In less than 12 hours I'll be heading to the 32nd annual Kentucky Book Fair. Nearly 200 authors and illustrators will be at the Frankfort Convention Center, signing books and talking to 4,000 or so patrons during the day.
This is a wonderful event for my state. In fact, I consider it one of the top attractions in the Bluegrass State. It's a time when the state focuses on reading and writing, readers and writers, and the good that comes from it.
Proceeds from the fair benefit public and school libraries and literacy programs. The fair has raised more than $350,000, and this year distributed $7,500 to seven school libraries. That may not sound like much, but with libraries under siege in my state, librarians are very thankful to have these grants to purchase books.
Tonight I attended an authors reception at the Paul Sawyier Public Library in Frankfort. All the authors are looking forward to the grand event.
There are bigger book fairs -- but not that many -- but the one we have in Kentucky is one of the oldest in the nation.
This year's fair will feature mystery writer Sue Grafton, two-time national college championship basketball coach Rick Pitino, and the nationally respected essayist-poet-novelist Wendell Berry. Other luminaries include Eleanor Clift, Ann B. Ross, Bobbie Ann Mason, George Ella Lyon, and....well, many, many more.
Check out the Kentucky Book Fair website or visit the Facebook page and you'll see what I'm writing about. I hope to see you there.
Until the next time....
This is a wonderful event for my state. In fact, I consider it one of the top attractions in the Bluegrass State. It's a time when the state focuses on reading and writing, readers and writers, and the good that comes from it.
Proceeds from the fair benefit public and school libraries and literacy programs. The fair has raised more than $350,000, and this year distributed $7,500 to seven school libraries. That may not sound like much, but with libraries under siege in my state, librarians are very thankful to have these grants to purchase books.
Tonight I attended an authors reception at the Paul Sawyier Public Library in Frankfort. All the authors are looking forward to the grand event.
There are bigger book fairs -- but not that many -- but the one we have in Kentucky is one of the oldest in the nation.
This year's fair will feature mystery writer Sue Grafton, two-time national college championship basketball coach Rick Pitino, and the nationally respected essayist-poet-novelist Wendell Berry. Other luminaries include Eleanor Clift, Ann B. Ross, Bobbie Ann Mason, George Ella Lyon, and....well, many, many more.
Check out the Kentucky Book Fair website or visit the Facebook page and you'll see what I'm writing about. I hope to see you there.
Until the next time....
