You’ve read every book in your house… twice. You’ve been
downing novels like bad coffee at an AA meeting. Well, you are not alone. But
relief is right around the corner at the LA BookFest.
Come out to the LA BookFest on Saturday, May 9th –
or if you can’t be there when it airs, check out the archives after the event.
Meet new and upcoming authors and replenish your supply of boredom-busters. The
best part? This festival is virtual. So, you’ll not be battling traffic and
breaking quarantine to find out what’s hot off the presses. Better still, you
can hang out with all the other bibliophiles that have been going mad looking
for some quality books to bring some joy back into their days.
Enjoy the Laid-Back Atmosphere
Picture meeting your favorite author and being able to ask
them about their inspirations, style, and maybe even a bit about their personal
lives. Now picture getting to do it in your pajamas. Do you feel like someone
needs to pinch you? Not at all. This is the reality of the LA BookFest because
it is all happening online. There’s no dress code here. From the intimacy of
your own home, you can engage with both established, best-selling authors as
well as some up-and-comers you might not know yet but will be thankful when you
do.
What you Won’t Find
Alas, an online festival does have its limitations. You
won’t be able to circle endlessly trying to find expensive parking. Gone is the
bonding experience of standing in line being coughed on while waiting for a $10
cup of coffee. When you attend one of the panels, you’ll sadly not be able to
find any seating with an obstructed view and the unrivaled acoustics of a sound
deprivation chamber.
What you will find is unfettered access to all panel
discussions, speaking events, and activities. There’s no limiting seating to
prevent you from seeing who you want to see. As to cafés and bars? You’re an adult.
It’s your kitchen. So, help yourself and enjoy the lack of lines.
A Day of Celebration for the Written Word
The LA BookFest is a celebration of all things written. Join
authors, journalists, and modern thought leaders alike in a day of fun and
intellectual stimulation. In fact, if you didn’t find “fun” and “Intellectual
stimulation” in the same sentence jarring, this festival was made for you.
The festivities open with a keynote speech by none other
than NJ Ayuk, author of the Amazon number-one
bestseller, Billions at Play: The Future of African Energy and Doing Deals,
a thoughtful exploratory on the current state of the African energy industry. NJ
Ayuk will be exploring the impact of COVID-19 and the historically low oil
prices as it impacts this particular energy sector.
Hear Mitch Albom talk about his current project, a unique,
serialized story that is being written a week at a time during the pandemic. Human
Touch is being written and offered for free to raise funds for COVID-19
related charitable activities. Mr. Albom will also be discussing his recently
released Finding Chika and his personal journey during the writing of
his best-selling novel Tuesdays with Morrie.
The list of authors and speakers includes: Bilal Alaji; Mitch
Albom; Maria Alexander; NJ Ayuk; Sheryl Benko; Scott Brody; Diana Lee Brown;
Jenna Busch; LaFern Cusack; Bob Difornio; John Dracup; Celeste Duckworth; Debra
Eckerling; Lisa Goich; Gerald Everett Jones; Steven Joseph; Sarah Kendzior;
Kathleen Kaiser; Deborah Kobylt; Paul S. Levine; Dan Lothian; Kiera Lyons;
Joanna Dodd Massey, Ph.D.; KJ Matthews; Jonathan Maberry; Monica Matulich; Bill
MicCormick; Ray Mitchell, Esq.; Ora Nadrich; Russell Nohelty; Claudia Puig;
David Ruggerio; Edgar Scott; Robin Quinn; Ray Richmond; Sue William Silverman;
Ryan Southwick; Danny Trejo; Sara Winokur; plus more to be announced.
All the Trappings of a Brick and Mortar Book Festival
You’ll find most everything you would expect of a physical
festival, from the vendor and sponsor booths to panels and live author
discussions. You can check out all that will be available on the LA BookFest website and go ahead and get
registered to attend. So, sign up today and get into your favorite convention
pajamas. The LA BookFest is brought to you by the Greater Los Angeles Writing Society
and several other partners like Black Château Enterprises, Books That Make You, and TEDxResedaBlvd to name a few.