More than 30 distinguished local and national authors will convene at the University of Central Florida to share their interest in literature and engage the community with reading during UCF’s fifth annual Book Festival on Saturday, April 5.
The festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the CFE Arena. Admission and parking will be free.
The festival is hosted by UCF’s College of Education and Human Performance in partnership with UCF’s Morgridge International Reading Center. Attendees are invited to meet with the authors—whose works are featured in classrooms and libraries around the country—and learn about their creative processes and how they bring their characters to life.
The keynote author will be Andre Dubus III, who wrote The New York Times bestseller House of Sand and Fog. His most recent book, Dirty Love, was released in October.
Other notable authors include Capt. Luis Carlos Montalván, The New York Times-bestselling author of Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him, and David Menasche, author of The Priority List: A Teacher’s Final Quest to Discover Life’s Greatest Lessons.
Throughout the day guests can attend author forums, listen to readings, attend book signings and receive free book appraisals.
There are activities planned for all ages, with special events for teens and children. Advanced registration is required for the free teen activities, which include a writing workshop led by UCF faculty and young adult author Kristen Simmons, and a live-action game based on the book Divergent.
Local chefs John Rivers of 4Rivers Smokehouse and Hollis Wilder of Sweet! By Good Golly Miss Holly will demonstrate recipes from their cookbooks.
UCF faculty participating in the festival include David James Poissant and Nathan Holic from the English Department. Authors Ward Larsen and Will Wright are UCF alumni.
To register for the teen workshops, view a schedule of events, or for more information, visit www.bookfestival.ucf.edu.