Virginia Festival of the Book, March 20-24, 2013

va bookThe Virginia Festival of the Book is just two months away. For booklovers in these parts, the festival can’t be beat and I always look forward to it. I’ll be a busy festival-goer this year, as I am on three panels and will be attending as many others as I can.

My first panel is on opening day, Wednesday, March 20, at 6:00pm, at The Bridge PAI: The Big Read Presents The Ties That Bind–Family in Fiction. Five authors will discuss the role of family in their fiction and also will discuss Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club, the Charlottesville area selection for The Big Read. (The five authors are Mollie Cox Bryan, Lydia Netzer, Camisha Jones, Wendy Shang, and me.)

On Thursday the 21st, I’m on a panel at Barnes & Nobel at 2:00pm: The Art and Craft of Short Stories. The Festival always includes one or two short fiction panels. This one features Robert Day, E.J. Levy, Kurt Rheinheimer, and me.

And then on Friday the 22nd at 10:00am I get to moderate a panel at the UVa Bookstore: Fiction: Forbidden Attractions. The panel features Margaret Wrinkle, Maryanne O’Hara, Bill Roorbach, and Erika Robuck. I enjoy moderating these panels and try to get the books read ahead of time so I can ask the authors embarrassing probing questions.

Three chances to see me! And of course there are lots of other writers you’ll want to hear, too, like Jill McCorkle, Chris Tilghman, Susan Shreve, Sheri Reynolds, C.J. Box, Rita Mae Brown, Ed Falco, Andy Straka, Sarah Kennedy, Laura Brodie, Alma Katsu, and so many more! I hope to see you there.

About the author

I am the author of three novels--THE LAST BIRD OF PARADISE, OLIVER'S TRAVELS, and THE SHAMAN OF TURTLE VALLEY--and three story collections--IN AN UNCHARTED COUNTRY, HOUSE OF THE ANCIENTS AND OTHER STORIES, and WHAT THE ZHANG BOYS KNOW, winner of the Library of Virginia Literary Award for Fiction. I am also the co-founder and former editor of Prime Number Magazine and the editor of the award-winning anthology series EVERYWHERE STORIES: SHORT FICTION FROM A SMALL PLANET.

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