Featured Author Applications
Due Saturday, December 31
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If you're an author and you're interested in participating in a solo presentation or panel discussion at the 2017 Gaithersburg Book Festival, only a few weeks remain to apply. The deadline is Saturday, December 31.
Download the application from the Festival website. Once completed, mail the application, and a galley or finished copy of your book, to:
Gaithersburg Book Festival Presenter
506 S. Frederick Avenue
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Please note that preference is given to books released in either hardback or paperback in the year since the previous festival (May of each year). Books must be available for sale as of the day of the Festival to be considered.
Applicants will be notified of participation decisions by the end of February 2017.
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Take a Look at the Newest
Featured Authors for 2017
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More stellar featured authors have been added to the list of those presenting at the 2017 Gaithersburg Book Festival:
~ Children's ~
 Brian Biggs is the illustrator of approximately one bazillion children’s books, three of which he also wrote. Brian creates his pictures in an old, one-story garage studio in Philadelphia. He lives with his wife and teenage kids nearby in a three-story house, right next to some very noisy neighbors.
 Molly Brooks grew up in Nashville, Tenn., received her MFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts, and is currently based in Brooklyn. Her illustrations have appeared in The Village Voice, The Guardian, The Boston Globe, Time Out New York, The Toast, BUST Magazine, Sports Illustrated online, and elsewhere.
 Ruth Chan is a children’s book author and illustrator who loves cake just as much as her adorable cat Georgie. Originally from Canada, she now lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., with Georgie, and her dog, Feta, who share their real life adventures on the Internet.
 Alexis Frederick-Frost is co-author and illustrator of the critically acclaimed “Adventures in Cartooning” series of graphic novels and picture books. Combining instructional material and an exciting comic, “Adventures in Cartooning: How To Turn Your Doodles into Comics,” was named a Top Ten Graphic Novel and Top Ten Art Book for Kids by Booklist. Called “a rather stupendous new high for children’s graphic novels,” this boundary blurring book has encouraged many young artists to create their own comics. “Hocus Focus,” the latest in a series of genre expanding publications co-written and illustrated by Alexis, uses sequential art in a picture book format. A graduate from the inaugural class of the Center for Cartoon Studies, Alexis lives with his wife in Maryland.
 Michael Hearst is a composer, multi-instrumentalist and writer whose vast output is marked by a fascination with extremely specific themes. His most recent project is a three-part book series, “Unusual Creatures,” “Extraordinary People” and “Curious Constructions.” The first book, “Unusual Creatures,” includes the companion album, “Songs For Unusual Creatures,” and sections of the book have been made into a PBS Digital series. His previous album, “Songs For Ice Cream Trucks,” has been used by at least 50 ice cream trucks around the world. Hearst also has composed soundtracks for the movies “To Be Takei,” “Magic Camp,” “The House Of Suh” and “The Good Mother,” among others.
 Christopher Silas Neal is an award-winning author and illustrator of picture books and a regular contributor to The New York Times and The New Yorker. His first book with Kate Messner, “Over and Under the Snow,” was a 2011 New York Times Editor’s Choice and an E.B. White Honoree in 2012. Christopher’s author debut, “Everyone,” was praised by Publishers Weekly as “simple, honest, lyrical.” His latest book, “Over and Under the Pond,” will be available in Spring 2017. He lives and works in Brooklyn, N.Y.
 Leila Sales is the author of the middle grade time-travel novel “Once Was a Time,” as well as four YA novels. She also edits books for children and teens at Viking Children’s Books. Leila grew up outside of Boston, graduated with a degree in Psychology from the University of Chicago, and now lives in Brooklyn.
 Salina Yoon is an award-winning author/illustrator of nearly 200 books for children, including “Be A Friend,” “Penguin and Pinecone,” “Penguin on Vacation,” “Penguin in Love,” “Penguin and Pumpkin,” “Penguin’s Big Adventure,” “Penguin’s Christmas Wish,” “Found,” “Stormy Night,” “Bear’s Big Day” and “Duck, Duck, Porcupine.” She studied art and design at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., and now lives in San Diego with her family.
~ Young Adult ~
 Amalie Howard is the award-winning author of several young adult novels critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, School Library Journal and Booklist. Her novels include “Waterfell,” “The Almost Girl” and “Alpha Goddess,” a Spring 2014 Kid’s INDIE NEXT title. Her debut novel, “Bloodspell,” was a #1 Amazon best-seller, and the sequel, “Bloodcraft,” was a national IPPY silver medalist and Children’s Moonbeam Award winner. She is also the co-author of the historical romance series, “The Lords of Essex.” She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children.
 Falynn Koch Waugh currently lives in old city Philadelphia with her husband Tucker and her dog Ghost. She has a Masters degree from Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, and is a graduate of the International Culinary Center in New York City. She’s a former food truck owner and is the writer and illustrator of two books in the First Second science comic book series, “Bats: Learning to Fly” and “Plagues: Biological Battlefield.” She is currently working on a comic book about the science, history and skill of baking. She’s a lover of animals, germs, food history and, of course, comic books.
 Lindsay Smith is the author of Cold War-era espionage novels “Sekret” and “Skandal,” as well as the fantasy novel, “Dreamstrider.” She writes on foreign affairs and lives in Washington, D.C.
~ Non-Fiction ~
 Pénélope Bagieu was born in Paris in 1982 to Corsican and Basque parents. Returning for her second time to the Gaithersburg Book Festival, Penelope is a best-selling graphic novel author and her editorial illustrations appear across the French media. “Culottées,” her graphic novel of short biographical sketches of daring women throughout history, debuted as the #1 best-selling graphic novel in France.
 Craig Shirley is the author of four best-sellers on former U.S. president Ronald Reagan: “Reagan’s Revolution,” “Rendezvous with Destiny,” “Last Act: The Final Years and Emerging Legacy of Ronald Reagan” and “Reagan Rising.” His book “December 1941” appeared multiple times on The New York Times best-sellers list, while “Last Act” was named best narrative in the non-fiction category by USA Book News for 2015. He was named by the London Telegraph as “the best of the Reagan biographers.” Craig is the founder of Shirley & Banister Public Affairs, and has been named the First Reagan Scholar at Eureka College, Ronald Reagan’s alma mater, where he taught a course titled “Reagan 101.”
 Jack Viertel is the senior vice president of Jujamcyn Theaters, which owns and operates five Broadway Theaters, currently presenting “The Book of Mormon,” “Groundhog Day,” “Kinky Boots,” “Amelie” and “Present Laughter.” He is also the artistic director of New York City Center’s Encores! series, which is presenting “Big River,” “The Golden Apple” and “The New Yorkers” for the 2017 season. He spent two years as Dramaturg of the Mark Taper Forum, and from 1980 to 1985 was the drama critic and arts editor of the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. He was the original conceiver and co-producer of “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” and the conceiver of “After Midnight.” He also helped shepherd six of August Wilson’s plays to Broadway, as well as Tony Kushner’s “Angels in America,” the original “Into the Woods,” “City of Angels,” “Jelly’s Last Jam” and “Hairspray,” among others.
~ Fiction ~
 Hala Alyan was born in 1986. After living in various parts of the Middle East, she completed a doctorate in psychology and is now in practice at New York University. She has been published in Guernica and other literary journals, and is the award-winning author of three poetry collections. “Salt Houses” is her first novel. Hala is also a seasoned performer, and her TEDx talk and appearances can be viewed at www.halaalyan.com. She lives in New York City.
 Alex George is the author of the national and international best-seller, “A Good American,” and most recently of “Setting Free The Kites,” both of which were published by Penguin. A native of England, he has lived in the Midwest for the last 14 years. In addition to writing books, Alex is also the founder and director of the Unbound Book Festival in Columbia, Mo.
 Mimi Pond is a cartoonist, illustrator and writer. She has created comics for The Los Angeles Times, Seventeen magazine, National Lampoon and many other publications. She also has written for television. Her credits include the first full-length episode of The Simpsons, “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire,” and episodes for the television shows Designing Women and Pee Wee’s Playhouse. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, the painter Wayne White.
 Dominic Smith is the author of four novels, including “The Last Painting of Sara de Vos,” a New York Times best-seller and a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice. Sold in more than a dozen countries, the novel was also a selected as a “Best Book of the Year” by Amazon and Kirkus Reviews and longlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Excellence from the American Library Association. Dominic’s writing has appeared in numerous publications, including The Atlantic Monthly, Texas Monthly, Chicago Tribune, The Paris Review, The Australian and The New York Times.
~ Mystery/Thriller ~
 Burt Solomon, an award-winning journalist, is the author of “Where They Ain’t,” about the Baltimore Orioles of the 1890s, and two books of Washington history. “The Murder of Willie Lincoln” is his first novel. A Baltimore native and Harvard graduate, Burt has written about Washington’s political, social and cultural dynamics for more than three decades. At National Journal, he won the Gerald R. Ford Award for Distinguished Reporting on the Presidency in 1991. He is a contributing editor there and at The Atlantic. He and his wife and two children live inside the Beltway.
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Exhibiting Author, Literary Vendor Applications Open in January
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 Are you an author, poet, publisher, non-profit or business relating to the book industry looking to expand your marketing efforts?
If so, consider exhibiting at the 2017 Gaithersburg Book Festival. With more than 20,000 attendees annually, the Festival gives you an opportunity to connect with avid readers and book lovers.
The 2017 exhibiting author and literary vendor applications will be available on the GBF website the first week of January. Visit the website to find out more, and apply early to ensure you get a prime spot. All applications must be submitted no later than March 20, 2017
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8th Annual Gaithersburg Book
Festival
____
Saturday
May 20, 2017
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On the Grounds of
City Hall in
Olde Towne Gaithersburg, Md.
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Congrats to
GBF Authors
Past and Present
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Congratulations to our former and current GBF authors who have recently won prestigious awards and been honored for their 2016 works:
- Gene Luen Yang – Recipient of the 2016 Genius Grant from the MacArthur Foundation
- Meg Medina – Long-listed for the National Book Award; New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA) 2016 Book of the Year: Children’s Literature and YA & Middle Readers; and finalist for the Kirkus Best Teen Books of 2016 for “Burn Baby Burn”
- David Lubar – On the list for the Kirkus Best Teen Books of 2016 for “Character Driven”
- Steve Light - Among the Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Books for “Swap”
- Kirkus Best Middle Grade Books - Kate Messner for “Seventh Wish,” Gareth Hinds for “Samurai Rising” and Booki Vivat for “Frazzled”
- New York Public Libraries Best Books for Kids - “Duck, Duck, Porcupine!” by Salina Yoon and “I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark” by Deborah Levy
- Jade Chang - “The Wangs vs. The World” named an NPR Best Book of 2016
- Washington Independent Review of Books recently published its 25 Favorite Books of 2016 list, which included Benjamin Percy for "Thrill Me: Essays on Fiction" and Tom Shroder for "The Most Famous Writer Who Ever Lived: A True Story of My Family"
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H.S. Story
Contest Deadline February 17
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High school students - Free time during Winter break is the ideal time to break out the laptop, let your creativity take over and draft your submission for the Gaithersburg Book Festival's annual short story contest.
To participate in the short story contest, students must be enrolled in grades 9-12 at a public or private school, or be in a homeschool program, for the 2016-17 school year, and must reside in Maryland, Virginia or the District of Columbia. Stories cannot exceed 1,000 words and must be emailed to contest organizers as a Word document by midnight ET on Friday, February 17, 2017.
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Let Yelp Know How Much
You Love the GBF
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If you had a great time at the 2016 Gaithersburg Book Festival, let the world know.
We're now on Yelp.
Write your review today!
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Stay in the Know for
#GBF 2017
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Share the GBF News with your friends, family and book club members so they can see what we're up to for 2017. Simply click the "Send to a Friend" button at the top of the newsletter to pass along this issue.
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Subscriber contact information will be used solely for the newsletter and will not be shared or sold to other parties.
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