TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The festival bringing together book lovers from across the U.S. will be here in just a few more months!
The Tucson Festival of Books isn’t until March, but on Sunday book lovers gathered at the University of Arizona’s bookstore to get a preview of the authors participating in the festival.
Some of the authors revealed includeJ.A. Jance, Craig Johnson, Thomas Perry, and Luis Alberto Urrea.
However, other authors who have written children’s books, romance novels, and political books are also participating in the event.
Jane Moore has been going to the festival for years, but started volunteering last year.
The UArizona's Eller College estimates the Festival of Books brings in $4.5 million in economic impact each year. The festival has donated more than $2.1 million to local literacy nonprofits.
She said her favorite part about the festival is getting to transport the authors across the campus to each of the events. It’s an opportunity for Moore to get to know them on a more personal level.
“When you escort the authors to the places they’re actually going to be speaking, you hear them, you talk to them, you hear more about their books,” she said.
Moore feels like the preview event is already bringing together the Tucson book community.
“It’s a real privilege to be able to read what other people have written and try to have your own mind sort of expanded by what others have written,” she said.
She said a lot of authors come every year and some have even become people’s favorites.
Lindy Elkins-Tanton is one of the authors who will be a part of the festival. She was at the preview event on Sunday and spoke about her book “A Portrait of the Scientist as a Young Woman.”
Her novel details her experiences as a student at M.I.T.
Authors are chosen by a committee. Melanie Morgan, the festival’s executive director said in late summer, people submitted who they want to see at the festival and the committee chose them based on feedback.
“They’re recent books within the last 18 months published by major publishers that were able to get them through the University of Arizona’s bookstore,” Morgan said.
Morgan said the festival and its events are free but some of the events do require people to reserve tickets a few weeks before the festival.
There will also be plenty of spots available for people who did not reserve tickets and line up for the event.
Jessica Pryde is on the committee and chose some of the romance authors who are attending the festival. She said she’s been volunteering for a few years and said her favorite part of the festival is getting to choose the authors with people who also love books just like her.
“Being able to commune with all of these people who have been involved with the festival for so long and to share ideas and people and all of that is just really great,” Pryde said.
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Andrew Christiansen is a reporter for KGUN 9. Before joining the team, Andrew reported in Corpus Christi, Texas for KRIS6 News, Action 10 News and guest reported in Spanish for Telemundo Corpus Christi. Share your story ideas with Andrew by emailing andrew.christiansen@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, or Twitter.
