SOKY Book Fest
Southern Kentucky Book Fest is one of the state’s largest literary events and is presented by Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Warren County Public Library, and WKU Libraries. Held annually, the Book Fest draws thousands of readers of all ages who welcome the occasion to meet their favorite authors and purchase signed copies of their books.
The 2020 SOKY Book Fest will be our 22nd and is a fundraiser for the promotion of literacy in our community. The event is free and open to the public. Please note that all books signed at SOKY Book Fest must be purchased at the festival. No previously purchased books are allowed to be signed.
No Registration Required
No registration is required for the Saturday activities of the SOKY Book Fest.
All panels, workshops, and presentations are open entry until each room is at capacity.
SOKY Book Fest complies with the anti-harassment policies outlined by our parent organization, Western Kentucky University. Each employee, applicant, affiliate, author, and attendee, as well as anyone doing business with SOKY Book Fest, is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect in an environment free of harassment of any kind. The SOKY Book Fest partners – the Warren County Public Library, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, and WKU Libraries – have a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, national origin, sex, religion, disability, marital status, political affiliation, or any variation thereof. Violations of this policy could result in expulsion or banning from SOKY Book Fest events or other disciplinary action. Should a complaint arise during any SOKY Book Fest-affiliated event, please contact the Coordinator at 270-781-4882.
Western Kentucky University is committed to providing a working and learning environment that is free from discrimination and harassment. Discrimination and harassment, and/or retaliation against anyone who makes a complaint or participates in the complaint process are prohibited and shall not be tolerated. Please visit https://www.wku.edu/policies/docs/251.pdf for detailed information about this policy.
Panels and Presentation Schedule
Panels and presentations are 50 minutes in length. Schedule subject to change prior to the event.
Presentation:
10:00 am presentation cancelled
Panels:
Room | Panel | Authors |
| 163A | A Touch of the South Discussing prose full of Southern details and/or the Appalachian spirit. | Carrie Mullins, Julie Hensley, Judith Hoover, Bren McClain, Jesse Donaldson, James Markert, Crystal Wilkinson |
| 163B | Middle Grades: Seriously Funny Tackling tough subjects with a touch of humor. | Jen Swann Downey, Deron Hicks, Brooks Benjamin, Obert Skye, Kristina Springer, Gail Nall |
| 163C | Stranger than Fiction: True Stories Artfully Told Turning research into narrative. Featuring Kentucky Literary Award finalists. | David Grann, Holly Tucker, Chris Offutt, Sean Kinder |
| Auditorium (Rm 138) | YA: Matters of the Heart ❤ Contemporary fiction writers for young adults discuss writing love and loss and much more. | Brigid Kemmerer, Joanne O’Sullivan, Ashley Herring Blake, Sheba Karim, Courtney Stevens, Katie McGarry |
| Classroom 112 | Picture Books: From Concept to Creation Learn how these successful authors made their books happen, from idea to finished product. | Amanda Driscoll, Robin Barone, Bobbie Hinman, Heather Henson, Evelyn Christenson, Diane Stortz |
| Classroom 113 | Nonfiction: The Notorious and the Notable Bareknuckle brawlers, war heroes, historical figures, and sports legends – all with memorable stories to tell. | Bob Dickey, Sherrill Williams, Ron Elliot, Jim Miller, James Nicholson, Gary West, John Hardin |
| Classroom 175 | Poetry Writing place, pop culture, identity, and more – line by line. | Dave Harrity, Tom Hunley, Jeffrey Skinner, Trish Lindsey Jaggers, Tasha Cotter, Lee Pennington |
Special Signing:
R.L. Stine Book Signing (11am-1pm)
Location: Ballroom
Presentation:
Tim Crothers, author of The Queen of Katwe
Location: Auditorium (Room 138)
Panels:
Room | Panel | Authors |
| 163A | Why is Romance the Bestselling Fiction Genre? Experts in the field share their history of writing romance and how it’s shaped the past and present of publishing. | Virginia Smith, Pamela Hearon, Susan Page Davis, Sarah Ladd, Denise Hunter, Collen Coble, Angela Correll |
| 163B | Authors are Fangirls Too! YA Authors discuss their inspirations and obsessions | Carey Corp, Lorie Langdon, Teresa Richards, Kathryn Ormsbee |
| 163C | Middle Grades: Bring on the Growing Pains Blending plenty of fact with plenty of fiction. | Kristin Tubb, Lois Sepahban, D.G. Driver, Alana White, Lisa Lewis Tyre, Mark Wayne Adams |
| Regency | Mystery or Thriller? Why Choose? Discussing writing that intertwines the best of both of these worlds. | David Bell, Lee Martin, Catherine McKenzie, Jesse Donaldson, Jason Miller, Robin Yocum |
| Classroom 112 | Epic Tales of Fact or Fiction in the Bluegrass Ghostly tales, murder, and mayhem! | Gerald Fischer, Roberta & Lonnie Brown, Ian Punnett, Floyd Collins, et. al. |
| Classroom 113 | Nonfiction: Mostly Memoir Stories of travel, family history, growing up, and more. | Sallie Bingham, James Bolin, Nihar Suthar, Kim Dinan, David Domine, Sarah Gorham |
| Classroom 175 | Cooking Traditions: Palatable Plates & Regional Tastes From salmon to heirloom seeds to handed-down recipes. | Maggie Green, Susan Lindsey, Maureen C. Berry, Bill Best |
Special Signing:
R.L. Stine Book Signing (11am-1pm)
Location: Ballroom
Presentation:
No panels or presentations during this time.
Presentation:
David Grann, author of Killers of the Flower Moon
Location: Auditorium (Room 138)
Panels:
Room | Panel | Authors |
| 163A | History-Weavers: Using Historical Research without Killing the Story Learn how to get the recipe right from authors across multiple genres. | Dana Chamblee Carpenter, Laura Benedict, Tracy Barrett, Annette Oppenlander, Kristy Cambron, Stephen Stein |
| 163B | Aaaaand Action!: Fearless Leading Ladies in Young Adult & Middle Grade Fiction They’re young. They’re female. They’re fearless. They’re what readers need! | Mindy McGinnis, Amanda Morgan, Amy Christine Parker, Christina Farley, Vivi Barnes, Gwenda Bond |
| 163C | Get Outside! Writers Tackle Nature-Writing for Kids (and their Parents) From picture books to beautiful photography, see how authors mesh science + fun. | David Fitzsimmons, Coleen Olson, Charles Ghigna, Dawn Cusick, Jessica Young, Meghan Colvin |
| Regency | Writing Bad Boys & Other Killer Characters Wolfmen and vampires and thieves, oh my! Why the world needs authors who can handle writing bad boys. | Susan Boles, Molly Harper, Karen M. Cox, Ann Gabhart, Randy Susan Meyers, Lori Moore, Lynn Cahoon |
| Classroom 112 | Art & Music Are Characters Too Intoning prose with other artistic media that makes characters & their interactions more dynamic. | R. Dean (Bob) Johnson, Brian Sweany, Kayla Rae Whitaker, Tobias Carroll, Liz Kay, Rion Scott |
| Classroom 113 | YA Fantasy Building worlds and wielding the power of imagination. | Cinda Chima, C.J. Redwine, Aprilynne Pike, Lydia Sherrer, Kelly Creagh, Philomena Anastasia |
| Classroom 175 | Writing World Wars Channeling research and summoning heroes and battles of old into exciting books. | Audra Jennings, David Bettez, Richard Holl, Terri Crocker, William Penn, Ronald Wolford Blair |
Event Details
Details
- Start:
- March 20, 2020
- End:
- March 21, 2020
- Event Category:
- SOKY Book Fest
Organizers
- Warren County Public Library
- WKU Libraries
- Barnes & Noble Booksellers
Venue
- Knicely Conference Center
- 2355 Nashville Road
Bowling Green, KY 42101 United States+ Google Map