+ subscribers.

First place book award winners will receive: everything above plus be linked to in the Official Winners Press Release sent to our media list of 3,000+ and online wire distribution to 300+ news/ media sites. First place winners will also be featured in social media posts on The BookFest social media platforms.

Select First place winners will be evaluated and may be invited to be a guest on the award-winning Books That Make You show. Three to six winners are anticipated to receive this special invitation.

People are encouraged to register for email updates on the website to stay informed, and to join The BookFest Adventure Facebook Group.

The entire list of BookFest Award honorees from previous entries can be found on the Award Winners page.

The BookFest is produced by the Webby Award-Winning Black Château Enterprises and by Books That Make You, a bookish brand for bibliophiles.

ABOUT THE BOOKFEST ADVENTURE™ LIVESTREAM EVENT

The BookFest Adventure™ is the leader in virtual literary events and produces vital conversations on the world’s stage for those who love to read, and those who love to write. It launched May 2020 at a time when lockdown forced many live events to be cancelled. Free to attend, the biannual event happens in the spring and fall, and streams panel discussions, conversations, and live interactive sessions. An award winner, The BookFest Adventure Livestream Event has received recognitions from the Webby Awards with a nomination in 2021, a gold award from the Muse Creative Awards in 2020, and a silver award from the w3 Awards in 2020. The BookFest Adventure Livestream Event features an array of literary speakers, experts, and authors, which has included: Mitch Albom; Mark Coker; Robert G. Diforio; Cheryl Willis.

The BookFest Spring 2022 Announces Award Winners

The BookFest awards proudly salutes the winners of the inaugural BookFest Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA – The BookFest® salutes the winners of the first BookFest Awards. The winners, announced at its 5th biannual virtual event, demonstrate excellence in the literary arts. The BookFest Awards honors writers who create outstanding works of fiction and nonfiction and is proud to salute the award-winning books and authors.

Desireé Duffy, Founder of The BookFest, says, “We’re blown away by all the wonderful submissions in the first biannual BookFest Awards. There were so many amazing stories, fascinating novels, and beautiful books. Congratulations to the honorees and thank you for your contribution to the literary world. Your voices are heard, are appreciated, and much-needed in our society.”

There were 364 books submitted for consideration. Books are judged using an array of criteria to evaluate story, message, genre, theme, and aesthetics. Awards are bestowed based on genre and subgenre, as well as other categories such as best cover art and best website. There are four levels of awards including first place, second place, third place and honorable mention.

The First Place Winners of The BookFest Awards Spring 2022 include these books:

100 Livestreaming & Digital Media Predictions; 50 States; A Break in the Fog; A Case for the Candle Maker; A Cold Wynter’s Knight; A Fatal Fumble; A Grownup Guide to Effective  rankiness; A Hundred Sweet Promises; Always a Princess; America of We The People; Baby Heart – Remembering Who I Am; Bacon Grief; Barbara And The Djinn; Barbies 4 Blokes; Battle  ; Beauty Beyond the Thorns; Behavioral Astrology; Beyond the Shadows; Beyond the Shallow Bank; Beyond The Steps Of Stone; Birth of a Unicorn; Black Girl Shattered; Black Women Need Love Too; Black, White, and Gray All Over; Bluer than Indigo Leadership; Grocery Girl; Both Sides of the Border; Bowl of Night; Break Loose and Fly; Bull in a China Shop; Butterfly Awakens; Constellations; Cost of Arrogance; Create Forever Teammates; Crude Awakenings; Cute for a Black Girl; Dark River; Days of the Dead; Dead Cereus; Death’s Intern; Deehabta’s Song; Deprived Expression Vibes; Despite The Buzz; Don’t Mind Me, I’m Just Having a Bad Life; Dr. ALTMAN and THE CONCUBINES; Dragon Twins; Dragons Within; Dream Shatter; Duke of Renown; Dwelling; Embody; Enough About Me; Family Crystals; Fighting the Darkness; Fin; Find Your Voice, Save Your Life 3; Follows and Likes Is This All That I’m Worth?; From Tibet to Egypt; Ghosted; Glass House; Gloria Finds Her Voice; Glue; Groovy Girl; Hamlet in Baltimore; Help My Business Is Holding Me Hostage; Honoring the Legacy; Hot House; House of Bastiion; I Saw What I Saw; In This Room…; Independence; Inside Passage; Into a Reluctant Sunrise; JUMP; Kindness Week; Kingfisher; Laughers; Let’s Be Friends; Lovely Oblivion; Loyalty, Love & Vermouth; Make it a Double; Marketing Strategy; Mates and Memories; Monkeys on the Road; Moriarty; Multicultural Mindfulness; My Brother’s Keeper; Nighttime Fantasy; Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops; No Names to Be Given; Nowonderland; Oddball Ornaments; Our Church Mothers; Out of Poland – Novella; Outlaw’s Redemption; Overcoming; Paint Me Fearless; Pawprints On Our Hearts; Peculiar Savage Beauty; Perfectly Poetic; Plague of Flies; POEMZ 4 U AND YOURZ; Project Adventure Box Set; QUESTIONS; Radical Belonging; RECLAIMING THE SACRED SOURCE; Return from Darkness; River’s Call; Scatter Seeds of Kindness; Season of the Runer Book I; Secret of the Starflower; Secrets of the Permafree Book; Serve ‘N’ Protect; Sick as our Secrets; Sight Unseen; Signal 41; Silver; Skein of Fates; Sky Light Ends; Slavery 101; Star Revelations; Tears of the Wolf; Terriers in the Jungle; The 400-Year Holocaust; The 8 Qualities of the EXCEPTIONAL Black Woman in Business and Entrepreneurship; The Calorie Counting Diet plus 4 other books; The Darkest Gift – Revised edition; The Dragon From Guangzhou; The Drive To Freedom; The Enigma Threat; The Fate Unfollowed; The Flipping Blueprint; The Ghosts of Marshley Park; The Hero’s Journey; The Illusion of a Boy; The Ins and Outs of My Vagina; The Jump; The Kid Code; The Lambda Factor; The Lunar Codex; The Maestro Monologue; The Mayfly and the Methuselah Tree; The Mystery of Tully Hall; The Picture Wall; The Prayer Warrior; The Rescue; The Road to Villa Page; The Sweetest Ladybug; The Underground Dogs; THE VOYAGE; This Hallowed Ground; Time Stamps; To the Monsters of My Past; Toofer & The Giblet; Touch; Trailing Redemption; Trauma Survivor’s Guide to Coping With Panic Attacks; Trials and Tribulations of Modesty Greene; Tribal Affairs; Twinkle; Uncle Sam’s Daughter; Uncolonized Latinas; UNDER COLOR OF LAW; Unfortunate; Unsound; Using Japanese Paper for Digital Printing of Photographs; Voice of a Mummy; Waiting for Normal; When God Says NO; When Mommy’s Busy; When My Mind Winds Up; When the Words Suddenly Stopped; WHEN TO RUN, BORN SCARED; Wisdom; Writes of Passage.

Books submitted for consideration to The BookFest Awards are evaluated with a three-round judging system: first by an expert vetting team to ensure submitted work meets necessary criteria, then by The BookFest associate judging committee, and then final determinations are made by the executive BookFest Awards judging committee: Elaine Ash, Celeste S. Duckworth, Flo Selfman, and Elliott Wolf.

The entire list of BookFest Award honorees can be found on the Award Winners page.

The inaugural BookFest Awards also salutes Industry icon Irwin Zucker, Founder of the Book Publicists of SoCal and President of Promotion in Motion Public Relations, who received the first Honorary Achievement Award.

The next BookFest Awards for The BookFest Fall 2022 will be open for submissions soon. People are encouraged to register for email updates on the website to stay informed, and to join The BookFest Adventure Facebook Group.

The BookFest is produced by Black Château Enterprises and presented by Bookstagrammers, a platform dedicated to book influencers, and by Books That Make You, a bookish brand for bibliophiles.

ABOUT THE BOOKFEST ADVENTURE™ LIVESTREAM EVENT

The BookFest Adventure™ is the leader in virtual literary events and produces vital conversations on the world’s stage for those who love to read, and those who love to write. It launched May 2020 at a time when lockdown forced many live events to be cancelled. Free to attend, the biannual event happens in the spring and fall, and streams panel discussions, conversations, and live interactive sessions. An award winner, The BookFest Adventure Livestream Event has received recognitions from the Webby Awards with a nomination in 2021, a gold award from the Muse Creative Awards in 2020, and a silver award from the w3 Awards in 2020. The BookFest Adventure Livestream Event features an array of literary speakers, experts, and authors, which has included: Mitch Albom; Mark Coker; Robert G. Diforio; Cheryl Willis

The BookFest® Spring 2022 Announces Official Schedule Featuring Dave Chesson, Joel Eisenberg, Deborah Herman, Paul Hynek, Angela Johnson, Suzie Newell, Andy Ross, Katharine Sands, Michael Shermer, Dennis E. Taylor, Irwin Zucker

The BookFest returns for a 5th biannual online bookish adventure April 2nd and 3rd with an array of authors, literary experts, and speakers. The wonders of the Universe are a theme during a conversation about UFOs with renowned skeptic Michael Shermer and science fiction entertainment expert Paul Hynek, and during Dennis E. Taylor’s conversation about the expansive Bobiverse. Brave New Writer and The Critiki-Bar return, plus the first BookFest Awards winners will be announced.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA – The BookFest® returns for its 5th biannual virtual event on April 2nd and 3rd,
2022, with an array of authors, literary experts, and speakers in panel discussions and conversations. Day one leans more toward readers and day two offers content geared more toward writers. The wonders of the Universe are a theme in this spring’s BookFest Adventure. Skeptic, Michael Shermer discusses UFOs with science fiction entertainment expert Paul Hynek and The BookFest’s founder Desireé Duffy. Dennis E. Taylor talks about his expansive Bobiverse and his popular book series with moderator Jenna Busch.

Fan-favorites Brave New Writer and The Critiki-Bar return, plus the first BookFest Awards winners will be announced. The BookFest is presented by Bookstagrammers and Books That Make You. It is produced by Black Château Enterprises.

The BookFest Spring 2022 features these speakers, just to name a few:

  • Dave Chesson, the Founder of Kindlepreneur.com, a Kindle marketing Jedi, and author.
  • Joel Eisenberg, author of the fantasy novel saga, The Chronicles of Ara and writer-executive producer of several award-winning feature films, including April Showers.
  • Deborah Herman, founder of Author Branding Solutions, publisher, author, and former literary agent with over thirty years’ experience in the publishing industry.
  • Paul Hynek, known as the Mystical Alien Wizard Man, he is a futurist, professor, and entrepreneur at the convergence of technology and entertainment.
  • Angela Johnson, founder of Sunday Dinner Publishing, and diversity and inclusion activist working to increase representation for marginalized creatives in publishing.
  • Suzie Newell, doctorate specializing in coping mechanisms for women with substance use disorder, nurse and author.
  • Andy Ross, Founder of the Andy Ross Agency, represents books in narrative non-fiction, history, current events, adult and teen fiction.
  • Katharine Sands, literary agent representing fiction, non-fiction and memoir. Agent provocateur of Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch a Literary Agent’s Eye, a collection of pitching wisdom from leading literary agents.
  • Michael Shermer, author of Giving the Devil His Due: Reflections of a Scientific Humanist, publisher of Skeptic Magazine, host of the podcast The Michael Shermer Show, and Presidential Fellow at Chapman University.
  • Dennis E. Taylor, author of the acclaimed sci-fi Bobiverse book series, a former computer programmer and member of the prestigious X-Prize Foundation Science Fiction Advisory Council as a Visionary Storyteller.
  • Irwin Zucker, Industry icon, founder of the Book Publicists of SoCal and president of Promotion in Motion Public Relations.

Delivering the opening keynote is Suzie Newell, speaker, nurse anesthesiologist with a doctorate specializing in coping mechanisms, and author of The Path 365. On Day Two, Dave Chesson, the Founder of Kindlepreneur.com, a Kindle marketing Jedi, and author, delivers the keynote.

BookFest Spring 2022 features an array of authors, literary leaders, and BookFest judges, including: Beatrice Adenodi; Marylin Anderson; Elaine Ash; A.G. Billig; Jenna Busch; Andy Case; Dave Chesson; Isabel Cintra; Zeka Cintra; Ivor Davis; Tamara Miller Davis; Cristina Deptula; Celeste S. Duckworth; Desireé Duffy; Joel Eisenberg; Danika Ellis; Virginia Fox; Kim Gottlieb-Walker; Deborah Herman; Ina Hillebrandt; Paul Hynek; Marcus James; Angela Shanté Johnson; Steven Joseph; Kathleen Kaiser; David Konrad; Eric Labacz; CJ Ives Lopez; Lucia Manuonto; Heather Mathes; Karen Hodges Miller; Adanna Moriarty; Suzie Newell; Anna Nyakana; Alicia Ponce; David L. Robbins; Clyve Rose; Andy Ross; Scott Ryan; Katharine Sands; Ravi Sahay; Flo Selfman; Waleed Shah; Michael Shermer; Dennis E. Taylor; Harrison Taylor; Antina van der Veen; Elliott Wolf; and Irwin Zucker.

Attendees can browse “Virtual Booths,” which are pages for BookFest sponsors, like a physical booth one might find at a festival. There is also a “Books Page” showcasing books from participants. The BookFest organizers encourage attendees to browse books and support the authors and sponsors who help bring this free-to-attend event to attendees around the globe.

During the inaugural BookFest Awards, Industry icon Irwin Zucker, founder of the Book Publicists of SoCal and president of Promotion in Motion Public Relations, will receive the first Honorary Achievement Award on April 3rd. All winners of The BookFest Awards Spring 2022 will also be announced then.

The Pitching Room is open for submissions now and throughout the event. This is a space on The BookFest website for writers to submit their manuscript pitches to potentially be matched with literary agents and publishing decision-makers. In addition to possibly securing an agent or book deal through the Pitching Room, authors may also request to be considered for “Critiki-Bar” or “Brave New Writer” at The BookFest Adventure.

People are encouraged to register for email updates on the website to stay informed, and to join The BookFest Adventure Facebook Group.

The Saturday, April 2nd, 2022, live stream programming is dedicated to readers. Listed in Pacific Time, the programming includes:

10:30am PT – Welcome Message

10:45am PT – Opening Keynote by Suzie Newell: Do You Yearn to Live Your Dream? Overcome Your Fears and Become the Best You

10:00am PT – A Conversation with Dennis E. Taylor: Being a Creator of Imaginative Worlds for Readers

12:00pm PT – Authors and Books to Break You Out of Your Comfort Zone

1:00pm PT – The Perfection of Our Imperfection: How to Nourish Our Bodies, Health, and Well-Being

2:00pm PT – Decoding His Story: Men Who Write Memoirs

3:00pm PT – Dr. Michael Shermer and Paul Hynek in Conversation: The Great UFO Debate

4:00pm to 6:00pm PT – Live Author Chats Hosted by Scott Ryan and A.G. Billig

The Sunday, April 3rd, 2022, programming is geared toward writers. Listed in Pacific Time, the programming includes:

11:45 am PT – Day Two Keynote by Dave Chesson: Book Writing in a Busy World

12:00Pm PT – A Conversation with Joel Eisenberg – Are You Writing for Your Life?

1:00Pm PT – The Critiki-Bar: Page One Manuscript Critiques (An agent and an author walk into a bar…)

2:00Pm PT – The Magic Behind Illustrated Children’s Books

3:00Pm PT – Can You Really Do It All? Being an Authorpreneur and Knowing when to Enlist Help

4:00pm – Brave New Writer at The BookFest Adventure

Plus, throughout The BookFest, there will be special segments, including:

  • Love Who You Are, Love What You Do with A.G. Billig 
  • Three Easy Steps to Nailing Your Media Appearances with A.G. Billig 
  • Becoming an Instagram Influencer and Engaging Book Reviewers with Antina van der Veen from Bookstagrammers
  • Self-Editing Tips with Flo Selfman 
  • Presentation of the first Honorary Achievement Award to Irwin Zucker (Sun., April 3rd)
  • BookFest Awards Announced 

The BookFest is produced by Black Château Enterprises and presented by Bookstagrammers, a platform dedicated to book influencers, and by Books That Make You, a bookish brand for bibliophiles.

Other supporters of The BookFest include:

Authors Porch; Authors, Large and Small; Authors Porch; Black Château Enterprises; Book Publicists of Southern California; BookRiot; Boss Girl Raye; D.E.B. Method; Get Published Radio; Grupology; Horror Writers Association; Independent Writers of Southern California; Just Us Books; MyStar95.com; Napox Photography; Open Door Publications; OwlCrate; Roadmap Authors; Say it Loud Readers & Writers;  Self-Publishing Mastery; Smashwords; The Skeptics Society; TVGuestpert Publishing; WannaBe Press; the Women’s National Book Association/Los Angeles; Wordsmith Writing Coaches; Vertikal Life Magazine and the Writers and Publishers Network (WPN).

The event’s hub will be the website TheBookFest.com, and visitors can find the live stream linked there on the day of the event. As well, it will stream through the Books That Make You Channel on YouTube and Facebook Page. Hashtags #TheBookFest and #TheBookFestSpring2022 are also being used, and social media for Black Château and Books That Make You will help spread the word.

ABOUT THE BOOKFEST®

The BookFest is the leader in virtual literary events and produces vital conversations on the world’s stage for those who love to read, and those who love to write. It launched May 2020 at a time when lockdown forced many live events to be cancelled. Free to attend, the biannual event happens in the spring and fall, and streams panel discussions, conversations, and live interactive sessions. As an award winner, The BookFest has recognitions from the Webby Awards with a nomination in 2021, a gold award from the Muse Creative Awards in 2020, and a silver award from the w3 Awards in 2020. 

The BookFest features an array of literary speakers, experts, and authors, which has included: Mitch Albom; Kevin J. Anderson; Mark Coker; Robert G. Diforio; Cheryl Willis Hudson; Wade Hudson; Sarah Kendzior; Jonathan Maberry; Lisa Morton; James Rollins; Connie Schultz; Michael Shermer; Mark K. Shriver; Danny Trejo; Helene Wecker; Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, and many others. The BookFest is presented by Books That Make You and produced by Black Château Enterprises. The BookFest is a registered trademark of Desireé Duffy, who is the founder of all three. For more information, visit https://www.thebookfest.com/.

The BookFest® Spring 2022 Salutes Industry Icon Irwin Zucker with Honorary Achievement Award

The BookFest returns for a 5th biannual online bookish adventure April 2 with the inaugural BookFest Awards. The BookFest Awards judging committee is also officially announced. It includes: Elaine Ash, Celeste S. Duckworth, Flo Selfman and Elliott Wolf, who will prepare the final slate of winners to be announced at The BookFest Spring 2022.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA – The BookFest® returns for its 5th biannual virtual event on April 2nd and 3rd, 2022, with the inaugural BookFest Awards. Industry icon Irwin Zucker, founder of the Book Publicists of SoCal and president of Promotion in Motion Public Relations, will receive the first Honorary Achievement Award on April 3rd. All winners of The BookFest Awards Spring 2022 will also be announced then.

The executive BookFest Awards judging committee is also officially announced. It includes Elaine Ash, Celeste S. Duckworth, Flo Selfman, and Elliott Wolf.

Elaine Ash is an expert book doctor, ghostwriter, and editor with a forte for romance, thrillers, and YA, as well as non-fiction and self-help books. Ash is also the author of Bestseller Metrics: How to Win the Novel Writing Game.

Celeste S. Duckworth is the president of Vertikal Life Magazine, a writer, and host of A Taste of Ink LIVE radio program.

Flo Selfman is an in-demand copyeditor-proofreader for award-winning books in many genres. She is the Immediate past president of the Independent Writers of SoCal (IWOSC) from 2003-2016, and currently writes the Grammar for Grownups column in the IWOSC newsletter, The Independent.

Elliott Wolf is the founder of Peanut Butter Publishing, one of the oldest small publishing houses in the United States. He has been making authors’ dreams come true since 1972 and has published more than 1,500 titles.

The BookFest Awards honors outstanding books published within the last five years, extending it from three years. Due to lockdowns and social distancing, Desireé Duffy, founder of The BookFest, felt it was important to highlight books that may not have seen the recognition deserved.

Duffy says, “The BookFest Awards honors outstanding literary achievement. Saluting writers and connecting them with readers is the mission of The BookFest. We welcome submissions and look forward to honoring many deserving books and authors this spring. Plus, we are beyond thrilled to cast a spotlight on someone who is a friend and mentor of mine, and an inspiration to the entire industry, Mr. Irwin Zucker.”

Zucker says, “I am thrilled to receive this award and thank The BookFest for this recognition. The Book Publicists of Southern California is an outstanding organization that I am proud to have founded, and my PR company has helped many authors get the media recognition they deserve. It is wonderful to be personally recognized with the Honorary Achievement Award from The BookFest.”

The BookFest Awards Spring 2022 is accepting submissions through the extended deadline of February 21st, 2022. Award winners and those receiving honorable mentions will receive a downloadable certificate, awards graphic, and recognition on The BookFest website. Third, second, first, and top winners will receive special recognition through Books That Make You media placements, social media, the radio and podcast show, and public relations. Optional awards certificates and trophies are also available for purchase to winners and honorable mentions. Visit The BookFest website for submission forms, the complete rules, and more information.

Books submitted to The BookFest Awards are evaluated with a three-round judging system: first by an expert vetting team to ensure submitted work meets necessary criteria, then by The BookFest associate judging committee, and then final determinations are made by the executive BookFest Awards judging committee.

As is tradition, day one of The BookFest is geared toward readers and features Live Author Chats and programming to spark the imagination of everyone who loves to read. Day two focuses on writers and features the “Brave New Writer” and the “Critiki-Bar” interactive live panels. Panel discussions, Conversations, the highly anticipated Big Bundle of Books Giveaway, and many other favorites will also happen at The BookFest Spring 2022.

The Pitching Room is a space on The BookFest website for writers to submit their manuscript pitches to potentially be matched with literary agents and publishing decision-makers. In addition to possibly securing an agent or book deal through the Pitching Room, authors may also request to be considered for “Critiki-Bar” or “Brave New Writer” at The BookFest Adventure.

Attendees can browse “Virtual Booths,” which are pages for BookFest sponsors, like a physical booth one might find at a festival. There is also a “Books Page” showcasing books from participants. The BookFest organizers encourage attendees to browse books and support the authors and sponsors who help bring this free-to-attend event to attendees around the globe.

People are encouraged to register for email updates on the website to stay informed, and to join The BookFest Adventure Facebook Group.

The complete programming list and speakers will be populated on the website. They will also be officially announced in a future press release and through email notifications to BookFest subscribers.

The BookFest is produced by Black Château Enterprises and presented by Bookstagrammers, a platform dedicated to book influencers, and by Books That Make You, a bookish brand for bibliophiles.

Other supporters of The BookFest include:

Authors Porch; Authors, Large and Small; Authors Porch; Black Château Enterprises; Book Publicists of Southern California; Boss Girl Raye; D.E.B. Method; Get Published Radio; Little Lion; Horror Writers Association; Independent Writers of Southern California; Just Us Books; MyStar95.com; Napox Photography; Open Door Publications; OwlCrate; Roadmap Authors; Say it Loud Readers & Writers;  Self-Publishing Mastery; Smashwords; The Skeptics Society; TVGuestpert Publishing; WannaBe Press; the Women’s National Book Association/Los Angeles; Wordsmith Writing Coaches; Vertikal Life Magazine and the Writers and Publishers Network (WPN).

The event’s hub will be the website TheBookFest.com, and visitors can find the live stream linked there on the day of the event. As well, it will stream through the Books That Make You Channel on YouTube and Facebook Page. Hashtags #TheBookFest and #TheBookFestSpring2022 are also being used, and social media for Black Château and Books That Make You will help spread the word.

ABOUT THE BOOKFEST®

The BookFest is the leader in virtual literary events and produces vital conversations on the world’s stage for those who love to read, and those who love to write. It launched May 2020 at a time when lockdown forced many live events to be cancelled. Free to attend, the biannual event happens in the spring and fall, and streams panel discussions, conversations, and live interactive sessions. As an award winner, The BookFest has recognitions from the Webby Awards with a nomination in 2021, a gold award from the Muse Creative Awards in 2020, and a silver award from the w3 Awards in 2020. The BookFest features an array of literary speakers, experts, and authors, which has included: Mitch Albom; Kevin J. Anderson; Mark Coker; Robert G. Diforio; Cheryl Willis Hudson; Wade Hudson; Sarah Kendzior; Jonathan Maberry; Lisa Morton; James Rollins; Connie Schultz; Michael Shermer; Mark K. Shriver; Danny Trejo; Helene Wecker; Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, and many others. The BookFest is presented by Books That Make You and produced by Black Château Enterprises. The BookFest is a registered trademark of Desireé Duffy, who is the founder of all three. For more information, visit https://www.thebookfest.com/.

The BookFest® Fall 2021 Introduces the Pitching Room with Announcement of Official Event Schedule

The BookFest returns for a 4th biannual online bookish adventure October 23rd and 24th, 2021 with the introduction of the Pitching Room — a platform which helps match manuscripts with literary agents and publishing decision-makers. Day one is geared toward readers and features Live Author Chats. Day two focuses on writers and features the Brave New Writer and Critiki-Bar interactive live panels.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA – The BookFest® returns for its 4th biannual virtual event with programming for readers and writers. New to The BookFest is the “Pitching Room” and several live interactive panels for authors to get their manuscripts critiqued and spotlighted. The programming engages readers on day one, October 23rd, 2021, and then leans over to writers on day two, October 24th, 2021. The BookFest is presented by Bookstagrammers and Books That Make You. It is produced by Black Château Enterprises.

The Pitching Room is a space on The BookFest website for writers to submit their manuscript pitches to potentially be matched with literary agents and publishing decision-makers. In addition to possibly securing an agent or book deal through the Pitching Room, authors may also request to be considered for “Critiki-Bar” or “Brave New Writer” at The BookFest Adventure.

Brave New Writer, sponsored in part by Roadmap Authors, is an interactive agent panel that features select authors with outstanding pitches to take the virtual stage and pitch before a panel of agents. It’s described as, “Shark Tank, but for writers,” by Founder of The BookFest, Desireé Duffy. The panel includes:

Whitney Davis, CEO and Founder at Whitney Davis Literary, a boutique literary management firm that offers coaching, editing, writing consultation and management services for writers.

April Eberhardt, Literary change agent who represents authors traditionally and also provides guidance to those exploring non-traditional publishing paths, representing clients worldwide.

Andy Ross, Founder of the Andy Ross Agency, represents books in narrative non-fiction, history, current events, adult and teen fiction. Authors include Daniel Ellsberg, Jeffrey Masson, Susan Griffin, Fritjof Capra, Senator Jeff Bingaman, Thomas Sanchez, and Tawni Waters.

Critiki-Bar features a two-sided assessment from both the business and the craft side of writing. The first page of writers’ manuscripts will be critiqued by:

David L. Robbins, New York Times bestselling author, creative writing professor, founder of James River Writers and The Mighty Pen Project, and co-founder of the Podium Foundation.

Katharine Sands, Literary agent representing fiction, non-fiction, and memoir. Agent provocateur of Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch a Literary Agent’s Eye, a collection of pitching wisdom from leading literary agents.

Delivering the opening keynote for The BookFest Fall, 2021 is Lori H. Schwartz. Known as The Tech Cat – short for Technology Catalyst – author, entrepreneur, regular fixture at CES and many technology conventions, and regular contributor to CNN and other media, Schwartz talks about the convergence of technology and storytelling to launch The BookFest Fall 2021. On day two, the keynote will be delivered by author Kristie Anne Mah, who will inspire writers to let go of what may be holding them back.

BookFest Fall 2021 features an array of authors and literary leaders, including: Elaine Ash; Jim Azevedo; William Bernhardt; Sharon Buchbinder; Dr. Edward Bynum; M.J. Fievre; Alexia Gordon; Dames Handsome; Deborah Herman; Laurel Anne Hill; David Konrad; CJ Ives Lopez; Susan Mac Nicol; Lisa Morton; John Palisano; Useni Perkins; Al Pessin; Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein; Clyve Rose; Mark K. Shriver; Helene Wecker. Attendees can visit the Speakers Page on The BookFest website to see all the participants and to find out more about each.

The Saturday, October 23rd, 2021, live stream programming is dedicated to readers. Listed in Pacific Time, the programming includes:

9:00am – Welcome Message

9:15am – Opening Keynote by Lori H. Schwartz, What’s Your Tech Story? Forget About Killer Robots, How Storytellers Can Embrace the Tech in Our Lives

9:45am – Poetry Reading by Debbie Monteggia

10:00am – A Conversation with Mark K. Shriver – Being an Author and Being of Service

11:00am – Kid Lit: Culture, Character and Creativity

Noon – Who Put the Bomp in Your Favorite Romance Novel?

1:00pm – Thrills, Chills and Red Herrings – Things that Make You Go “Ooo”

2:00pm – The Fantasist’s Forge and Mythologist’s Muse

3:00pm – A Conversation with Helene Wecker – Blending Fantasy, Mythology, Romance and Horror

4:00pm to 6:00pm – Live Author Chats Hosted by Scott Ryan and Anastasia Washington

 

The Sunday, October 24, 2021, programming is geared toward writers. Listed in Pacific Time, the programming includes:

8:30am – Keynote by Kristie Anne Mah, From Sluggish to Published: Letting Go of What is Holding You Back

9:00am – A Conversation with Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein – Dreaming a World Where Everyone Experiences the Wonders of the Universe

10:00am – Books Out of Africa: Bookish World Tour Panel

11:00am – Alternative Ways to Publish: Hybrid, Self-Publishing and More

Noon – Do You Have the Write Stuff? A Frank Discussion about Being an Author Today

1:00pm – A Conversation with Lisa Morton: Thirty Years of Fear

2:00pm – Critiki-Bar: Page One Manuscript Critiques (An agent and an author walk into a bar…)

4:00pm – Brave New Writer at The BookFest Adventure

Plus, throughout The BookFest, there will be special segments, including:

  • BookTok Talk with Dani Lopez and Jessica Mclennan
  • Cooking Up Something for the Season with Chef and Author David Ruggerio
  • How to Organize Your Bookshelf with Nic Nelson
  • How to Write a Query Letter with Steven Hutson
  • Little Lion presents health, wellness, and mindfulness sessions
  • Todd Debreceni, author of Special Makeup Effects for Stage and Screen, creates a famous literary character with special effects makeup
  • Tell the Truth or Not with Dr. Raye Mitchell and Cindy Brown

Duffy, says, “Each BookFest levels up as we strive to serve the bookish world with new and exciting programming. The Pitching Room and the subsequent live interactive panels – Brave New Writer and Critiki-Bar – are something the literary world has never quite seen before. We’re excited to unveil these adventurous undertakings for the reading and writing communities.”

Fan-favorites, the “Big Bundle of Books Giveaway” presented by Books That Make You and OwlCrate, the free “Virtual Gift Bag” which is sent to all attendees the final day of The BookFest, and the “Live Author Chats”, which will be hosted by Scott Ryan and Anastasia Washington, also return for The BookFest Fall 2021.

Attendees can browse “Virtual Booths”, which are pages for BookFest sponsors, like a physical booth one might find at a festival. There is also a “Books Page” showcasing books from participants. The BookFest organizers encourage attendees to browse books and support the authors and sponsors who help bring this free-to-attend event to attendees around the globe.

People are encouraged to register for email updates on the website to stay informed, and to join The BookFest Adventure Facebook Group.

The BookFest is presented by Bookstagrammers, a platform dedicated to book influencers, and by Books That Make You, a bookish brand for bibliophiles.

Other supporters of The BookFest in 2021 include:

Authors Porch; Authors, Large and Small; Authors Porch; Black Château Enterprises; Book Publicists of Southern California; Boss Girl Raye; C. S. Lewis Publicity; D.E.B. Method; Get Published Radio; Little Lion; Horror Writers Association; Independent Writers of Southern California; Just Us Books; MyStar95.com; Napox Photography; Open Door Publications; OwlCrate; Roadmap Authors; Say it Loud Readers & Writers;  Self-Publishing Mastery; Smashwords; The Skeptics Society; TVGuestpert Publishing; WannaBe Press; the Women’s National Book Association in Los Angeles; Wordsmith Writing Coaches; Veritkal Life Magazine and the Writers and Publishers Network (WPN).

The event’s hub will be the website: TheBookFest.com, and visitors can find the live stream linked there on the day of the event. As well, it will stream through the Books That Make You Channel on YouTube and Facebook Page. Hashtags #TheBookFest and #TheBookFestFall2021 are also being used, and social media for Black Château and Books That Make You will help spread the word.

ABOUT THE BOOKFEST®

The BookFest is the leader in virtual literary events and produces vital conversations on the world’s stage for those who love to read, and those who love to write. It launched May 2020 at a time when lockdown forced many live events to be cancelled. Free to attend, the biannual event happens in the spring and fall, and streams panel discussions, conversations, and live interactive sessions. As an award-winner, The BookFest has recognitions from the Webby Awards with a nomination in 2021, a gold award from the Muse Creative Awards in 2020, and a silver award from the w3 Awards in 2020. The BookFest features an array of literary speakers, experts, and authors, which has included: Mitch Albom; Kevin J. Anderson; Mark Coker; Robert G. Diforio; Cheryl Willis Hudson; Wade Hudson; Sarah Kendzior; Jonathan Maberry; Lisa Morton; James Rollins; Connie Schultz; Michael Shermer; Danny Trejo and many others. The BookFest is presented by Books That Make You and produced by Black Château Enterprises. The BookFest is a registered trademark of Desireé Duffy, who is the founder of all three. For more information, visit www.TheBookFest.com.

Officially Announcing: The BookFest® Adventure Fall 2021, Happening October 23rd and 24th

The BookFest returns for a 4th biannual online bookish adventure, featuring Lisa Morton, Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, Mark K. Shriver and Helene Wecker in conversations. Plus, panel discussions, live interactive events, and more for those who love to read and those who love to write

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA – The BookFest® returns for its 4th biannual virtual event with the Fall 2021 edition. As the leader in online book festivals, the Webby Award-nominated event will be held on October 23rd and 24th, 2021. Free to attend, the programming will engage with those who love to read on Saturday the 23rd, and then lean over to those who love to write on Sunday the 24th. Attendees can look forward to four conversations, several panel discussions, and live interactive events. The BookFest is presented by Bookstagrammers and Books That Make You. It is produced by Black Château Enterprises.

The BookFest Conversations are intimate discussions with writers and literary leaders. These talks cover the topics of our times as well as provide insights and inspiration to bibliophiles everywhere. The BookFest Fall 2021 Conversations include:

Lisa Morton, six-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award, Morton’s work has been translated into nearly a dozen languages and she has appeared in numerous documentaries and podcasts. Lisa Morton is also the immediate past president of the Horror Writers Association.

Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, assistant professor of physics, a core faculty member in women’s studies at the University of New Hampshire, and author of The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred.

Mark K. Shriver, New York Times bestselling author, president of Save the Children Action Network in Washington, D.C. and former Maryland state legislator. Shriver’s latest children’s book is titled 10 Hidden Heroes: A Counting Book with a Message.

Helene Wecker, New York Times bestselling author, her first novel The Golem and the Jinni, was awarded the Mythopoeic Award for Adult Literature, the VCU Cabell Award for First Novel, and the Harold U. Ribalow Prize, and was nominated for a Nebula Award and a World Fantasy Award. The Hidden Palace is the recently released follow-up novel.

The BookFest Fall 2021 Keynote Speaker is Lori H. Schwartz. Also known as “The Tech Cat”, Schwartz will speak about the convergence of technology and storytelling to kick off The BookFest Adventure. Poet Debbie Monteggia also joins the opening of the event with a poetry reading. Panel discussions, Live Author Chats and new interactive pitching sessions include an array of authors and experts. The full program will continue to grow and will be announced prior to the event.

Founder of The BookFest, Desireé Duffy, says, “We’re proud to present the fourth BookFest. With continuing uncertainty about social distancing and the need for connection among booklovers, I am proud of how The BookFest Adventure is positioned to bring the reading and writing communities together.”

Fan-favorites, the Big Bundle of Books Giveaway presented by Books That Make You, the free Virtual Gift Bag for all attendees, and the Live Author Chats, which will be hosted by Scott Ryan and Anastasia Washington, also return. People are encouraged to register for email updates on the website to stay informed, and to join The BookFest Adventure Facebook Group.

Attendees can browse “Virtual Booths”, which are pages for BookFest sponsors, like a physical booth one might find at a festival. There is also a “Books Page” showcasing books from participants. The BookFest organizers encourage attendees to browse books and support the authors and partners who help bring this free-to-attend event to attendees around the globe.

The BookFest is presented by Bookstagrammers, a platform dedicated to book influencers, and by Books That Make You, a bookish brand for bibliophiles.

Other supporters of The BookFest in 2021 include:

Authors, Large and Small; Authors Porch; Black Château Enterprises; Book Publicists of Southern California; Books That Make You; Boss Girl Raye; C. S. Lewis Publicity; D.E.B. Method; Get Published Radio; Little Lion; Horror Writers Association; Independent Writers of Southern California; Just Us Books; MyStar95.com; Napox Photography; OwlCrate; RISE Brewing Company; Say it Loud Readers & Writers;  Smashwords; The Skeptics Society; TVGuestpert Publishing; WannaBe Press; the Women’s National Book Association in Los Angeles; Veritkal Life Magazine and the Writers and Publishers Network (WPN).

The event’s hub will be the website: TheBookFest.com, and visitors can find the live stream linked there on the day of the event. As well, it will stream through the Books That Make You Channel on YouTube and Facebook Page. Hashtags #TheBookFest and #TheBookFestFall2021 are also being used, and social media for Black Château and Books That Make You will help spread the word.

ABOUT THE BOOKFEST®

The BookFest is the leader in virtual literary events and produces vital conversations on the world’s stage for those who love to read, and those who love to write. It launched May 2020 at a time when lockdown forced many live events to be cancelled. Free to attend, the biannual event happens in the spring and fall, and streams panel discussions, conversations, and live interactive sessions. As an award-winner, The BookFest has recognitions from the Webby Awards with a nomination in 2021, a gold award from the Muse Creative Awards in 2020, and a silver award from the w3 Awards in 2020. The BookFest features an array of literary speakers, experts, and authors, which has included: Mitch Albom; Kevin J. Anderson; Mark Coker; Robert G. Diforio; Cheryl Willis Hudson; Wade Hudson; Sarah Kendzior; Jonathan Maberry; Lisa Morton; James Rollins; Connie Schultz; Michael Shermer; Danny Trejo and many others. The BookFest is presented by Books That Make You and produced by Black Château Enterprises. The BookFest is a registered trademark of Desireé Duffy, who is the founder of all three. For more information, visit www.TheBookFest.com.

The BookFest® Is Nominated in the 25th Annual Webby Awards

Fans Are Invited to Vote for The BookFest to Win the Internet’s Top Honor in the Category for Best Event Websites and Mobile Sites.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA The BookFest is nominated in the 25th Annual Webby Awards in the category for: Best Event Websites and Mobile Sites. Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards, presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet. In addition to the judging, as a nominee, The BookFest can be voted on to win a Webby’s People’s Voice Award. From now until May 8th, BookFesters can cast their votes at vote.webbyawards.com.

IADAS, which nominates and selects The Webby Award Winners, is comprised of Internet industry experts including Mitchell Baker; MOMA Senior Curator Paola Antonelli; Host of NPR’s Code Switch Shereen Marisol Meraji; R/GA Global Chief Creative Officer Tiffany Rolfe; Co-Inventor of the Internet Vint Cerf; DJ and Founder, Club Quarantine D-Nice; Co-host Desus & Mero on Showtime Desus Nice; SVP of Content at Twitch Michael Aragon; Twitter Senior Director, Product Design Richard Ting;  and Founders of VERZUZ Swizz Beatz and Timbaland.

The BookFest was created by Black Château, a Marketing and Public Relations firm that specializes in books and authors. Desireé Duffy is the founder of both. Launched in May 2020, The BookFest was designed to bring readers and writers together in a time when social distancing prevented in-person gatherings. It quickly became the leader in online literary events with a second The BookFest happening in the Fall of 2020, and the third in Spring of 2021. The BookFest prides itself on programming that lifts voices, tackles important literary topics, and is also fun. It does this through panel discussions, conversations, entertainment and educational initiatives for readers and writers.

The BookFest is at the forefront of online community-building and technology. It is the first online pop-culture event to release Collectible NFT BookFest Pins for fans and collectors. It has a supportive array of partners including writers’ organizations, literary companies, authors, speakers, celebrities, and industry professionals. Plus, it offers the content online for free, archived on the Books That Make You YouTube Channel.

Duffy says, “I can’t describe the thrill when I checked The Webby’s website and saw that The BookFest was one of the five nominees in its category. I mean, there were over 13,500 entries! I’m blown away, excited, and humbled by the outpouring of support by the writing and literary communities who helped make this online event what it is today. The BookFest is only a year old, born out of a time of social distancing, is connecting readers and writers from around the globe, and now has a nomination for a prestigious Webby Award.”

“Nominees like The BookFest are setting the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet,” said Claire Graves, Executive Director of The Webby Awards. “It is an incredible achievement to be selected among the best from the 13,500 entries we received this year.”

Winners will be announced on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, and honored in a star-studded, virtual show that will be available on demand. The celebration will be hosted by multi-talented actress, writer, podcaster, host and advocate Jameela Jamil. Winners will have an opportunity to deliver one of The Webby Awards’ famous 5-Word Speeches. Past 5-Word Speeches include: Steve Wilhite’s “It’s Pronounced “Jif” not ‘Gif’; NASA’s “Houston We Have A Webby”; and Solange’s “I Got Five On It.”

Duffy adds, “I can’t wait to share our five words if we’re among the winners. Since we are a literary event, I can assure you, they won’t be boring.”

About The BookFest®:

The BookFest is the leader in virtual literary events and produces vital conversations on the world’s stage for those who love to read, and those who love to write. The first BookFest happened May 9, 2020. It was created at a time when social distancing prevented in-person gatherings. Free to attend from the start, the biannual event now takes place in the spring and fall, and streams panel discussions, conversations, and festivities for the reading and writing communities. As an award-winner, The BookFest has recognitions from the w3 awards, the Muse Creative Awards and is a nominee for The 25th Annual Webby Awards. The BookFest features an array of literary speakers, experts, and authors, which has included: Mitch Albom; Kevin J. Anderson; Mark Coker; Robert G. Diforio; Cheryl Willis Hudson; Wade Hudson; Sarah Kendzior; Jonathan Maberry; Lisa Morton; Deborah M. Pratt; James Rollins; Connie Schultz; Michael Shermer; Danny Trejo and many others. The BookFest is presented by Black Château and Books That Make You. It a registered trademark of Desireé Duffy, who is the founder of all three. For more information, visit www.TheBookFest.com.

About Black Château:

Black Château is an award-winning marketing and public relations firm. The company specializes in promoting authors, books, small press, personality brands, and creative individuals from around the world with a full spectrum of services. A virtual company, office locations are in Southern California, Oklahoma, and everywhere our team roams. The company’s motto is: We believe in storytellers. Visit www.BlackChateauEnterprises.com.

About The Webby Awards:

Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites and Mobile Sites, Video, Advertising, Media & PR, Apps and Software, Social, Podcasts, Games, and Virtual & Remotes. Established in 1996, this year’s Webby Awards received nearly 13,500 entries from all 50 states and 70 countries worldwide. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: WP Engine, Marketerhire, Slack, YouGov, BASIC, KPMG, Wall Street Journal, AIGA, Podcast Movement, Fast Company, and Social Media Week. Find the Webby Awards online: webbyawards.com.

The BookFest® Drops First NFT Commemorative Show Pins for the Online Bookish Adventure

In another first for The BookFest, the award-winning educational and entertainment platform for booklovers announces the release of the first-ever non-fungible-tokens (NFTs) for the The BookFest Spring 2021. The Limited Edition NFT BookFest Spring 2021 Pins give The BookFest attendees the opportunity to own a digital piece of history.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA – The BookFest® is the first major online event in the realm of books and pop culture to release commemorative pins—collectible digital pieces of history—to attendees. A link to claim the Limited Edition NFT BookFest Spring 2021 Pins will be distributed in the event’s Virtual Gift Bag at the end of the two-day event on Sunday, April 18th.

Attendees can claim their pin by clicking the link in the Virtual Gift Bag where the Limited Edition NFT BookFest Spring 2021 Pins will take them to the Black Chateau OpenSea Collection for The BookFest Spring 2021. It is recommended that users create an OpenSea account and fund their wallet with Ether prior to the event as only nine pins are available for free, and they are expected to go fast. Gas fees may apply.

The BookFest Spring 2021 is a two-day online event happening April 17th and 18th. It is free to attend, and anyone can sign up to receive the Virtual Gift Bag. Savvy collectors of NFTs can also go directly to the Black Chateau OpenSea Collection for The BookFest Spring 2021.

A Special Edition NFT BookFest Spring 2021 Pin will be auctioned off. The bidding will begin when the Virtual Gift Bag is distributed on Sunday, April 18th at approximately 7:00pm PT.

There will also be an auction for the first-ever Bookish Commemorative NFT for BookFest Spring 2021. Edgar Scott’s number-one Amazon bestselling science fiction dystopian, 418: I Am a Teapot, will be available as an animated NFT.

Scott says, “My worlds have collided in the most magnificent way, haven’t they? The title of my book is an ironic homage to the days of the internet when an error message would defy the user by claiming ‘I am a teapot!’ Plus, I have worked in crypto currency. The theme of my book asks serious questions about the immersive internet. This era as NFTs come to life, and being a part of The BookFest Spring 2021, is like the perfect point in time and space to unleash this very special NFT for my book.”

The cover design of Scott’s book was done by international designer Raffaello Zucco, also known as Electronshaper. The NFTs were created by Dave Napox. The creative artist and photographer used the essence of The BookFest imagery to develop an array of pins that are each unique in color and design.

Napox says, “I honestly have no idea what I’m doing and wish my wife would stop bugging me about these NTF’s and just let me play video games.”

Desireé Duffy, founder of The BookFest, says, “This is a groundbreaking moment to offer something special to the world of NFT collectors, authors and booklovers. Bringing these worlds together is the goal. I anticipate other events and conventions that focus on pop culture and lifestyle may follow suit in offering similar limited edition NFT pins. For now, it is an honor to be among the first.”

The BookFest Spring 2021 delivers vital conversations, entertainment and educational programming for the reading and writing community. Mark Coker, founder of Smashwords; prolific New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry; Boss Girl Dr. Raye Mitchell; Patrick M. Oliver founder of Say it Loud!; writer, director and executive producer, Deborah M. Pratt; and skeptic, author and thinker, Michael Shermer are among the speakers.

Duffy adds, “Adding these special NFTs to this edition of The BookFest is a thrill. We’re already looking ahead to what the future holds for books, authors and NFTs. The possibilities are endless, and we are here for it. In the future we want to create unlockable content and other features for our NFTs. Keep the next BookFest Fall 2021 on your radar, as that is one to watch.”  

The event’s hub will be the website TheBookFest.com, where the full list of authors, speakers, books and activities can be found. Attendees can find the live stream linked there on the day of the event. In addition, The BookFest will stream through the Books That Make You Channel on YouTube and the Facebook Event Page. Hashtags #TheBookFest and #TheBookFestSpring2021 are also being used, and social media for Black Château and Books That Make You will help spread the word. The BookFest is presented by the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society, Books That Make You, Black Château, and an array of other partners and supporters.

ABOUT THE BOOKFEST®

The BookFest is the leader in virtual literary events and produces vital conversations on the world’s stage for those who love to read, and those who love to write. The first BookFest happened May 9, 2020. It was created at a time when social distancing prevented in-person gatherings. Free to attend from the start, the biannual event now takes place in the spring and fall, and streams panel discussions, conversations, and festivities for the reading and writing communities. As an award-winner, The BookFest® has recognitions from the w3 awards and the Muse Creative Awards. The BookFest® is describes itself as “an online bookish adventure™”. It features an array of literary speakers, experts, and authors, which has included: Mitch Albom; Kevin J. Anderson; Robert G. Diforio; Cheryl Willis Hudson; Wade Hudson; Sarah Kendzior; Jonathan Maberry; Lisa Morton; James Rollins; Connie Schultz; Danny Trejo and many others. The BookFest® is presented by Black Château and Books That Make You and is a registered trademark of Desireé Duffy, who is the founder of all three. For more information, visit www.TheBookFest.com.

Mark Coker, Jonathan Maberry, Patrick M. Oliver, Deborah M. Pratt, Katharine Sands, Bert Sarkkinen and Michael Shermer Coming to The BookFest® Spring 2021

The BookFest®, an award-winning educational and entertainment platform for booklovers, announces the schedule for the 3rd biannual online bookish adventure. This April 17th and 18th, 2021 will feature Panel Discussions, Conversations and Live Author Chats with writers, literary professionals and experts.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA – The BookFest®, presented by the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society and Books That Make You, announces the schedule for its 3rd biannual virtual event. Mark Coker, founder of Smashwords; prolific New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry; Patrick M. Oliver founder of Say it Loud!; and skeptic, author and thinker, Michael Shermer, are doing conversations during the two-day online event. These intimate one-on-one talks give attendees the opportunity to learn more about each individual, and to take a deep dive into the topics discussed.

Delivering the opening keynote for The BookFest Spring 2021 is author of the #1 Amazon bestseller The Art of Hybrid Timber Framing, Bert Sarkkinen. As the founder of Arrow Timber, Sarkkinen takes attendees on a journey to find long-term happiness.

Plus, panel discussions include an array of writers, literary professionals and experts discussing the books we read, relevant topics of our times, the art and craft of writing, and more. Speakers include Elaine Ash; Dr. Janet Bond Brill, Nancy J. Hite, Steven Joseph; Kathleen Kaiser; Dr. Raye Mitchell, Deborah M. Pratt, James Rollins; Scott Ryan; Katharine Sands, Edgar Scott, and many more.

Free to attend, The BookFest delivers vital conversations, entertainment and educational programming for the reading and writing community.

The Saturday, April 17, 2021 live stream programming is dedicated to readers. Listed in Pacific Time, the programming includes:

10:30am – Welcome Message

10:15am – Opening Keynote by Bert Sarkkinen: From the Timber in Our Trees to the Paper in Our Books, Let’s Find Long-Term Happiness

11:00am – A Conversation with Michael Shermer: Being a Skeptic Today

Noon – Books that Force You to See the World Differently

1:00pm – Must Love Books and Television: The Connection Between Television, Writers and Pop Culture

2:00pm – Mental Health and Physical Wellness Books for the Extended Pandemic

3:00pm – A Conversation with Patrick M. Oliver: Creating the Next Generation of Readers, Writers and Leaders

4:00pm to 6:00pm – Live Author Chats Hosted by Jenna Busch and Anastasia Washington

The Sunday, April 18, 2021 programming is geared toward writers. Listed in Pacific Time, the programming includes:

9:00am – A Conversation with Jonathan Maberry: Being a Prolific Writer

10:00am – How to Work Successfully with a Freelance Editor

11:00am – Sharing Your Story: The Secret Ingredient in Your Memoir Is You

Noon – PR Pro Tips for Powerful Book Promotions

1:00pm – The Science of Storytelling: How to Use Science, Structure and Sizzle to Create a Bestselling Novel or Non-Fiction Book

2:00pm – Goodreads 101: What Every Writer Needs to Know

3:00pm – A Conversation with Mark Coker from Smashwords

4:00pm to 6:00pm – Ask the Industry Experts Anything: A Live Q&A for Writers of Every Level

 

Plus, throughout The BookFest, there will be special segments to enjoy between panels, including:

  • Little Lion presents health, wellness, and mini creative activity sessions for attendees to watch and participate in.
  • Todd Debreceni, author of Special Makeup Effects for Stage and Screen, does special effects makeup to create a famous literary character, to be revealed at The BookFest.

Among the numerous authors, literary professionals and experts participating in The BookFest Spring 2021 are: Dayna Anderson; Elaine Ash;  T.L. Bequette; Deanna Brady; Dr. Janet Bond Brill; A.G. Billig; Patrice Shavone Brown; Jenna Busch; Tony Catanzaro; Mark Coker; Todd Debreceni; Cristina Deptula; Celeste Duckworth; Desireé Duffy; Brad Dukes; Debra Eckerling; Monica Faulkner, Ph.D.;  George Galdorisi; Diana Giovinazzo; Nancy J. Hite; Christina Hoag; Bridgitte Jackson-Buckley; Gerald Everett Jones; Steven Joseph; Kathleen Kaiser; Deborah Zara Kobylt; Sharon Koifman; Jackie Lapin; Jonathan Maberry; Kristie Anne Mah; KJ Matthews; Alicia McBride; Bill McCormick; Doug McIntyre; Ray Mitchell, Esq.; Ora Nadrich; Nic Nelson; Amber Nichole; Patrick M. Oliver; Dr. Stephanie Helms Pickett; Herbie J Pilato; Deborah M. Pratt; W. Craig Reed; Julian Reeve; Rhonda Rees; James Rollins; Scott Ryan; Bert Sarkkinen; Arlene Schindler; Edgar Scott;  Flo Selfman; Karen Sloan-Brown; Robin Quinn; Katharine Sands; Penny Sansevieri; Dr. Michael Shermer; Sue William Silverman; Carole Stivers; Jeff Sweat; Anastasia Washington; David Wogahn and more.

People are encouraged to register for email updates on the website to stay informed, and to receive exclusive offers like The BookFest Virtual Gift Bag. It will be emailed after The BookFest to all who subscribed to the email list, and will include digital downloads and offers presented by many of The BookFest partners.

The BookFest is presented by The Greater Los Angeles Writers Society, an organization for writers in Southern California and beyond, and by Books That Make You, a bookish brand for bibliophiles. Other partners and supporters include: Authors, Large and Small; Black Château Enterprises; Book Publicists of Southern California; Books That Make You; Boss Girl Raye; C. S. Lewis Publicity; D.E.B. Method; Get Published Radio; Little Lion; Horror Writers Association in Los Angeles; Independent Writers of Southern California; Just Us Books; MyStar95.com; Napox Photography; OwlCrate; RISE Brewing Company; Smashwords; The Skeptics Society; TVGuestpert Publishing; WannaBe Press; the Women’s National Book Association in Los Angeles; Vertikal Life Magazine and WPN (Writers & Publishers Network, formerly SPAWN).

A fan-favorite, the Big Bundle of Books Giveaway, presented by Books That Make You, returns with a picnic basket theme. Owlcrate also offers a prize. Other bookish goodies are also up for grabs.

Attendees can browse “Virtual Booths”, as well, which are pages for BookFest partners. There is also a “Books Page” showcasing books from participants. The BookFest organizers encourage booklovers to browse books and support the authors and partners who help bring this free-to-attend event to attendees around the globe.

The event’s hub will be the website, TheBookFest.com, and visitors can find the live stream linked there on the day of the event. In addition, The BookFest will stream through the Books That Make You Channel on YouTube and the Facebook Event Page. Hashtags #TheBookFest and #TheBookFestSpring2021 are also being used, and social media for Black Château and Books That Make You will help spread the word.

ABOUT THE BOOKFEST®

The BookFest is the leader in virtual literary events and produces vital conversations on the world’s stage for those who love to read, and those who love to write. The first BookFest happened May 9, 2020. It was created at a time when social distancing prevented in-person gatherings. Free to attend from the start, the biannual event now takes place in the spring and fall, and streams panel discussions, conversations, and festivities for the reading and writing communities. As an award-winner, The BookFest® has recognitions from the w3 awards and the Muse Creative Awards. The BookFest® is describes itself as “an online bookish adventure™”. It features an array of literary speakers, experts, and authors, which has included: Mitch Albom; Kevin J. Anderson; Robert G. Diforio; Cheryl Willis Hudson; Wade Hudson; Sarah Kendzior; Jonathan Maberry; Lisa Morton; James Rollins; Connie Schultz; Danny Trejo and many others. The BookFest® is presented by Black Château and Books That Make You and is a registered trademark of Desireé Duffy, who is the founder of all three. For more information, visit www.TheBookFest.com.

Officially Announcing: The BookFest® Spring 2021, Happening April 17 and 18

The award-winning and always free-to-attend BookFest returns for a 3rd biannual online bookish adventure. As the leader in virtual literary events, The BookFest produces vital conversations on the world’s stage for those who love to read, and those who love to write.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA – The BookFest® returns for its 3rd biannual virtual event with the Spring 2021 edition. As the leader in online book festivals, the award-winning event will be held on April 17th and 18th, 2021. Free to attend, the programming will engage with those who love to read on Saturday the 17th, and then lean over to those who love to write on Sunday the 18th. The BookFest is presented by the Greater Los Angeles Society and Books That Make You.

Attendees can look forward to a conversation with New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry; a workshop with W. Craig Reed and New York Times bestselling author James Rollins; a keynote from business leader and author Bert Sarkkenin; and panels presented by the Independent Writers of Southern California (IWOSC); the Women’s National Book Association’s Los Angeles Chapter (WNBA-LA); the Writers & Publishers Network (W&PN); as well as many others.

The programming will continue to grow, and more speakers and authors will be added. People are encouraged to register for email updates on the website to stay informed, and to receive exclusive offers like The BookFest Virtual Gift Bag.

Founder of The BookFest, Desireé Duffy, says, “We’re proud to present the third BookFest. In just a year our world has changed so much due to social distancing, but I am glad that we’re an agile team and able to produce this vital platform for the literary world. The BookFest Spring 2021 is going to be another fantastic bookish adventure and I invite everyone to join us from wherever they are in the world.”

A fan-favorite, the Big Bundle of Books Giveaway presented by Books That Make You returns, as well as reimagined Live Ask an Author Chats, which will be hosted by Jenna Busch and Anastasia Washington, the co-hosts of the Histerical podcast.

Attendees can also browse “Virtual Booths”, which are pages for BookFest partners, designed to be a substitute for a physical booth one might find at a festival. There is also a “Books Page” showcasing books from participants. The BookFest organizers encourage attendees to browse books and support the authors and partners who help bring this free-to-attend event to attendees around the globe.

The BookFest is presented by The Greater Los Angeles Writers Society, an organization for writers in Southern California and beyond, and by Books That Make You, a bookish brand for bibliophiles.

Other partners for The BookFest include:

Authors, Large and Small; Black Château Enterprises; Books That Make You; C. S. Lewis Publicity; D.E.B. Method; Get Published Radio; Horror Writers Association in Los Angeles; Independent Writers of Southern California; Just Us Books; MyStar95.com; OwlCrate; RISE Brewing Company; Napox Photography; TVGuestpert Publishing; WannaBe Press; the Women’s National Book Association in Los Angeles; Veritkal Life Magazine and the Writers & Publishers Network.

The event’s hub will be the website: TheBookFest.com, and visitors can find the live stream linked there on the day of the event. As well, it will stream through the Books That Make You Channel on YouTube and the Facebook Event Page. Hashtags #TheBookFest and #TheBookFestSpring2021 are also being used, and social media for Black Château and Books That Make You will help spread the word.

Previous BookFests featured an array of literary speakers and authors, including: Mitch Albom; Kevin J. Anderson; Robert G. Diforio; Cheryl Willis Hudson; Wade Hudson; Sarah Kendzior; Lisa Morton; Connie Schultz; Danny Trejo and others. Videos from all BookFests can be viewed through The BookFest website and Books That Make You YouTube Channel.

ABOUT THE BOOKFEST®

The BookFest® is the leader in virtual literary events. It launched May 2020 and quickly became the leader in educational and entertainment book programming. Free to attend, the biannual event happens in the spring and fall, and streams panel discussions, conversations, and festivities for those who love to read as well as those who love to write. As an award-winner, The BookFest® has recognitions from the w3 awards and the Muse Creative Awards. The BookFest® describes itself as “an online bookish adventure™”. It features an array of literary speakers, experts, and authors, which has included: Mitch Albom; Kevin J. Anderson; Robert G. Diforio; Cheryl Willis Hudson; Wade Hudson; Sarah Kendzior; Jonathan Maberry; Lisa Morton; James Rollins; Connie Schultz; Danny Trejo and many others. The BookFest® is presented by Black Château and Books That Make You and is a registered trademark of Desireé Duffy, who is the founder of all three. For more information, visit www.TheBookFest.com.

Sharon Koifman Keynote to Open The BookFest® while a Conversation with Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson Closes the Highly-Anticipated Online Event

The BookFest announces more speakers, authors and the full schedule for the two-day online BookFest, October 24 and 25, 2020. Rebecca Alexander, Kevin J. Anderson, Doug McIntyre, Lisa Morton and more join the official lineup.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA – The BookFest® announces official programming schedule for the two-day, online literary event. Remote-work expert, CEO and Founder of DistantJob Remote Placement Agency, and author of Surviving Remote Work, Sharon Koifman will deliver opening keynote Saturday, October 24th. Saturday is dedicated to readers, and it features panel discussions, live “Ask an Author Chats”, book giveaways, a scavenger hunt, and an after party.

The Saturday, October 24, 2020 live stream programming, listed in Pacific Time, includes:

10:00am – Welcome Message

10:10am – Opening Keynote – Stop Surviving and Start Thriving by Sharon Koifman

10:30am – Danny Trejo Reads and Shares Stories from Trejo’s Tacos: Recipes & Stores from L.A.

11:00am – Self-Help Books When We Need Them the Most

Noon – Masters of the Macabre – Discussing the Things that Go Bump in Their Books

1:00pm – Books and Education During Covid – What Are We Teaching Our Children?

2:00pm – Books, Authors and Genres Evolving from Silicon Valley

3:00pm – Words Matter – How to Deliver What Readers Want in this Age Reckoning with Cultural Inclusion, Race, and Racism

4:00pm – Why We Love Stories – A Conversation with W. Craig Reed and James Rollins about the Allure of Fiction

5:00pm – Young Adult Fiction in a Time of Tumult

6:00pm – After Party Co-Hosted by Jenna Busch and Desireé Duffy, featuring Musical Performance by Craig Greenberg

The programming on Sunday, October 25th begins at noon PST and is geared toward writers and industry professionals. It includes several panels, talks with writer organization leaders, and concludes with a Conversation with Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson titled: Black Books Matter. The literary trailblazers, writers, and husband and wife team who founded Just Us Books, will be interviewed by Ramunda Lark Young, Co-Founder/Owner of MahoganyBooks, a nationally recognized and award-winning bookstore in Washington, DC.

The Sunday, October 25, 2020 live stream programming, listed in Pacific Time, includes:

Noon – Welcome Message

12:15pm – Being Wickedly Creative – Adapting and Thriving Now

1:15pm – Chat with Tony Todaro from The Greater Los Angeles Writers Society

1:30pm – My Precious! Why Writers Should Stop Being Precious about Their Manuscript

2:30pm – Chat with Gary Young, President of the Independent Writers of Southern California

2:45pm – The World Sucks, Let’s Build a New One – Imagining Tomorrow’s World Today

3:45pm – Chat with Joni Labaqui from Writers of the Future

4:00pm – Black Books Matter – A Conversation with Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson

Plus, throughout the day, there will be special segments to enjoy between panels, including:

  • Ora Nadrich, Founder and President of the Institute for Transformational Thinking and author of Live True: A Mindful Guide to Authenticity presents Mindfulness Moments.
  • Todd Debreceni, author of Special Makeup Effects for Stage and Screen, does special effects makeup to create Dr. Phinneus Pogo from The Umbrella Academy.

“Live Ask an Author Chats” will begin at 1:00pm on Saturday, October 24th. Hosted by A.G. Billig and Gerald Everett Jones, authors will do 15-minute Zoom chats with the audience. People are invited to ask authors like Jonathan Maberry how he’d survive a zombie attack, Adrienne Monson anything they want to know about vampires, James Rollins about weaving science into storytelling, and W. Craig Reed about Vladimir Putin’s rise to power because of a little-known Russian submarine incident. See the full chat schedule on The BookFest website.

The BookFest also features scary stories read by authors in “The Reading Room”. Video readings from Tori Eldridge, Steven Joseph, Robin Reed, Lisa Morton, Sharon Orlopp, John Palisano, Carole Stivers, and more will premiere on Saturday, October 24th and will remain available for Halloween 2020 and beyond.

The BookFest is known as an online bookish adventure and includes contests and prizes. Fun bookish giveaways include an OwlCrate box, an interactive Scavenger Hunt, and a Big Bundle of Books with Book Nook Goodies, presented by Books That Make You.

Founder of The BookFest, Desireé Duffy, says, “The BookFest Fall 2020 is bigger and better than the first event last spring. I am awed and honored by the support of the literary community in joining together for this unifying online event. In a world divided by things like social distancing, Covid, and politics, I think it is more important than ever to bring stories and ideas to the forefront.”

Among the dozens of authors, celebrities, journalists, and leaders participating in The BookFest Fall 2020, are: Rebecca Alexander; Dayna Anderson; Kevin J. Anderson; Sheryl Benko; Leslie Berlin; A.G. Billig; Betsy Bird; Jenna Busch; Echo Chernik; Sean Conley; Andy Davidson; Todd Debreceni; John DeSimone; Madeline Dyer; Celeste Duckworth; Debra Eckerling; David Farland; Joey Franklin; Romina Garber; Joan Gelfand; Craig Greenberg; Kevin Groh; Katie Hafner; Bill Hayes; Laurel Anne Hill; Christina Hoag; Cheryl Willis Hudson; Wade Hudson; Katie Hughes; Mandy Jackson-Beverly; Dr. Mary Elaine-Jacobsen; Gerald Everett Jones; Steven Joseph; Brandie June; Sharon Koifman; Jonathan Maberry; Bill McCormick; Doug McIntyre; Ray Mitchell, Esq.; Adrienne Monson; Lisa Morton; AmyLea Murphy; Daniel Nayeri; Ora Nadrich; Russell Nohelty; Ann O’Brien; Sharon Orlopp; John Palisano; Patricia Peyton; Tim Powers; W. Craig Reed; James Rollins; David Ruggerio; Edgar Scott; Robin Quinn; Michelle Silverthorn; Ivy Slater; Gary Soto; Ryan Southwick; Carole Stivers; Jeff Sweat; Jennifer Thomas; Danny Trejo; Lon E. Varnadore; Rebecca Kim Wells; Sara Winokur; Ashley Woodfolk, and more.

The BookFest is presented by L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest, which is an opportunity for new writers of science fiction and fantasy to have their work judged by some of the masters in the field and discovered by a wide audience. It is also presented by The Greater Los Angeles Writers Society, an organization for writers in Southern California and beyond.

Other partners for the event include:

Authors, Large and Small; Black Château Enterprises; Books That Make You; C. S. Lewis Publicity; D.E.B. Method; Get Published Radio; Little Lion; Horror Writers Association in Los Angeles; Independent Writers of Southern California; Just Us Books; The Lillian Todaro Collections; MyStar95.com; Napox Photography; OwlCrate; RISE Brewing Company; TVGuestpert Publishing; WannaBe Press; the Women’s National Book Association in Los Angeles; Veritkal Life Magazine and WPN (Writers & Publishers Network, formerly SPAWN).

The event’s hub will be the website, TheBookFest.com and visitors can find the live stream there on the day of the event. As well, it will stream live through YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.

Attendees can also browse “Virtual Booths” which are pages for partners designed to be a substitute for a physical booth one might find at a festival or convention. There will also be a “Books Page” showcasing books from participants. The BookFest organizers encourage attendees to browse books and support the authors and partners who help bring this free-to-attend event to the world stage.

The BookFest Fall 2020 has no complicated registration process. It is 100% free and easy to attend. All streams, links and videos are found on The BookFest website. To keep informed of updates, attendees are encouraged to register for email updates on the website. Hashtags #TheBookFest and #TheBookFestFall2020 are also being used, and social media for Black Chateau and Books That Make You will be used to spread the word.

ABOUT THE BOOKFEST®

Join us on a bookish adventure—The BookFest® is the collaboration to bring together authors, readers, publishing professionals, journalists, business leaders, and creatives from around the world for an online celebration of books and ideas. The BookFest® is presented by Black Château and Books That Make You. Desireé Duffy is the founder of both, as well as the lead organizer for TEDxResedaBlvd, the annual Beach Bound Book Bash, Scary Stories Around the Pitfire, and JingleBooks. Black Château is an award-winning marketing and public relations agency located in Southern California. It specializes in promoting authors, books, small press, personality brands, and creative individuals from around the world with a full-spectrum of services. The company’s motto is: We believe in storytellers. Black Château’s sister company, Books That Make You, is a multi-media brand that promotes books through its website, radio show/podcast, and events. For more, visit www.BlackChateauEnterprises.com and www.BooksThatMakeYou.com.

The BookFest® Is Back: October 24 and 25, 2020

Overwhelming response to the first online literary BookFest® held in spring of 2020 means more panels, more authors and more fun this October. The BookFest Fall 2020 features returning guests Jonathan Maberry, Raye Mitchell Esq., Ora Nadrich, and Danny Trejo, plus new additions including Andy Davidson, David Farland, W. Craig Reed, James Rollins, Romina Garber, Liem Le, Ashley Woodfolk and more. It is presented by the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society and The Writers of the Future Contest.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA – The BookFest® returns with a fall theme and broader appeal to be inclusive to the rapidly-growing global stage for online events. Originally launched in May 2020 as the LA BookFest®, the Fall 2020 Edition promises to be wider-ranging, will span a day and a half with more programming for those who love to read as well as those who love to write, plus many festive surprises to pair with the Halloween season.

Free to attend online, The BookFest Fall 2020 Edition includes panel discussions, live ask an author chats, authors reading scary stories, bookish giveaways, an online scavenger hunt and more.

Founder of The BookFest, Desireé Duffy, says, “Because booklovers, members of the literary community, and those from the publishing industry are still impacted by social distancing and limitations, this online event serves to bring people together virtually for poignant conversations in a universal appreciation for books, authors, and the literary world.”

Danny Trejo, actor, activist and restauranteur, returns to read excerpts from Trejo’s Tacos: Recipes & Stories from L.A.. In the book, Trejo not only shares 75 recipes, but creates a delicious tribute to L.A. and the city’s vibrant Latino culture.

To celebrate the Halloween season, New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry joins The BookFest on The Masters of the Macabre panel. Andy Davidson, John Palisano, David Ruggerio, and other soon-to-be-announced horror authors will be part of this conversation about the things that go bump in their books.

Boss Girl and Chief Content Officer of the Genius Agency, Raye Mitchell, Esq., is back leading a conversation about why words matter today. She is joined by Liem Le from Little Lion and others in this topical conversation about the words that bring a reckoning with cultural inclusion, race and racism in our times.

Day one of The BookFest Fall 2020, Saturday October 24, 2020, will be devoted to readers. Topics include:

  • Self-Help Books When We Need Them Most
  • Masters of the Macabre – Let’s Get Spooky
  • Books and Education During Covid – What Are We Teaching Our Children?
  • Books, Authors and Genres Emerging from Silicon Valley
  • Words Matter – How to Deliver What Readers Want in this Age of Reckoning
  • Why We Love Stories: A Conversation with W. Craig Reed and James Rollins about the Allure of Fiction
  • Young Adult Fiction in a Time of Tumult

The programming on Sunday, October 25, 2020, will consist of several panels focused on the craft of writing.

  • Being Wickedly Creative – Adapting and Thriving Now
  • My Precious! How Writers Can Let Go, Trust Their Editor, and Stop Being Precious about their Manuscript
  • The World Sucks, Let’s Build a New One – Imagining Tomorrow’s World Today

OwlCrate is contributing to The BookFest’s Scavenger Hunt and a Big Bundle of Books Contest is presented by Books That Make You. The BookFest Fall 2020 also features an online party Saturday night with entertainment and festivities themed for the season.

Among the dozens of authors, celebrities, journalists, and leaders participating in The BookFest® Fall 2020, are: Dayna Anderson; Sheryl Benko; A.G. Billig; Betsy Bird; Jenna Busch; Echo Chernik; Sean Conley; Andy Davidson; Madeline Dyer; Celeste Duckworth; Debra Eckerling; David Farland; Joey Franklin; Romina Garber; Joan Gelfand; Kevin Groh; Katie Hafner; Bill Hayes; Laurel Anne Hill; Christina Hoag; Katie Hughes; Mandy Jackson-Beverly; Gerald Everett Jones; Steven Joseph; Brandie June; Jonathan Maberry; Bill McCormick; Ray Mitchell, Esq.; Adrienne Monson; AmyLea Murphy; Tom Nardone; Daniel Nayeri; Ora Nadrich; Russell Nohelty; Ann O’Brien; John Palisano; Patricia Peyton; Tim Powers; W. Craig Reed; James Rollins; David Ruggerio; Edgar Scott; Robin Quinn; Michelle Silverthorn; Ivy Slater; Gary Soto; Ryan Southwick; Carole Stivers; Jeff Sweat; Jennifer Thomas; Lon E. Varnadore; Rebecca Kim Wells; Sara Winokur; Ashley Woodfolk, with more to be announced.

The BookFest Fall 2020 programming will continue to grow, and more speakers, authors and books will be added. Attendees are encouraged to register for email updates on the website to stay informed.

The event is presented by L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest, which is an opportunity for new writers of science fiction and fantasy to have their work judged by some of the masters in the field and discovered by a wide audience. It is also presented by The Greater Los Angeles Writers Society, an organization for writers in Southern California and beyond.

Other partners for the event include:

Authors, Large and Small; Black Château Enterprises; Books That Make You; C. S. Lewis Publicity; D.E.B. Method; Get Published Radio; Little Lion; Horror Writers Association in Los Angeles; The Lillian Todaro Collections; MyStar95.com; Napox Photography; OwlCrate; RISE Brewing Company; TVGuestpert Publishing; WannaBe Press; the Women’s National Book Association in Los Angeles; Veritkal Life Magazine and WPN (Writers & Publishers Network, formerly SPAWN).

The event’s hub will be the website, TheBookFest.com and visitors can find the live stream linked there on the day of the event. As well it will stream live through YouTube and other social media platforms. Live Ask an Author chats will be video-cast through StreamYard and the link will be on the “Chatroom Page”. Videos of authors reading scary stories will premiere during the event on the “Reading Room Page”. Attendees can also browse “Virtual Booths” which are pages for partners designed to be a substitute for a physical booth one might find at a festival or convention. There will also be a “Books Page” showcasing books from participants. The BookFest organizers encourage attendees to browse books and support the authors and partners who help bring this free-to-attend event to the world stage.

There is no charge to attend this online bookish adventure. For updates and insider information, people are encouraged to sign up on The BookFest® website. Attendees can follow the Facebook Event Page. Hashtags #TheBookFest and #TheBookFestFall2020 are also being used, and social media for Black Chateau and Books That Make You will be used to spread the word.

ABOUT THE BOOKFEST®

Join us on a bookish adventure—The BookFest® is the collaboration to bring together authors, readers, publishing professionals, journalists, business leaders, and creatives from around the world for an online celebration of books and ideas. The BookFest® is presented by Black Château and Books That Make You. Desireé Duffy is the founder of both, as well as the lead organizer for TEDxResedaBlvd, the annual Beach Bound Book Bash, Scary Stories Around the Pitfire, and JingleBooks. Black Château is an award-winning marketing and public relations agency located in Southern California. It specializes in promoting authors, books, small press, personality brands, and creative individuals from around the world with a full-spectrum of services. The company’s motto is: We believe in storytellers. Black Château’s sister company, Books That Make You, is a multi-media brand that promotes books through its website, radio show/podcast, and events. For more, visit www.BlackChateauEnterprises.com and www.BooksThatMakeYou.com.

First LA BookFest Online – Organized in Six Weeks – Declared Success by Attendees, Participants and Organizers

Drawing attendees from around the world, the online LA BookFest featuring Mitch Albom, NJ Ayuk, Brandyn Cross, Sarah Kendzior, John Kobylt, Kiera Lyons, Jonathan Maberry, Raye Mitchell Esq., Connie Schultz, Sue William Silverman, Danny Trejo and many others, receives applause from attendees and participants. Content is to be re-released, and a second LA BookFest is being planned.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA – LA BookFest organizers and attendees declare success in delivering a virtual book festival for fans around the world on May 9, 2020.  With nearly 10,000 visitors experiencing a full slate of festival activities during and leading up to the day of the event, the ground-breaking online book fair was organized from concept to delivery in less than six weeks. Programming content will be re-released starting Sunday, May 17, and another festival is being planned for fall of 2020.

Desireé Duffy is the Founder of LA BookFest, as well of Black Château, Books That Make You, and is also the head organizer for TEDxResedaBlvd. She hosted the event, and says, “LA BookFest defied expectations, even my own. Originally, I thought we’d simply do a Facebook party. However, the concept quickly snowballed while brainstorming with the Black Château team. We imagined what was possible and then built it in record-time. Technology converged with creativity as we developed the site, created the programming, and designed an entirely new brand in six weeks.”

Due to overwhelming demand, the programming will be made available as re-watchable video content. Starting the week of May 17th, the panels, conversations and keynotes will be posted chronologically on the Books That Make You YouTube Page in playlists. Subscribers to the YouTube page who have rung the notification bell will be notified via email as videos are released.

The LA BookFest consists of an opening keynote, a closing power talk, two conversations and six panel discussions. There are several mini segments, such as cooking with celebrity chef-turned writer David Ruggerio, Mindfulness Moments with author Ora Nadrich, and Embracing Crankiness with crankiness expert Steven Joseph, that will also be released as a playlist.

The LA BookFest live After Party was recorded and will be re-released, too. It features actor, activist and restauranteur, Danny Trejo, reading the children’s classic, Goodnight Moon. The After Party has musical performances from Kiera Lyons and Brandyn Cross, artist Dacey Villarreal from Art Brut 27 creates a festival-themed painting, plus several participants of the fest stopping by to hang out.

Currently, there is content viewable on the LA BookFest website, including; videos of authors reading excerpts on the “Reading Room” page, “Virtual Booths” featuring many of the LA BookFest partners, and a “Books” page with all the books from LA BookFest authors.

Among those who participated in the LA BookFest is Gerald Everett Jones, author, editor and host of The Get Published! Podcast. He moderates the Power Pitching Panel and is a member of the Allure of the Memoir Panel. Jones says, “LA BookFest was stunning, professional, engaging, motivating, ground-breaking, and sensational! It was a privilege to participate. I was particularly impressed by Mitch Albom, Lori H. Schwartz, and Sarah Kendzior. The event really lined up some disruptive voices, and I mean that in the Silicon Valley sense of the word! The production values were stellar, and the whole effort is on the leading edge of what’s going on. My head is still spinning!”

Sue William Silverman, award-winning author of seven books, including her most recent memoir, How to Survive Death and Other Inconveniences, was also on the Allure of the Memoir panel, and says, “A big congratulations on doing an outstanding job of accomplishing this incredible feat of a virtual book festival, and pulling it off with professionalism, excitement, and amazing content. I attended most of the sessions, and what you achieved was extraordinary! It was a significant highlight of my virtual book tour. What an extraordinary festival held at an unprecedented time in our nation’s history. Because of the social isolation caused by the pandemic, we need books and art now more than ever to help us feel connected to each other. Your festival was both a cultural celebration and a public service.”

Raye Mitchell, JD, MBA, Boss Girl and Chief Content Officer, The Genius Agency, Inc., delivered the LA BookFest Closing Power Talk. She says, “I am delighted to be part of the inaugural LA BookFest. Is a boss genius of an idea executed with pinpoint expertise and precision. Bravo Desireé and Black Château, you just raised the bar of what a great creative event looks like and feels like.”

The list of LA BookFest authors, celebrities, journalists, and leaders includes: Bilal Alaji; Mitch Albom; Maria Alexander; NJ Ayuk; Sheryl Benko; Scott Brody; Diana Lee Brown; Jenna Busch; LaFern Cusack; Bob Diforio; John Dracup; Celeste Duckworth; Debra Eckerling; Lisa Goich; Gerald Everett Jones; Steven Joseph; Sarah Kendzior; Kathleen Kaiser; Deborah Zara Kobylt; John Kobylt; Paul S. Levine; Dan Lothian; Kiera Lyons; Joanna Dodd Massey, Ph.D.; KJ Matthews; Jonathan Maberry; Monica Matulich; Bill McCormick; Ray Mitchell, Esq.; Ora Nadrich; Russell Nohelty; Claudia Puig; David Ruggerio; Edgar Scott; Robin Quinn; Ray Richmond; Connie Schultz; Lori H. Schwartz; Sue William Silverman; Ryan Southwick; Danny Trejo; and Sara Winokur.

For the full description and more information, visit the LA BookFest website. People can still subscribe to receive updates on the release of content and future LA BookFest news. The hashtag #LABookFest2020 is also being used on social media.

Another BookFest is in the initial stages of planning for Fall of 2020. Whether communities are still social distancing or not, the online event intends to give people the option of joining virtually for a global celebration of books, literature, and ideas.

Duffy adds, “When innovation, passion and agility come together, we can achieve anything. The LA BookFest is a testament to how adaptive we all can be. I’m proud of the LA BookFest and of all the work our team put into creating this virtual event in record time. Though the bar will be raised, I look forward to doing it again in the fall of 2020.”

The LA BookFest is presented by The Greater Los Angeles Writers Society, an organization for writers in Southern California and beyond. Other partners for the event include: African Energy Chamber; Authors, Large and Small; Black Château Enterprises; Books That Make You; C. S. Lewis Publicity; D.E.B. Method; Get Published Radio; Horror Writers Association in Los Angeles; inFERNo Productions; The Lillian Todaro Collections; Napox Photography; PR Hollywood; RISE Brewing Company; TEDxResedaBlvd; TVGuestpert Publishing; WannaBe Press; and the Women’s National Book Association in Los Angeles; and WPN (Writers & Publishers Network, formerly SPAWN). Media sponsors include: LA Talk Radio; MyStar95.com; Screenworks Entertainment and Veritkal Life Magazine.

ABOUT THE LA BOOKFEST

Join us on a bookish adventure—the LA BookFest is a collaboration bringing together authors, readers, publishing professionals, journalists, business leaders, and creatives from around the world for an online celebration of books and ideas. The LA BookFest is presented by Black Château and Books That Make You. Desireé Duffy is the founder of both, as well as the lead organizer for TEDxResedaBlvd, the annual Beach Bound Book Bash, Scary Stories Around the Pitfire, and JingleBooks. Black Château is an award-winning marketing and public relations agency located in Southern California. It specializes in promoting authors, books, small press, personality brands, and creative individuals from around the world with a full-spectrum of services. The company’s motto is: We believe in storytellers. Black Château’s sister company, Books That Make You, is a multi-media brand that promotes books through its website, radio show/podcast, and events. For more, visit www.BlackChateauEnterprises.com and www.BooksThatMakeYou.com.

Danny Trejo to Read Bedtime Story at LA BookFest Online After Party, Saturday May 9th, 2020

In addition to Mr. Trejo, other additions to the lineup include Connie Schultz who will conduct “A Conversation” with New York Times bestselling author Sarah Kendzior, and John Kobylt of the John and Ken Show on KFI-AM, Los Angeles who joins the Integrity in Journalism Panel.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA – LA BookFest lineup expands with several additions to this online event. Designed to bring together booklovers who can’t gather physically at festivals and conventions that usually happen this time of year, LA BookFest includes an opening keynote speech, panel discussions, conversations, Live “Ask an Author” Chats, author readings, book giveaways, and an After Party featuring musical guests and festivities. To close out the night, Danny Trejo will read the children’s classic Goodnight Moon.

Trejo, an actor, activist and restauranteur, will also have his first cookbook, Trejo’s Tacos: Recipes and Stories from LA featured at the LA BookFest. In it, Hollywood’s baddest good guy shares 75 recipes that make Trejo’s Tacos the Los Angeles go-to for award-winning tacos, donuts, and more.

Pulitzer-prize winner Connie Schultz will conduct the Conversation with Sarah Kendzior. Schultz is a writer, journalist, and has a nationally syndicated column for Creators Syndicate. She has written three books, her latest being The Daughters of Erietown, releasing June 2020 from Penguin/Random House. Schultz and Kendzior will discuss Kendzior’s newly released Hiding in Plain Sight: The Invention of Donald Trump and the Erosion of America.

Joining the Integrity in Journalism Panel is John Kobylt from the award-winning John and Ken Show on KFI-AM 640, Los Angeles, which is a part of iHeart Media. The show has been top-rated for 27 years in Los Angeles.

In addition to Mr. Trejo reading at the LA BookFest After Party, author of Double Blind: The Icelandic Manuscript Murders, Sara Winokur, will be there mixing a Midnight Sun Cocktail. Dacey Villarreal, 20-year veteran high school and college adjunct, and founder of Art Brut 27, will provide a fun painting session. Plus, there will be musical performances from Kiera Lyons and award-winning singer/songwriter Brandyn Cross.

The full slate of activity features, listed in Pacific Time:

10:00am – Welcome Message from LA BookFest Founder Desireé Duffy

10:15am – Opening Keynote by Best-Selling Billions at Play author NJ Ayuk

11:00am – A Conversation with Mitch Albom

Noon – The Future of Fiction: What Are People Writing Today for Tomorrow’s Readers?

1:00pm – Intermission

1:30pm – Integrity in Journalism in the Age of Covid-19, Fake News and Partisan Politics

2:30pm – The Allure of the Memoir: Telling the Human Story

3:30pm – The World Is Getting Closer: How Digital Media Is Changing Society

4:30pm – A Conversation with Sarah Kendzior

5:30pm – Power Pitching Your Manuscript or Screenplay: How to Make Them Love Your Story

6:30pm – Be Genius – Bossology 101: 5 Power Moves to a Big Idea with Raye Mitchell Esq.

7:30pm – After Party Celebration

8:45pm – Danny Trejo Reads Goodnight Moon

Plus, throughout the day there will be several special segments to enjoy in between panels:

  • Ora Nadrich, Founder and President of the Institute for Transformational Thinking and author of Live True: A Mindful Guide to Authenticity will present a Mindfulness Moment.
  • David Ruggerio, celebrity chef-turned writer will present tasty recipe-making sessions.
  • Steven Joeseph, Author of The Last Surviving Dinosaur: The TyrantoCrankaTsuris as well as the forthcoming The Crankatsuris Method: A Grownup Guide to Effective Crankiness, will do a segment on Embracing Your Crankiness.

The list of participating LA BookFest authors, celebrities, journalists, and leaders continues to grow. The list includes: Mitch Albom; Bilal Alaji; Maria Alexander; NJ Ayuk; Sheryl Benko; Scott Brody; Diana Lee Brown; Jenna Busch; LaFern Cusack; Bob Difornio; John Dracup; Celeste Duckworth; Debra Eckerling; Lisa Goich; Gerald Everett Jones; Steven Joseph; Sarah Kendzior; Kathleen Kaiser; Deborah Kobylt; Paul S. Levine; Dan Lothian; Kiera Lyons; Joanna Dodd Massey, Ph.D.; KJ Matthews; Jonathan Maberry; Monica Matulich; Bill MicCormick; Ray Mitchell, Esq.; Ora Nadrich; Russell Nohelty; Claudia Puig; David Ruggerio; Edgar Scott; Robin Quinn; Ray Richmond; Sue William Silverman; Ryan Southwick; Danny Trejo; Sara Winokur; plus more to be announced.

The LA BookFest is presented by The Greater Los Angeles Writers Society, an organization for writers in Southern California and beyond. Other partners for the event include: African Energy Chamber; Authors, Large and Small; Black Château Enterprises; Books That Make You; C. S. Lewis Publicity; D.E.B. Method; Get Published Radio; Horror Writers Association in Los Angeles; inFERNo Productions; The Lillian Todaro Collections; Napox Photography; PR Hollywood; WPN (Writers & Publishers Network, formerly SPAWN); TEDxResedaBlvd; TVGuestpert Publishing; WannaBe Press; and the Women’s National Book Association in Los Angeles.

Media sponsors include: LA Talk Radio, MyStar95.com, Screenworks Entertainment and Veritkal Life Magazine.

The event’s hub will be the website, LABookFest.com and visitors can find the stream activated there on the day of the event. Live “Ask an Author” Chats will happen in the chat room of the website. Videos of authors reading from their books will premiere during the event on the “Reading Room Page”. Attendees can also browse “Virtual Booths” which are pages for partners designed to be a substitute for a physical booth one might find at a festival or convention. There will also be a “Books Page” showcasing new books and a giant book giveaway presented by Books That Make You.

For news and insider information, people are encouraged to sign-up on the LA BookFest website for email updates. They can also follow the Facebook Event Page. Hashtag #LABookFest2020 is also being used, and social media for Black Chateau and Books That Make You will be used to spread the word and for updated information.

Saturday, May 9th at the LA BookFest

10am PDT to 7pm PDT

7:30pm to 9:00pm After Party

ABOUT THE BOOKFEST®

Join us on a bookish adventure—the LA BookFest is the collaboration to bring together authors, readers, publishing professionals, journalists, business leaders, and creatives from around the world for an online celebration of books and ideas. The LA BookFest is presented by Black Château and Books That Make You. Desireé Duffy is the founder of both, as well as the lead organizer for TEDxResedaBlvd, the annual Beach Bound Book Bash, Scary Stories Around the Pitfire, and JingleBooks. Black Château is an award-winning marketing and public relations agency located in Southern California. It specializes in promoting authors, books, small press, personality brands, and creative individuals from around the world with a full-spectrum of services. The company’s motto is: We believe in storytellers. Black Château’s sister company, Books That Make You, is a multi-media brand that promotes books through its website, radio show/podcast, and events. For more, visit www.BlackChateauEnterprises.com and www.BooksThatMakeYou.com.

LA BookFest™ Online Event Showcases Authors, Literary Luminaries, Journalists, Speakers, Thought Leaders, and Publishing Professionals on May 9, 2020

A full slate of activity that features Mitch Albom, NJ Ayuk, Bob Difornio, Sarah Kendzior, Dan Lothian, Jonathan Maberry, Raye Mitchell Esq., Ora Nadrich, Sue William Silverman and many others, is presented by The Greater Los Angeles Writers Society.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
 
Los Angeles, CA – LA BookFest brings an array of panel discussions, conversations, keynote speeches, live author AMA chats, author readings, music, book giveaways and interactive fun together for an unprecedented online bookish event on Saturday, May 9th. Readers and fans who are not able to come together physically for festivals that usually happen this time of year can enjoy a virtual gathering to celebrate books and share ideas.
 
The opening keynote will be delivered by NJ Ayuk, author of Amazon number-one bestseller, Billions at Play and Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. He will discuss key themes explored in Billions at Play: The Future of African Energy and Doing Deals and shed a light on the state of the African energy industry amid the COVID-19 pandemic and low oil prices.
 
In conversation will be best-selling author Mitch Albom, with Tuesday People podcast co-host and producer Lisa Goich. He will discuss Human Touch, a new serialized story of hope during the Coronavirus pandemic, set in the moment we are all living through together. Human Touch is being written by Mitch Albom in the present, one week at a time, offered free of charge in an effort to raise funds for COVID 19 related charitable activities in his hard-hit home city, Detroit. He will also talk about his recent book, Finding Chika and the power of writing poignant stories like this, as well as Albom’s personal journey since releasing the all-time bestselling memoir, Tuesdays with Morrie, 23 years ago.
 
Also in conversation will be journalist, podcast host, and author of The New York Times bestselling The View from Flyover Country, Sarah Kendzior, who will discuss her newly released Hiding in Plain Sight: The Invention of Donald Trump and the Erosion of America.
 
Several panel discussions will feature topics relevant to our times and the bookish community:
 
The Future of Fiction – What Are People Writing Today for Tomorrow’s Readers?
Integrity in Journalism in the Age of Covid-19, Fake News, and Partisan Politics
The Allure of the Memoir – Telling the Human Story
The World Is Getting Closer – How Digital Media Is Changing Society
Power Pitching Your Manuscript or Screenplay – How to Make them Love Your Story
 
Ora Nadrich, Founder and President of the Institute for Transformational Thinking and author of Live True: A Mindful Guide to Authenticity will present a Mindfulness Moment during the event.
 
Raye Mitchell, Esq., Boss Girl, a part of the Genius Agency, will deliver a talk titled: Be Genius™ – Bossology 101: 5 Power Moves to a Big Idea, which is about mastering the art and science of Bossology™ and realigning your vision in challenging times, telling your story in any form, and how to plan for the release and strategy of your intellectual property.
 
An after party will feature musical performances from Kiera Lyons and Brandyn Cross. The networking event will be in a relaxed online setting so that attendees and participants can mingle and enjoy the evening together. There will be a fundraiser to help indie bookstores and a special bedtime story reading with a surprise guest happens at the end of the night.
 
Among the dozens of authors, celebrities, journalists, and leaders participating in LA BookFest, are: Mitch Albom; Bilal Alaji; Maria Alexander; NJ Ayuk; Sheryl Benko; Scott Brody; Diana Lee Brown; Jenna Busch; LaFern Cusack; Bob Difornio; John Dracup; Celeste Duckworth; Debra Eckerling; Lisa Goich; Gerald Everett Jones; Steven Joseph; Sarah Kendzior; Kathleen Kaiser; Deborah Kobylt; Paul S. Levine; Dan Lothian; Joanna Dodd Massey, Ph.D.; KJ Matthews; Jonathan Maberry; Monica Matulich; Ray Mitchell, Esq.; Ora Nadrich; Russell Nohelty; Claudia Puig; David Ruggerio; Edgar Scott; Robin Quinn; Ray Richmond; Sue William Silverman; Ryan Southwick; Sara Winokur; plus more to be announced.
 
The LA BookFest is presented by The Greater Los Angeles Writers Society, an organization for writers in Southern California and beyond. Other partners for the event include: African Energy Chamber; Authors, Large and Small; Black Château Enterprises; Books That Make You; C. S. Lewis Publicity; D.E.B. Method; Get Published Radio; inFERNo Productions; The Lillian Todaro Collections; Napox Photography; PR Hollywood; WPN (Writers & Publishers Network, formerly SPAWN); TEDxResedaBlvd; TVGuestpert Publishing; WannaBe Press; and the Women’s National Book Association in Los Angeles.
 
Media sponsors include: LA Talk Radio, MyStar95.com, Screenworks Entertainment and Veritkal Life Magazine.
 
The event’s hub will be the website, LABookFest.com and visitors can find the stream activated there on the day of the event. Live author AMA (ask me anything) chats will happen in the chat room of the website. Videos of authors reading from their books will premiere during the event on the “Reading Room Page”. Attendees can also browse “Virtual Booths” which are pages for partners designed to be a substitute for a physical booth one might find at a festival or convention. There will also be a “Books Page” showcasing new books and a giant book giveaway presented by Books That Make You.
 
For updates and insider information, people are encouraged to sign-up on the LA BookFest website for email updates. They can also follow the Facebook Event Page. Hashtag #LABookFest2020 is also being used, and social media for Black Chateau and Books That Make You will be used to spread the word and for updated information.
 

Saturday, May 9th at the LA BookFest

10am PDT to 7pm PDT

7:30pm to 9:00pm After Party

ABOUT THE BOOKFEST®
 
Join us on a bookish adventure—the LA BookFest is the collaboration to bring together authors, readers, publishing professionals, journalists, business leaders, and creatives from around the world for an online celebration of books and ideas. The LA BookFest is presented by Black Château and Books That Make You. Desireé Duffy is the founder of both, as well as the lead organizer for TEDxResedaBlvd, the annual Beach Bound Book Bash, Scary Stories Around the Pitfire, and JingleBooks. Black Château is an award-winning marketing and public relations agency located in Southern California. It specializes in promoting authors, books, small press, personality brands, and creative individuals from around the world with a full-spectrum of services. The company’s motto is: We believe in storytellers. Black Château’s sister company, Books That Make You, is a multi-media brand that promotes books through its website, radio show/podcast, and events. For more, visit www.BlackChateauEnterprises.com and www.BooksThatMakeYou.com.