Book fest a classic work for Savannah

If the Savannah Book Festival were a literary work and not a celebration of such, it would be a real page turner.

The deeper you get into the festival, the more engrossing it is.

In just 12 years, the event has grown from a small bibliophile’s conference staged at Trinity United Methodist Church to a multi-day, multi-venue showcase. This weekend, the Savannah Book Festival commandeers three of the city’s historic squares, as well as the Lucas Theatre.

Visitors can engage with the authors, grab a snack from a food truck and, for the first time this year, enjoy a dedicated children’s event. And authors will spend time Friday in the local schools speaking to students.

The 2019 festival hasn’t even opened yet and already we’re eager to skip ahead a few chapters and see what’s in the future.

The event’s potential and willingness to innovate is perhaps its greatest charm. The festival’s mission is to promote reading, writing and civil conversation and spark ideas and the imagination.

The ability to attract literary giants, such as James Patterson, Stephen King, Anne Rice, Janet Evanovich and Walter Isaacson, has provided visibility while each time raising the bar for future events.

Yet organizers continue to surpass expectations.

Savannah on authors’ minds

The Savannah Book Festival is one of the few nationwide that is an invitation-only event for authors.

The selection committee reviews 500 books a year, and selects 200 authors to invite — 150 to participate in the Saturday festivities on the squares, and 50 more to give addresses at the Lucas Theatre.

The invite offers to cover travel costs but does not include an appearance fee. The only profit opportunity for authors is the ability to sell their works to festival attendees.

Yet household bookcase names come anyway. The Savannah Book Festival, in its short existence, has built prestige in the author community. To be a part of the event, and to spend some time in Savannah all expenses paid, attracts them.

“I think people are using it as a little getaway,” the festival’s executive director, Kim Bockius-Suwyn, said.

The 2019 edition features 48 authors, including familiar novelists such as Mary Kay Andrews. Headliners will deliver addresses at the Lucas Theatre. Novelists George and Paula Saunders will open the festival with an appearance at 6 p.m. tonight.

Embracing future generations

Every great book needs a hero, and Savannah Book Festival organizers might as well wear capes this weekend.

The festival recently rescued a favorite Savannah tradition, a children’s book event. The Savannah Book Festival is partnering with Live Oak Public Libraries to honor young readers on Sunday afternoon in Reynolds Square.

The Children’s Tent debuts just six months after the local library organization announced the end of the Children’s Book Festival after a 14-year run. Library officials had missed a funding request deadline with the city of Savannah, the festival’s biggest financial donor, because of a misunderstanding of an application process.

The deafening public outcry over the loss of the Children’s Book Festival got the attention of the Savannah Book Festival leaders. They quickly worked with Live Oak officials to organize this inaugural event, which is sure to grow like the audience for Harry Potter books.

We encourage Savannah-area residents to attend the Savannah Book Festival. The Saturday and Sunday events on the squares are free and open to the public. Like that favorite novel you just can’t put down, you won’t want to leave.

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