Tuesday, April 08, 2008

First Annual Fox Cities Book Festival

Celebrate the pure joy of reading and make plans today to attend the inaugural Fox Cities Book Festival, which will be held April 16-20, 2008.

The festival will connect readers and writers and offer an opportunity for all of us to celebrate the literary arts. It will also reach across all generations and genres with activities spanning the entire Fox Cities. A book fair featuring numerous publishers will be held at City Center Plaza in Downtown Appleton on April 19.

The Fox Cities Book Festival will feature many national, state and local authors. Among the national writers coming to the Fox Cities:

Charles Baxter
As one of America's best-selling poets, Collins is known for his witty writing style. He was appointed as Poet Laureate in 2001 by Congress and served two terms. Collins has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and Guggenheim Foundation and was also the recipient of the Poetry Foundation's original Mark Twain Award for humorous poetry. Some of his most popular books of poetry include "Sailing Alone Around the Room: New and Selected Poems," "Picnic, Lightning" and "The Art of Drowning." Collins is an English professor and lives in New York

Speaking with Dean Bakopoulos Friday, April 18 at 2:30 p.m. about finding your writing mentor, UW-Fox Valley Aaron Bohrod Gallery; Speaking Friday, April 18 at 7 p.m., Stansbury Hall, Lawrence Univ.; Panel discussion Saturday, April 19 at 10 a.m. on turning fiction books into movies, Appleton Public Library

Alex Flinn
Alex Flinn is one of the country's best-selling authors of books for young adults. She was born on Long Island, moved to Miami as a teen and still calls Florida home. Although Flinn went to law school and was a practicing attorney, she always loved writing and started work on her first novel, "Breathing Underwater," while completing her college studies. Flinn now has five published novels to her name with "Fade to Black" and "Diva" as two reader favorites.

Speaking Wednesday, April 16 at 6:30 p.m., Harmony Café, Appleton. Her topic is Dating 101: Finding Your Way.

Alice Hoffman
Hoffman is one of America's most distinguished novelists. She has published a total of 18 novels, two stories of short fiction and eight books for children and young adults. Her novel, "Here on Earth," was an Oprah Book Club choice and several of her books, including "Practical Magic" and the New York Times Bestseller, "The River King," have been made into movies. She currently splits her time between Boston and New York. Alice will be speaking about her popular novels Blackbird House and Green Angel.

Speaking Thursday, April 17 at 1:30 p.m., Kaukauna Public Library
Speaking Thursday, April 17 at 7 p.m., Appleton Public Library
Speaking Friday, April 18 at 10 a.m., Neenah Public Library

Naomi Shihab Nye
Naomi Shihab Nye has traveled the world and is known for evoking a humanitarian spirit and drawing upon her cultural experiences in her poetry. She received the Isabella Gardner Poetry Award for "You and Yours" and is credited for several books of poetry including "19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East" and "Different Ways to Pray." Nye has also written for young readers and received several honors including two Jane Addams Children's Book Awards and four Pushcart Prizes. Nye resides in Texas with her family.

Speaking Saturday, April 19 at 3 p.m., Harmony Café, Appleton
Speaking Saturday, April 19 at 7 p.m., Kaukauna High School
Conversations with Nye and FCBF Committee Member Ellen Kort, Sunday, April 20 at 10:00 a.m., Radisson Paper Valley Hotel. Please note this is a ticketed event.

In addition, there more than a dozen state/local authors appearing throughout the area. For a complete schedule of events, click here.

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