We are excited to present the author lineup for the 2018 West Virginia Book Festival. Click on each author's photo to see their bio.
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Photo credits: Debbie Macomber by Timothy Archibald; Dennis Lehane by Gaby Gerster, Diogenes, Zurich; Jill Lepore by Dari Michele; John Scalzi by Athena Scalzi.
Many organizations and individuals work together to make the West Virginia Book Festival a reality. Our charter presenters and sponsors are listed below.
This is where you can stay up-to-date on all the happenings of this year's Festival.
7:30 p.m. • Riggleman Hall, University of Charleston
Pre-Festival Event: Jill Lepore presents the McCreight Lecture in the Humanities.
Sponsored by The West Virginia Humanities Council.
10 a.m. - Noon • Conference Rms 202-204
Writing Workshop by Meredith Sue Willis, Revising Your Novel: Making Your Book the Best It Can Be!
10 a.m. - Noon • Conference Room 205
Children's Writing Workshop by Jake Stump and Brad Stalnaker, Writing 'Musket's Big Adventure, A Quest to find the Gold and Blue Mountains
11:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. • Grand Hall
Festival Marketplace
11:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. • Grand Hall
Word Play - Children's Activities
1 - 3 p.m. • Conference Rooms 202-204
Writing Workshop by Ginger Brookover, How to Keep Readers in Suspense
3:30 - 5:30 p.m. • Conference Rooms 202-204
Writing Workshop by Kathy MacMillan, Storybuilding with Kathy MacMillan
7 p.m. • Grand Ballroom
An Evening with Debbie Macomber
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Grand Hall
Used Book Sale
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Grand Hall
Festival Marketplace
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Grand Hall
Word Play - Children's Activities
9 - 10:30 a.m. • Conference Rooms 202-205
Nancy L. Abrams, The Climb from Salt Lick: A Memoir of Appalachia (Mary Settle Session)
10 a.m. • Grand Hall
Word Play - Children's Storybook Costume Parade
11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. • Conference Rooms 202-205
Richard Armstrong, The Battle of Lewisburg
11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. • Little Theater
John Scalzi, Live Long and Prosper
1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. • Little Theater
David Grann, Killers of the Flower Moon: The Arc of Justice
1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. • Conference Rooms 202-205
Kwame Alexander and Randy Preston, A Literary Concert with Kwame Alexander and Randy Preston
3 p.m. • Grand Ballroom
An Afternoon with Dennis Lehane
Activities for children. Don't miss the Storybook Costume Parade!
11:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. • Grand Hall
Word Play - Children's Activities
(To Be Announced)
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Grand Hall
Word Play - Children's Activities
(To Be Announced)
10 a.m. • Grand Hall
Children's Storybook Costume Parade
Great deals on thousands of books, movies, music CDs and more.
8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Regular Prices
3 - 3:30 p.m.
Closed for Setup
of Reduced Price Sale
3:30 - 5 p.m.
Sale Pricing
After the completion of the book sale, the remnants of the used book sale will be available, free of charge, to select nonprofit organizations. For your nonprofit organization to participate, please complete a registration form and submit it to the address below by Friday, Oct. 19, 2018.
Tim Hardway, Nonprofit Donations Coordinator
Kanawha County Public Library
123 Capitol St.
Charleston, WV 25301
Please note: we cannot guarantee quantity, type or variety of the leftover books. Collector’s Corner materials are not included in this offer.
The Marketplace is where you will find book sellers, publishers, individual authors and other literary vendors. Here, you can purchase books to be signed by Festival authors, meet local authors and find a variety of books and book-related items.
If you are interested in having a booth (or booths) in the Festival Marketplace, please read the 2018 Information for Authors and Marketplace Vendors document.
To apply to be a Marketplace Vendor, please complete and return the Marketplace Vendor Application form by March 19, 2018.
Friday, October 26
11:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 27
8:00 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Interested in attending one of our writing workshops? All the details about this year's workshops are on this panel.
Friday, October 26
10 a.m. - Noon • Conference Rooms 202-204
Writing Workshop by Meredith Sue Willis
Revising Your Novel: Making Your Book the Best It Can Be!
10 a.m. - Noon • Conference Room 205
Children's Writing Workshop by Jake Stump and Brad Stalnaker
Writing "Musket's Big Adventure:
A Quest to Find the Gold and Blue Mountains"
1 - 3 p.m. • Conference Rooms 202-204
Writing Workshop by Ginger Brookover
How to Keep Readers in Suspense
3:30 - 5:30 p.m. • Conference Rooms 202-204
Writing Workshop by Kathy MacMillan
Storybuilding with Kathy MacMillan
The annual West Virginia Book Festival is held at the Charleston Civic Center. If you plan to stay while visiting the city for the event, there are a number of local hotels and restaurants you may find convenient and appealing.
Volunteers are needed to help in a variety of ways, including set-up, break-down, assisting authors and presenters and assisting with the used book sale, Festival Marketplace, children's programs, crafts and information tables.
If you would like to volunteer
at the 2018 West Virginia Book Festival, please complete the Volunteer Application form and submit it to the address below by Sept. 28, 2018.
April Wallace, Volunteer Coordinator
West Virginia Book Festival
123 Capitol Street
Charleston, WV 25301
Take a look at some of the scenes from previous years at the West Virginia Book Festival.
This is where the lastest news of the West Virginia Book Festival can be found. Check back for news releases and other bits of important information.
