The Baltimore Book Festival

You all know how excited I am about the upcoming Baltimore Book Festival, right?! In addition to the two panels I'm moderating, there will be a bunch of other events going on.  Here are some excerpts from the Festival's official press release listing just SOME of the many authors who will be there over the weekend. It will be so much fun!!!  I'll definitely be there on Sunday, and maybe Friday as well. Let me know if I'll see you there.

Also, if you are planning to attend the National Book Festival in DC on Saturday then check out this post from S. Krishna's Books and add your name to the blogger get-together list.  I won't be there for the festival itself but I'll be joining everyone for dinner.

THE BALTIMORE BOOK FESTIVAL WELCOMES AUTHORS NIGEL BARKER,

HOLLY ROBINSON PEETE, JESSE VENTURA, SHERRI SHEPHERD AND MORE!

The 15th annual literary arts celebration takes place September 24-26, 2010

• The three-day festival features more than 200 celebrity and local authors, poetry readings, workshops, children’s activities, panel discussions, cookbook demonstrations, more than 100 exhibitors and booksellers, live music, food and more.
  
• This year’s author appearances include actress, activist and philanthropist Holly Robinson Peete, author of My Brother Charlie; Nigel Barker, photographer and “America’s Next Top Model” judge; Sherri Shepherd, actress, co-host on “The View” and author of the humorous autobiography Permission Slips; southern cuisine experts Matt Lee and Ted Lee, authors of The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern; Michele Norris, acclaimed journalist and host of NPR’s “All Things Considered;” former governor, wrestler and actor Jesse Ventura, author of American Conspiracies; Judge Glenda Hatchett with her new book Dare to Take Charge: How to Live Your Life on Purpose; New York Times bestselling author Ree Drummond with her latest book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl; and former NFL quarterback, television/radio personality and philanthropist Rodney Peete, author of Not My Boy!. The Baltimore Book Festival is free and open to the public.
  
• On Saturday, the festival welcomes renowned authors Amy Dickinson, The Mighty Queens of Freeville; Jesse Ventura, American Conspiracies: Lies, Lies, and More Dirty Lies That the Government Tells Us; Sherri Shepherd, Permission Slips: Every Woman's Guide to Giving Herself a Break; and Wes Moore, presented by CityLit Project, who shares his story The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates. Featured authors for Sunday are Warren St. John, Outcasts United: A Refugee Team, an American Town, the 2010 One Maryland One Book, presented by the Maryland Humanities Council; Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl; Michele Norris, The Grace of Silence; Judge Glenda Hatchett, Dare to Take Charge: How to Live Your Life on Purpose; Holly Robinson Peete, My Brother Charlie and Rodney Peete, Not My Boy!.
  
• The Festival Stage features well-known authors and spirited panel discussions. Highlights are mystery authors Charles Todd and Caroline Todd, An Impartial Witness; NPR correspondent Barbara Bradley Hagerty, Fingerprints of God: The Search for the Science of Spirituality; financial guru Deborah Owens, A Purse of Your Own: An Easy Guide to Financial Security; novelist Jon Clinch, Kings of the Earth and Essence bestselling author Michele Andrea Bowen, More Church Folk.
  
• The Children Bookstore Stage is home to some of the nation’s best and favorite children and young adult’s writers and illustrators. On Friday at 5:30pm, Zombies versus Unicorns Debate takes place when Team Zombie takes on Team Unicorn to prove which fantastic creature is superior. Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier lead their authors in a debate inspired by their new short story collection Zombies versus Unicorns. Participating authors are Scott Westerfeld, Leviathan; Carrie Ryan, The Forest of Hands and Teeth; Diana Peterfreund, Ascendant; and Kathleen Duey, Silence and Stone. Writers Nikki Grimes, Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel; Rebecca and Ed Emberley, If You're a Monster and You Know It; and Judith Viorst, Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day join in the literary arts fun as well.
  
• New this year, on Saturday only, members of Maryland Romance Writers, part of the Romance Writers of America, present Maryland Romance Writers with panels and readings from regional romance authors Catherine Asaro, Diamond Star; Mary Jo Putney, Never Less Than a Lady; Rebecca York, Dragon Moon and more.