This year’s Southwest Florida Reading Festival will feature nearly 20 authors, as well as special events to highlight the event’s 20th year.

The free festival is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 2, at the downtown Fort Myers Regional Library campus with a variety of previews beginning this week at libraries across the county and a pair of fundraisers before and after.

“It is super important for us to celebrate reading and promote literacy in the community,” said Manager of Programming and Community Outreach for the Library System Melissa Baker.

The festival held annually to celebrate reading is an exciting event for families to enjoy, Baker said.

“Twenty years is a big milestone for us. It’s a growing festival for the community. It’s a familiar festival that everyone looks forward to,” she said.

Planning for the festival is a pretty large task for the Author Committee chairs who pretty much work throughout the year lining up authors for the event.

“We do it the old-fashioned way. We ask and see who is available,” Baker said of emailing publishers, receiving recommendations from authors and establishing relationships.

In addition to adult and teen authors, the festival also welcomes children authors.

One of the young authors this year will be 11-year-old Hilde Lysiak, who is the publisher of the Orange Street News, a paper that has more than 700 paid subscribers. She is also an author of the series “Hilde Cracks the Case,” which she writes with her dad, Matthew Lysiak.

“She may be the youngest author we have ever had,” Baker said. “She is a child author and journalist. She is a really cool author to have in our lineup.”

New to the festival this year is a audiobook narrator. Johnny Heller has narrated more than 700 audiobooks.

“He is going to be a fun presenter at the festival,” she said.

Also new this year will be the food trucks along First Street during the festival.

“There will be the traditional book signings and author talks, (but) one thing that is new is having a variety of food trucks,” she said.

Options will include barbecue, Mexican street food, American and vegan fare and cupcakes.

“It will be fun for the crowd,” Baker said.

Every child and teen who attends the festival will receive a free book.

Baker said that is something they are especially proud of – offering brand new reading material for the kids who show up to the festival.

“We plan to give away 3,000 to 4,000 books,” she said.

Typical attendance includes 3,000 or more youths.

A free book is also provided during the library’s summer reading program. Almost 12,000 readers received a free book this past summer.

“We do support reading in the community,” Baker said. “It is really important to provide a book for those kids. For some kids it may be the only book they own, or first book they are given.”

They want to spark the light and interest of reading, so children will continue to visit the library and find new materials.

“We want to ignite that life-long love of reading and passion of books,” Baker said.

The festival will also promote electronic resources the library provides to its patrons. Demonstrations will be held at the festival to showcase what kind of e-resources they provide.

“Come in and check out all the tech gadget options we have at the library these days,” she said. “Come out to the Reading Festival and see what the library is all about and celebrate reading.”

Baker encourages everyone to visit www.readfest.org to see the author line-up, as well as view what is taking places at the branches. She said other author visits are taking place in an effort to spread out the festival over the course of a few weeks.

The Fort Myers Regional Library campus is at 2450 First St.

Previews at local libraries

Lee County Library System will offer Branch Preview Events to kick off the Southwest Florida Reading Festival beginning next Friday in Lehigh Acres.

Preview programs include:

– Local Author Talk: The Haunted Summer of 1816

11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 15

East County Regional Library

881 Gunnery Road, Lehigh Acres

Local author Marty Ambrose will discuss her latest novel “Claire’s Last Secret,” surrounding the private circle of Lord Byron and Mary Shelley.

– A Conversation with Local Authors

1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23

Cape Coral Lee County Public Library

921 SW 39th Terrace, Cape Coral

Spend an engaging afternoon with:

– Lisa Black: Mystery/thriller writer, forensic expert

-Sara Williams: Mystery and suspense novelist

-Marta Elva: Novelist and TV/film producer

– Amy Bennett Williams: Local history author, essayist, journalist and editor

Learn more about these authors and their writing as they participate in a panel discussion and take your questions during a Q&A session. The authors will sell and sign books after the program. No registration required.

– Meet ‘n’ Greet for Teens

3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23

Cape Coral Lee County Public Library

921 SW 39th Terrace, Cape Coral

Meet local authors Jamie Ayres and Trish Doller. These young adult fiction writers will discuss their books and careers and then answer audience questions. The authors will sell and sign books after the program. No registration required.

– Meet Author Alyson Richman

2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26

Lakes Regional Library

15290 Bass Road, Fort Myers

Alyson Richman is the international bestselling author of numerous novels, including her newest release “The Secret of Clouds,” along with “The Velvet Hours,” “The Garden of Letters” and “The Lost Wife,” which is currently in development for a major motion picture. Find out more at www.alysonrichman.com. This author presentation and book signing is sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties.

– Meet Audiobook Narrator Johnny Heller

-11 a.m. Friday, March 1

South County Regional Library

21100 Three Oaks Parkway, Estero

-3 p.m. Friday, March 1

Cape Coral Lee County Public Library

921 SW 39th Terrace, Cape Coral

Johnny Heller is one of the most sought-after audiobook narrators in the country. He is the voice of over 700 titles for adults, teens and children and has won numerous national awards. In this lively presentation, Johnny will share stories from his career in audiobook creation and narration. He will also take questions from the audience.

Fundraisers

To do something special for the 20th anniversary of the Reading Festival, will they will hold meet-the-authors river cruise. The Evening with the Authors river cruise will be aboard the Capt. JP, 1300 Hendry St., Fort Myers, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, March 1.

A little fun will be added to the cruise with a special raffle drawing – a chance to name a character in an upcoming Peter Swanson boo, Baker said. Raffle tickets are one for $10, three for $20, 10 for $50 and 25 for $100.

“We will be drawing for that winner on the boat that evening,” Baker said.

Tickets are $75, They can be purchased at www.ReadFest.org until midnight, Feb. 24. Raffle tickets may also be purchased in advance and the winner need not be present to win. Visit readfest.org/events/ for more details.

The day after the festival, a special brunch will be held featuring authors Lauren Willig and Karen White. The fundraiser will take place at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 3, at the Fish & Vine restaurant, 12901 McGregor Blvd. The “Lunch on the Lusitania” brunch invites guests to board the “ship” in 1915 while enjoying time with co-authors of “The Glass Ocean.”

“The Friends of the Fort Myers Regional Library are doing this fundraiser to give back to the Reading Festival and the Summer Reading free book (program),” Baker said.

Registration is required. Tickets are $55. For more information contact information@fortmyersfriends.org.

Authors List

Authors taking part in the Southwest Florida Reading Festival include:

Adult Authors

– Tara Conklin is a writer and former lawyer whose first novel, “The House Girl,” was a New York Times bestseller, #1 IndieNext pick, Target book club pick and has been translated into 8 languages. Her second novel, “The Last Romantics,” was published February 2019 by William Morrow/Harper Collins. Before turning to fiction, Tara worked for an international human rights organization and as a litigator at a corporate law firm in London and New York. Her writing has appeared in “This is the Place: Women Writing About Home,” and “The Bristol Prize Anthology and Pangea: An Anthology of Stories from Around the Globe.” Tara was born in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands and grew up in western Massachusetts. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Yale University, a J.D. from NYU School of Law and a master’s degree in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University. She lives in Seattle with her family. Visit taraconklin.com.

– Thomas Mullen is the author of five novels, including “Darktown,” an NPR Best Book of 2016; “Lightning Men,” named a Top Ten Crime Novel of 2017 by The New York Times; and “The Last Town on Earth,” named Best Debut Novel of 2006 by USA Today. Visit thomasmullen.net.

– Lisa Patton is a Memphis, Tennessee, native who spent time as a Vermont innkeeper until three subzero winters sent her speeding back down South. She worked 25 years in the music and entertainment industry before discovering her passion for novel writing and is now the bestselling author of what Library Journal calls, “the beloved Dixie series: “Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor’easter,” “Yankee Doodle Dixie” and “Southern as a Second Language.” Her latest novel, “Rush,” a summer 2018 Okra Pick from the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance and a SIBA bestseller, has been praised by the Atlanta Journal Constitution as “a story about right versus wrong, old traditions pitted against modern ideas and changing times.” Visit lisapatton.com.

– Lori Roy was born and raised in the Midwest where she attended and graduated from Kansas State University. She is the author of the Edgar Award-Winning “Bent Road.” Her most recent novel, “Let Me Die in His Footsteps,” received the Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best Novel of 2015, making Lori the first woman to win Best First and Best Novel and the third person to do so. Visit loriroy.com.

– B.A. Shapiro is the New York Times bestselling author of “The Muralist,” “The Art Forger,” “The Safe Room,” “Blind Spot,” “See No Evil,” “Blameless” and “Shattered Echoes.” She has also written four screenplays and the nonfiction book, “The Big Squeeze.” “The Art Forger” has been on many bestseller lists including the New York Times, Boston Globe, LA Times, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Amazon, and Kindle and has won many awards including The 2013 New England Book Award for Fiction. She lives in Boston and is working on her eighth novel. Visit bashapirobooks.com.

– Peter Swanson is the author of four novels: “The Girl With a Clock For a Heart,” an LA Times Book Award finalist; “The Kind Worth Killing,” winner of the New England Society Book Award; “Her Every Fear,” an NPR book of the year; and his most recent, “All the Beautiful Lies.” Visit peter-swanson.com.

– Kiki Swinson is the bestselling author of over 30 novels and short stories. Swinson’s works feature resilient women making tough-and sometimes not quite legal-decisions to survive. Her novels, inspired by her experiences and a five-year stint in federal prison, have sold over 1 million copies. Visit kikimedia.net.

– General Anthony Tata has more than three decades of service in the public and private sectors. His last tour was as the Deputy Commanding General of the 10th Mountain Division and Joint Task Force in Afghanistan, commanding 25,000 troops. He is author of national bestselling thrillers “Foreign and Domestic,” “Three Minutes to Midnight,” and “Besieged.” “Direct Fire” published in fall 2018. Visit ajtata.com.

– Wendy Wax’s contemporary women’s fiction revolves around journeys of self-discovery and explores the bonds of friendship that get us through the toughest times. Her works include “A Week at the Lake,” “While We Were Watching Downton Abbey” and her Florida-set “Ten Beach Road” novels: “Best Beach Ever,” “One Good Thing,” “Sunshine Beach,” “The House On Mermaid Point,” “Ocean Beach” and “Ten Beach Road” and have been featured in national media including USA Today, Ladies’ Home Journal and Woman’s World.

Her other works include “Magnolia Wednesdays,” “The Accidental Bestseller,” “Hostile Makeover,” “Leave it to Cleavage,” “Single in Suburbia,” and “7 Days and 7 Nights.” Many of her novels have been published internationally.

A former broadcaster and the mother of two grown sons, Wendy has left the suburbs of Atlanta for an in-town high-rise where she and her husband are happily downsized. Her newest novel “My Ex-Best Friend’s Wedding” will be released in May 2019. Visit authorwendywax.com.

– Karen White is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty books, including “The Night the Lights Went Out,” “Flight Patterns,” “The Sound of Glass,” “A Long Time Gone” and “The Time Between” and a coauthor, with Beatriz Williams and Lauren Willig, of “The Forgotten Room.” Visit karen-white.com.

– Lauren Willig is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of several works of historical fiction, including “The English Wife,” the RITA-winning Pink Carnation series, and two novels co-written with Karen White and Beatriz Williams. An alumna of Yale, she has a graduate degree in history from Harvard and a J.D. from Harvard Law. She lives in New York City with her husband, preschooler, baby and lots of coffee. Visit laurenwillig.com.

Narrator

– Johnny Heller has narrated over 700 audiobooks in every genre. He is a 2005 and 2009 Audie Award Winner, a double nominee in 2015, a 2014 Nominee for Best Male Narrator, a double nominee in 2012 and was named a Best Voice of 2008 – 2011, 2014, 2015 and a Publishers Weekly Listen Up Award Winner 2008-2013. A winner of over 25 Earphone Awards, Audiofile Magazine named Heller one of the top 50 voices of the 20th Century. Johnny coaches actors in audiobook narration and commercial VO locally, nationally and internationally. Visit johnnyheller.com.

Children’s Authors

– Drew Brockington has flown a space shuttle, repaired the space station, and worked in Mission Control, all while attending Space Camp. He is the author and illustrator of the Indiebound bestselling graphic novel series “CatStronauts!” He lives with his family in Minneapolis. Visit drewbrockington.com.

– Jessica Day George is The New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen fantasy books for middle grade and young adult readers. Born in Idaho, she has a degree in Humanities and Scandinavian Studies from BYU and lived in Delaware and New Jersey before settling near Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband, three kids and fluffy dog. She likes books, dark chocolate, knitting, movies, Disney vacations and very small dogs. Visit jessicadaygeorge.com.

– Joan Holub is a New York Times bestselling children’s book author of “Mighty Dads,” “Little Red Writing,” “Zero the Hero,” “This Little Trailblazer,” “Who Was Babe Ruth,” and “Hello Ninjas.” She co-writes the series “Goddess Girls,” “Heroes in Training,” and “Grimmtastic Girls.” Visit joanholub.com.

– Hilde Lysiak is the 11-year-old publisher of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania’s newspaper, the Orange Street News. The paper has 700+ paid subscribers and is read by thousands more online. Hilde’s journalism efforts have been profiled by The New York Times, Columbia Journalism Review, NBC Today and hundreds of other newspapers and television stations around the world. Hilde is co-writing the Scholastic Branches series “Hilde Cracks the Case” with her dad, Matthew Lysiak. Visit orangestreetnews.com.

– Jackson Pearce is the author of many titles for young readers, including the “Ellie Engineer” series, the “Doublecross” series, the “Pip Bartlett” series and the “Sisters Red” series. Her books, “The Doublecross” and “Pip Bartlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures” have both appeared on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award list. Visit jacksonpearce.com.

Teen Authors

– Maureen Johnson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of several young adult novels, including “13 Little Blue Envelopes,” “Suite Scarlett,” “The Name of the Star,” and “Truly Devious.” She has also done collaborative works, such as “Let It Snow” (with John Green and Lauren Myracle) and “The Bane Chronicles” (with Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan). Her work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Buzzfeed and The Guardian and she has served as a scriptwriter for EA Games. She has an MFA in Writing from Columbia University and lives in New York City. Visit maureenjohnsonbooks .com.

– Ashley Poston is the author of “Geekerella” and “Heart of Iron.” Her fangirl heart has taken her everywhere from the houses of Hollywood screenwriters to the stages of music festivals to geeked-out conventions (in cosplay, of course). When she is not inventing new recipes with peanut butter, having passionate dance-offs with her cat or geeking out all over the internet, she writes books. She lives in small-town South Carolina, where you can see the stars impossibly well. Visit ashposton.com.

– Maureen Johnson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of several young adult novels, including “13 Little Blue Envelopes,” “Suite Scarlett,” “The Name of the Star,” and “Truly Devious.” She has also done collaborative works, such as “Let It Snow” (with John Green and Lauren Myracle) and “The Bane Chronicles” (with Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan). Her work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Buzzfeed and The Guardian and she has served as a scriptwriter for EA Games. She has an MFA in Writing from Columbia University and lives in New York City. Visit maureenjohnsonbooks .com.

– Ashley Poston is the author of “Geekerella” and “Heart of Iron.” Her fangirl heart has taken her everywhere from the houses of Hollywood screenwriters to the stages of music festivals to geeked-out conventions (in cosplay, of course). When she is not inventing new recipes with peanut butter, having passionate dance-offs with her cat or geeking out all over the internet, she writes books. She lives in small-town South Carolina, where you can see the stars impossibly well. Visit ashposton.com.

Source: Lee County