Fostering Literary Conversation and Forming Connections
One of the best parts about being an avid reader and book enthusiast is the ability to share that love with others in your community. There’s something truly special about forming connections with fellow book lovers and authors themselves which is why we’re excited to share that the Johns Creek Literary Fair will be back for a second year! This free event is open for readers of all ages and will be held on September 29th from 12-5 pm at the Mark Burkhalter Amphitheater in Newtown Park. Features of this fair include over 20 local authors, Pulitzer-prize winner Rick Bragg as a keynote speaker with Brian Panowich, and book-related activities for kids.
There are three sections to this event which add an interactive and immersive element. The first portion of the event is a “musical chairs style” lunch, where attendees sit at group tables while enjoying their lunch and authors will rotate to visit all of the tables for a one-on-one chat. Food and beverages will be available for purchase for this casual luncheon but guests are welcome to bring their own as well. After the local authors make their rounds to every table, there will be tables set up around the event for patrons to visit each author to have further discussions or to purchase the author’s books directly.
The next portion of the event is a panel of four lawyers turned authors who will discuss their respective works. After listening to these “Legal Eagles with Scribe Vibes” as cleverly coined by the event, a discussion between Rick Bragg and Georgia-based author Brian Panowich will take place for attendees to listen to and engage with. This discussion is highly anticipated and will cover a range of topics from the inspiration behind Bragg’s New York Times bestsellers to the writing process itself so you won’t want to miss this unique experience! For those who bring their kids to the event, stop by the children’s author section where your kids can speak with local children’s book authors and get their creativity going through book-themed arts and crafts projects.
The director and creative mastermind of this exciting event is Kathy Des Jardins Cioffi, a Johns Creek native who has lived in the community since 1996. Kathy has always been an avid reader and a volunteer for book clubs across multiple counties in the area for years now. After meeting authors such as Delia Owens at the book clubs she volunteered at, she realized that Johns Creek lacked any type of organization or event that could connect local authors directly to their audience to foster conversations. This is how the idea for the Johns Creek Literary Fair was born and after presenting the idea to city officials, her idea came into fruition. Now back for its second annual year, the fair has expanded and flourished as evident with having Pulitzer Prize-winning author Rick Bragg as a keynote speaker this year. Kathy is a personal fan of Bragg’s work sharing that his novel All Over but the Shoutin’ was an amazing read so make sure to grab a copy and give it a read before the event!
It’s evident that the Johns Creek Literary Fair has had a ton of love put into it to make it a special event for book lovers and local authors looking to form connections. So, mark your calendars and attend this interactive event!