1364

2020 Events

BooksWHT

The Kentucky Book Festival was all virtual in 2020! Thanks for watching!

Guests of the 2020 Kentucky Book Festival included John Grisham, Nikky Finney, Terry Brooks, Martha S. Jones, J. R. Ward, David Blight, Silas House, Frank X Walker, and many more! To see a list of featured Authors and Books, click Here. To view recordings of 2020 Events, click the “Learn More” buttons below. View programs by month by clicking September, October, or November below.

September | October | November

The Kentucky Book Festival was all virtual in 2020! Thanks for watching!

Guests of the 2020 Kentucky Book Festival included John Grisham, Nikky Finney, Terry Brooks, Martha S. Jones, J. R. Ward, David Blight, Silas House, Frank X Walker, and many more! To see a list of featured Authors and Books, click Here. To view recordings of 2020 Events, click the “Learn More” buttons below. View programs by month by clicking September, October, or November below.

September

October

November

September Events

September Events

Author Happy Hour – How to Host the Perfect Bourbon Tasting

September 17, 2020

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm EDT

SPEAKERS:

Peggy Stevens | Susan Reigler

Grab your favorite bourbon or beverage of choice and join Peggy Noe Stevens & Susan Reigler, authors of “Which Fork Do I Use with My Bourbon?” as they explore the nuances and tasty noshes that make for a successful bourbon tasting.

Author Happy Hour – Writing Strong Female Leads in Fiction

September 24, 2020

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm EDT

SPEAKERS:

Meg Cabot | Colleen Oakley | Sheila Williams | Kimmery Martin

Learn how four authors of contemporary fiction--Meg Cabot, Colleen Oakley, Sheila Williams, and Kimmery Martin--tackle writing dynamic leading ladies. Are they inspired by real women they've encountered, friendships they've experienced, or romantic entanglements they've witnessed? Tune in to find out.

October Events

October Events

Author Happy Hour – New Poetry

October 1, 2020

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm EDT

SPEAKERS:

Nana Lampton | Jeremy Paden | Caroline Randall Williams | Leatha Kendrick

Inventive and illustrative with their words, learn how these talented poets craft powerful and compelling work. Featuring poet Nana Lampton in conversation with Jeremy Paden, Caroline Randall Williams, and Leatha Kendrick about their latest collections.

Author Happy Hour – How to Read with Your Kids

October 8, 2020

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm EDT

SPEAKERS:

Will Hillenbrand | Jessica Young | Carmen Oliver | Rita Lorraine Hubbard

Tune in to this fun, upbeat session, where children’s book author and illustrator Will Hillenbrand chats best tips and tricks to get kids of all ages excited about reading with these three talented picture book authors.

Author Happy Hour – Writing for “Tweens” and Teens

October 15, 2020

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm EDT

SPEAKERS:

Mariama Lockington | Greg Howard | Ismée Williams | Jason Lady

Writing books for middle and high schoolers takes empathy, insight, relatable characters, humor, a dash of drama, and a whole lot more. Learn from these authors of fiction for tweens and teens as they discuss the full recipe for writing with this age group in mind.

Author Happy Hour – An Evening with Nicholas D. Kristof

October 22, 2020

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm EDT

SPEAKERS:

Nicholas Kristof

The Pulitzer Prize-winning authors will discuss their latest book, "Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope," with Deidra Dennie, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion at Transylvania University. The book, now available in paperback, is described as "a plea—deeply personal and told through the lives of real Americans—to address the crisis in working-class America, while focusing on […]

Author Happy Hour – Writing the Perfect Crime

October 29, 2020

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm EDT

SPEAKERS:

David Bell | Rea Frey | Andrew Welsh-Huggins | Dana Ridenour

Whether writing a thrilling, plot-twisting mystery or an agent-on-the-case, these authors truly know how to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Tune in to hear them talk about key elements in writing the perfect crime.

November Events

November Events

KBF Conversations – John Grisham in Conversation with Kim Edwards

November 9, 2020

7:00 pm EST

SPEAKERS:

Grisham and Edwards, two New York Times bestselling authors, will discuss their writing careers and Grisham’s newest book, A Time for Mercy, which brings Jake Brigance—the star of Grisham’s first novel, A Time to Kill—back to the courtroom. Sponsored by Campbellsville University.

KFB Conversations – Let’s Do the Time Warp (for Kids!)

November 10, 2020

12:00 pm EST

SPEAKERS:

Shawn Pryor | George Ella Lyon | S. G. Wilson | Kristin O’Donnell Tubb

Teaching kids history and science doesn’t need to be boring. Whether writing fact or fiction, each of these talented authors artfully merges themes and concepts from past and present history and science to make a lasting impact on young readers. Tune in to this lunchtime session to learn more about how they do it!

KBF Conversations – Writing Historical Fiction

November 10, 2020

7:00 pm EST

SPEAKERS:

Margaret Verble | Roxana Robinson | Bobbie Ann Mason | Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle

Each of the fascinating protagonists in these novels set from the 1860s to the 1960s and beyond navigate challenges of morality, political and social divides, culture clashes, family alliances, and destiny. Learn how these authors look to the past while writing poignant content for the present.

KBF Conversations – The Path to Publishing

November 11, 2020

12:00 pm EST

SPEAKERS:

Courtney Maum | Clint Edwards | Beverly Bell

How do authors go from writing in their spare time to holding a published book in their hands? It takes A LOT of writing and an uncanny persistence on success. Reading Courtney Maum’s latest book helps too! Tune in to this lively discussion, where agent and authors share behind-the-scenes knowledge about getting published.

KBF Conversations – “A Radical Patriot”: Frederick Douglass and His Legacy

November 12, 2020

7:00 pm EST

SPEAKERS:

David Blight | Amy Murrell Taylor

David Blight, who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his most recent book, Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, will discuss Douglass’ personal and political life as well as his long and continued significance and impact on the history of the United States. Amy Murrell Taylor, a historian of the American South whose work focuses on […]

KBF Conversations – Spotlight Breakfast featuring Jim Host

November 13, 2020

10:00 am EST

SPEAKERS:

Jim Host, author of Changing the Game: My Career in Collegiate Sports Marketing, is the founder of Host Communications, Inc, a nationally renowned college sports marketing and association management company. He will discuss his book, published by the University Press of Kentucky earlier this year, with co-author, Eric A. Moyen. This event is brought to […]

KBF Conversations – An Evening of Poetry

November 13, 2020

7:00 pm EST

SPEAKERS:

Frank X Walker | Nikky Finney | Dwayne Betts

Join renowned poets Nikky Finney, Frank X Walker, and Reginald Dwayne Betts for an unforgettable evening in celebration of their work as poets, advocates, and educators. Sponsored by the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning.

KBF Conversations – “Healthy at Home”: Appalachia Then & Now

November 14, 2020

11:00 am EST

SPEAKERS:

Michele Morrone | Chris Hamby | Eric Eyre | Ben Westhoff

How do environmental, cultural, and political conditions impact a region and the health of its occupants? Why does it seem certain parts of the U.S. are more negatively impacted by the opioid crisis than others? Learn how these investigative journalists and educators are fighting for justice, advocating for positive change, and informing the American public […]

KBF Conversations – Women’s Suffrage

November 14, 2020

12:00 pm EST

SPEAKERS:

Martha S. Jones | Elaine Weiss | Melanie Beals Goan

August 18, 2020 marked the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment, guaranteeing and protecting women's constitutional right to vote. Elaine Weiss, Martha Jones, and Melanie Goan have all written engrossing and fascinating accounts of the history and impact of women’s suffrage. Their books work to depict a fuller view of the impact […]

KBF Conversations – Understanding Appalachia: Journalistic Perceptions of a Region

November 14, 2020

1:00 pm EST

SPEAKERS:

Matthew Algeo | Jeff Young | Samantha NeCamp

From Samantha NeCamp’s scrutiny of stereotypes and misrepresentations about literacy in the region; to Matthew Algeo’s study of Robert Kennedy’s 1968 visit to the “heart of eastern Kentucky”; to Jeff Young and the Ohio Valley Resource examining the “heart of coal country,” hear from these authors about how and why Kentucky and the surrounding regions […]

KBF Conversations – Fantastic Realms and How to Write Them

November 14, 2020

2:00 pm EST

SPEAKERS:

Terry Brooks | Alix E. Harrow

How on earth can an author have an imagination big enough to encompass another universe? Listen in as authors Terry Brooks—author of more than 30 books, including the "Shannara" series—and Alix E. Harrow—author of "The Ten Thousand Doors of January" and "The Once and Future Witches"—“talk shop” about how (and why) they write what they do, in […]

KBF Conversations – Views of a Place: Writing Kentucky, Then & Now

November 14, 2020

7:00 pm EST

SPEAKERS:

Silas House | Ashley Blooms | Karen Salyer McElmurray | Robert Gipe

How have these authors, whose books span decades of time across Kentucky, seen the landscape and people change over the years? What have they learned about the places they live and work while writing about them? How does “place” impact the stories they tell? Tune in to this live session, as the authors chat these […]