50-plus authors to take part in SWFL Reading Festival
More than 50 authors will grace the 27th annual Southwest Florida Reading Festival this Saturday.
The festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at the Fort Myers Regional Library, 2450 First St.
Festival Coordinator Melissa Baker said 26 bestselling authors will make an appearance during the festival, as well as many local authors.
“No matter what genre – kids, teens, or adults – there’s lots of variety there,” she said.
Some of the bestselling writers include Wally Lamb, Brad Thor, Rachel Gillig, Lisa Wingate, Kristin Harmel and teen and adult rom-com writer Lynn Painter and children authors Dan Gutman, Greg Pizzoli, and Stephen Shaskan.
A new addition this year was expanding the local author marketplace, which grew the footprint of the festival to close part of Lee Street where it meets Second Street to accommodate the local authors.
“There’s a lot of interest among the writing groups here,” Baker said, adding that there are a lot of opportunities of local authors engaging with the public this year.
The biggest — and most exciting — new addition, Baker said is the virtual queue for book signings.
“Because so many of our adult authors are such big names, we didn’t want people to stand any longer than they need to,” she said.
A lesson was learned last year when festival goers stood in line for six hours to have their book signed by an author.
“They should be able to watch author presentations, eat festival food, do crafts, walk around — enjoy the festival while they are waiting,” Baker said.
There are three ways an individual can sign up for the virtual queue — through the Southwest Florida Reading Festival app, QR code posted around the festival, or at the book assigning assistant tent.
The virtual queue will ask for the name, phone number and how many people are in their party. It will provide an estimated wait time and updates of their turn, as well as when it is their turn.
“That is going to make the user experience so much better. We are trying to refine and make it a better experience every year,” Baker said, adding that book signings are a highlight for many as they get to meet the author personally.
The festival will include all of its usual charm — a free book for every kid and teen who attends, more activities for the kids, library digital resources, selling of festival t-shirts and multiple food trucks.
Baker said there is also character raffle tickets that can be purchased – such as $10 for a single, and $20 for three chances. The prize drawing is pulled the Monday after the festival and the winner gets to choose the name that will go into a future book. There are multiple authors participating this year.
There are also aspiring author writing awards presented on the festival stage, the last two programs of the day.
“The writing samples themselves are on display,” Baker said for individuals to read the next generations work. “We are creating that spark of loving to read, but also with these young kids, the writing ad harnessing their own creativity.”
For more information, visit ReadFest.org.