Meet authors May 30-31 in Floresville — ‘at the corner of Fiction and Nonfiction’

Find a range of books — from history and historical fiction to sci-fi, romance, poetry, cookery, and more — either by Texas authors or about Texas — at the first-ever Wilson County Public Libraries’ Mini Book Festival Friday and Saturday, May 30-31, in Floresville. N. KILBEY-SMITH/Wilson County News

Are you ready to start your summer?

Line up your beach reads and kick off summertime at the Wilson County Public Libraries Mini Book Festival!

Meet more than 35 authors — many of them local — at this inaugural event, set for Friday and Saturday, May 30-31, at the Sam Fore Jr. Wilson County Public Library in Floresville. This festival — “The Avenue of Authors; Meet the authors at the corner of Fiction and Nonfiction” — launches the libraries’ annual Summer Reading program. Admission is free. Meet the authors, who also are available to sign copies of their books, which will be available for purchase. Participants also can enjoy some fun activities at this first-ever event.

Take an idea …

Wilson County Public Libraries Director Nicki Stohr said she’s been thinking about such an event for several years.

Children’s titles — and some books by children! — also are included in the book festival May 30-31 at the Sam Fore Jr. Wilson County Public Library. N. KILBEY-SMITH/Wilson County News

“This year, looking at the calendar and planning out the summer reading program, we noticed that the Fourth of July falls on Friday,” Stohr said. “Traditionally, the summer reading program’s grand finale, our Ice Cream Freeze-Off, is held the Saturday off the Fourth of July. So, to encourage people to attend the ice cream freeze off, we needed to plan an event the last weekend in May. Hence the creation of the book festival.”

The response surprised her.

Send invitations

“This is so beyond my wildest dreams,” she said. “When I sent out the fliers for authors to apply, I thought it was a shot in the dark that anyone would respond.”

But respond they did! Stohr thought maybe 20 authors would be interested; instead, 80 answered her call!

The event promotes Texas literature and connects authors to new readers and fan favorites. Stohr looked for authors who live in or are from Texas or have a book about the Lone Star State.

“I have had the most fun talking and exchanging emails with interested authors,” said the literary fan. “I have always found writers very fascinating.”

Then Stohr had to whittle the list down to a manageable number to host in the available space.

“Saying, ‘No, but can I keep your contact information?’ was one of the hardest tasks I have ever assigned myself to do,” she said. “It was a really tough choice to make.”

To determine the final list of authors, Stohr utilized the assistance of a review committee to read the book submissions.

“It was tricky to keep 80 books rotating through my review committee,” she explained of the challenge. “I tried to make sure that each book was reviewed by at least three different people with three different tastes in reading material.”

Launch a festival

That has led to almost 40 authors, with most of them local to the Wilson County area. The contributions represent a range of genres, and both adult and children’s selections. Authors are coming to Wilson County from Baytown, Dallas, Gainesville, Mission, and Stephenville!

“We have really measured up to our tagline, ‘The Avenue of Authors: Meet the authors at the corner of Fiction and Nonfiction,’” Stohr shared. “Genres include poetry, romance, sci-fi, fantasy, and nonfiction as well.”

The festival also will offer some fun events for participants.

Many authors will read favorite passages from their works; a schedule is available. Authors will have 20 to 25 minutes to read aloud or tell stories about their books to small groups.

Have fun!

Participate in a fun scavenger hunt! Tear out the list, “Meet the authors, enter to win!” and take it with you to the festival, Visit the authors and get their stamp, initials, or special mark. Once you’ve checked off all the names, you can submit your list for a chance to win a gift card.

A book exchange also will take place on both Friday and Saturday. Bring a book and take a book. But if you forget your book to exchange and want one of the exchange books, you can purchase it for $5.

And this all leads to the start on Monday, June 2, of the Wilson County Public Libraries’ Summer Reading program, “Color Our World.”

Stohr encourages community members to visit the Sam Fore Jr. Wilson County Public Library in Floresville May 30-31 to enjoy this first-ever event.

“I want this event to be a huge event,” she said. “Our county has been a ‘book desert’ for so long. I want to see this changed.”

And then…

And she’s already planning for next year’s festival.

“This year we wanted to showcase the library as a focal point, but our library can only fit 29 authors with tables and chairs and reading nooks,” Stohr said. “Our extras have agreed to be outside on the covered sidewalks. Next year, we will need a larger venue.”

Plan now to visit the library in Floresville at the end of May, for the Wilson County Public Libraries’ Mini Book Festival and “Meet the authors on the corner of Fiction and Nonfiction”!

Enjoy the first-ever Mini Book Festival

What: Wilson County Public Libraries Mini Book Festival

When: Friday, May 30, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday, May 31, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: Sam Fore Jr. Wilson County Public Library, 1103 Fourth St., Floresville

Admission: Free!

Activities: Meet authors, purchase books, enjoy author readings, take part in a scavenger hunt, check out the book exchange, and kick off your summer reading!

More information: Visit www.wilsoncountylibrary.org or call 830-393-7361.

Listen to the stories

Many of the authors participating in this first-ever Wilson County Public Libraries Mini Book Festival will read from their books or share stories during the event.

These will take place in three designated spaces inside the library, Area A, Area B, and Area C.

Look for a list at the festival, to catch the authors you’d like to hear from!

Meet the authors, enter to win!

Save this list and take it with you to participate in the scavenger hunt at the mini book festival in Floresville!

Visit all the listed authors, check your list in with the library staff, and receive an entry form for a prize drawing for a gift card.

Participating authors in this inaugural event include:

___ 1. Jera Alvarado*
___ 2. Johnnie Bernhard
___ 3. Carly Bloom*
___ 4. Christopher Bodmann
___ 5. Maria “Grandma Cookie”
Carrales
___ 6. Rev. Dare Cloud
___ 7. Nancy de la Zerda*
___ 8. Becca Engles*
___ 9. Thia Finn*
___ 10. Alisha Gabriel
___ 11. Sierra Glenn*
___ 12. Dayna Gonzales*
___ 13. J.L. Gonzalez*
___ 14. Alissia Green*
___ 15. Andy Hastings*
___ 16. Devin Harper
___ 17. Annalisa Hernandez*
___ 18. Michelle “Aunt Shelly”
Kolodziejcyk*
___ 19. Carlita Kosty*
___ 20. Sascha LaRusso*
___ 21. Brian Lazarow
___ 22. Jerry Lovelady
___ 23. Kerry Malone*
___ 24. Miranda Martin*
___ 25. Tracey Mash*
___ 26. Molly McGinty
___ 27. Kim Pollock McGrath
___ 28. Charlotte Mae Mokry
___ 29. Shannon Mokry
___ 30. Marybell and Erick Morse
___ 31. Irma Olivares*
___ 32. Maria Valdez Perez*
___ 33. Victoria Quinn*
___ 34. Denis Mazal Resnerova
___ 35. Dr. J. Desiree Rodriguez*
___ 36. Robert Seddon*
___ 37. P.S. Smith
___ 38. Shyler Tibbs
___ 39. Jerry Whitus*

An asterisk (*) indicates a local author.

nkilbey-smith@mywcn.com