Reading Room – Spring 2021
Enjoy an array of Book Fest Authors reading to you
Enjoy videos of authors reading from the books, essays, poetry, their works in progress, and more.
Menu
The Reading Room takes a break for the Spring 2021 event. Select a past event above to enjoy previous BookFest author readings. And check out the Live Author Chats for readings and other fun festivities.
Schedule (Pacific Time)
New for Fall 2021 – Check out the Pitching Room.
A place for authors to pitch their manuscript in an interactive virtual setting that brings the reading, writing and literary communities together.
- Authors, submit your pitches.
- Agents, register to view pitches.
- BookFesters, check out the pitches and see what authors are presenting to the literary world.
| Pacific Time | Saturday, Oct 23 – Day 1: For Readers |
| 9:00 AM | Welcome Message from The BookFest Founder Desireé Duffy |
| 9:15 AM | Opening Keynote – Lori H. Schwartz |
| 9:30 AM | Poetry Reading by Debbie Monteggia |
| 10:00 AM | A Conversation with Mark K. Shriver – Being an Author and Being of Service |
| 11:00 AM | Kid Lit: Culture, Character and Creativity |
| Noon | Who Put the Bomp in Your Favorite Romance Novel? |
| 1:00 PM | Thrills, Chills and Red Herrings – Things that Make You Go “Ooo” (And Want to Read More) |
| 2:00 PM | The Fantasist’s Forge and Mythologist’s Muse |
| 3:00 PM | A Conversation with Helene Wecker – Blending Fantasy, Mythology, Romance and Horror |
| 4:00 PM | Live Author Chats: |
| 4:10 PM | – Helene Wecker |
| 4:20 PM | – Steven Joseph |
| 4:30 PM | – Yvonne Pepin-Wakefield |
| 4:40 PM | – Dames Handsome |
| 4:50 PM | – Mikki Hernandez |
| 5:00 PM | – Hari D. Sharma |
| 5:10 PM | – Patrick Oliver |
| 5:20 PM | – A.G. Billig |
| 5:30 PM | – Amy M. Le |
| 5:40 PM | – Al Pessin |
| 6:00 PM | END |
| Sunday, Oct 24 – Day 2: For Writers | |
| 8:30 AM | Welcome Back Message from The BookFest Founder Desireé Duffy |
| 8:35 AM | Keynote by Kristie Anne Mah – From Sluggish to Published: Letting Go of What is Holding You Back |
| 9:00 AM | Conversation with Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein – Dreaming a World where Everyone Experiences the Wonders of the Universe |
| 10:00 AM | Books Out of Africa: Bookish World Tour Panel |
| 11:00 AM | Alternative Ways to Publish: Hybrid, Self-Publishing and More |
| Noon | Do You Have the Write Stuff? A Frank Discussion about Being an Author Today |
| 1:00 PM | Conversation with Lisa Morton – Thirty Years of Fear |
| 2:00 PM | Critiki-Bar: Page One Manuscript Critiques (An agent and an author walk into a bar…) |
| 4:00 PM | Brave New Writer at The BookFest Adventure |
| 6:00 PM | END |