Award-Winners, Best-Sellers Join Growing List of Featured Authors
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The Gaithersburg Book Festival is amassing an impressive array of featured authors, who will appear Saturday, May 19 on the grounds of City Hall. Here's a look at the newest additions:
~ Fiction ~
 Debra Dean is the best-selling author of four critically acclaimed books that have been published in 21 languages. Her debut novel, "The Madonnas of Leningrad," was a New York Times Editors’ Choice, a #1 Booksense Pick, a Booklist Top 10 Novel, and an American Library Association Notable Book of the Year. Best-selling author Ross King calls her new book - "Hidden Tapestry: Jan Yoors, His Two Wives, and the War That Made Them One" - “one of the most remarkable artistic stories of the 20th century.” A native of Seattle, she and her husband live in Miami, where she is a professor in the M.F.A. program at Florida International University.
 Elizabeth Flock is author of "The Heart Is a Shifting Sea: Love and Marriage in Mumbai," her debut novel. She began her career at Forbes India Magazine, where she spent two years as a features and investigative reporter in Mumbai. More recently, Elizabeth has worked at U.S. News & World Report and The Washington Post, reporting on the intersection of politics, race, gender and religion, and resistance movements. Her work has also been published in The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, Atlantic, New York Magazine and Hindustan Times, among others. She lives in Washington, D.C., where she works as a reporter for PBS Newshour.
 Kelly J. Ford is the author of "Cottonmouths," named one of 2017’s best books of the year by the Los Angeles Review. Her work has appeared in Black Heart Magazine, Fried Chicken and Coffee, and Knee-Jerk Magazine, and is forthcoming in Post Road Magazine. She is Framingham State University’s Miriam Levine Reader for 2018, an instructor for GrubStreet Writing Center, and an IT project manager. Kelly is Arkansas bred and Boston based.
 Aminatta Forna was born in Scotland and raised in Sierra Leone and Great Britain. She is the award-winning author of the novels "The Hired Man," "The Memory of Love" and "Ancestor Stones," as well as a memoir, "The Devil that Danced on the Water." Her latest novel is "Happiness." Her essays have appeared in Freeman’s, Granta, The Guardian, LitHub, The Nation and The New York Review of Books. Aminatta is the recipient of a Windham Campbell Award from Yale University and the Commonwealth Writers’ Best Book Prize. She was made OBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours 2017. She is currently Lannan Visiting Chair of Poetics at Georgetown University.
 Tom Glenn has worked as an intelligence operative, a musician, a linguist (seven languages), a cryptologist, a government executive, a care-giver for the dying, a leadership coach, and, always, a writer. His 17 short stories and four novels came primarily from the 13 years he shuttled between the U.S. and Vietnam on clandestine combat support missions. His most recent novel, "Last of the Annamese," is set during the fall of Saigon, which he survived, escaping under fire after the North Vietnamese were already in the streets.
 Cathy Gohlke - a Christy, Carol and INSPY award-winning author - writes best-selling novels addressing current events through the lens of history. Her stories - including "Until We Find Home" - reveal how people break the chains that bind them and triumph over adversity through faith. Recent books are set during WWII. When not traveling to historic sites for research, she, her husband, and their dog Reilly, divide their time between Northern Virginia and the Jersey Shore, enjoying time with their grown children and grandchildren.
 Paul Goldberg’s debut novel "The Yid" was published in 2016 to widespread acclaim and named a finalist for both the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature and the National Jewish Book Award’s Goldberg Prize for Debut Fiction. As a reporter, Paul has written two books about the Soviet human rights movement, and has co-authored (with Otis Brawley) the book "How We Do Harm," an exposé of the U.S. healthcare system. He is the editor and publisher of The Cancer Letter, a publication focused on the business and politics of cancer. His latest novel is "The Château." He lives in Washington, D.C.
 Alma Katsu writes historical/horror fiction. "The Hunger" is a reimagining of the story of the Donner Party, with a supernatural twist. Film rights have been optioned by Scott Free Productions. Her first novel, "The Taker," was named a Top 10 Debut Novel of 2011 by the American Library Association. In addition to her novels, she has been a signature reviewer for Publishers Weekly, and a contributor to The Huffington Post. She is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins Writing Program and Brandeis University, where she studied with novelist John Irving. She also is an alumni of the Squaw Valley Community of Writers. Prior to publication of her first novel, Alma had a long career in intelligence, working for several U.S. agencies and a think tank. She currently is a consultant on emerging technologies, and lives outside of Washington, D.C., with her husband.
 Alice McDermott’s eighth novel, "The Ninth Hour," was a finalist for the 2017 Kirkus Prize for Fiction. Time Magazine, The Library Journal and The Wall Street Journal named "The Ninth Hour" among the Top 10 works of fiction in 2017. Her seventh novel, "Someone," was a New York Times best-seller, a finalist for the Dublin IMPAC Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Patterson Prize for Fiction, and The Dayton Literary Peace Prize. "Someone" was also long-listed for the National Book Award. Three of her previous novels - "After This," "At Weddings and Wakes" and "That Night" - were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize. She has received the Whiting Writers Award, the Carington Award for Literary Excellence, and the F. Scott Fitzgerald Award for American Literature. In 2013, she was inducted into the New York State Writers Hall of Fame. She is the Richard A. Macksey Professor of the Humanities at Johns Hopkins University.
 Jon Methven is a novelist and essayist. His work has appeared in Timothy McSweeney's Internet Tendency, The New York Times, The Atlantic, New York Magazine, Buzzfeed, The Morning News, n+1 and The Awl. He is the author of three novels: "Therapy Mammals," "Strange Boat" and "This Is Your Captain Speaking." He lives in New York City with his wife and sons.
 Madeline Miller took the literary world by storm in 2012 with her debut novel, "The Song of Achilles," a New York Times best-seller, which won the Orange Prize for Fiction and has been translated into more than 25 languages. Madeline also was shortlisted for the 2012 Stonewall Writer of the Year. Madeline's new novel, "Circe," returns readers to the world of Homer, this time giving us a brilliant reimagining of the famed sorceress from "The Odyssey." Her essays have appeared in a number of publications, including The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, Lapham's Quarterly and NPR.org. Madeline, who was born in Boston and earned both her B.A. and M.A. in Classics from Brown University, now lives in Narbeth, Pa., with her husband and two children.
 Leslie Pietrzyk is the author of the novel, "Silver Girl," which Publishers’ Weekly called “profound, mesmerizing, and disturbing.” Her other novels include "Pears on a Willow Tree" and "A Year and a Day." Her collection of unconventionally linked short stories, "This Angel on My Chest," won the 2015 Drue Heinz Literature Prize and was published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. Short fiction/essays have appeared in The Washington Post Magazine, Salon, Southern Review, Gettysburg Review, Hudson Review, The Sun, Shenandoah, Arts & Letters, River Styx, Iowa Review, Washingtonian, The Collagist and Cincinnati Review. Leslie is a member of the core fiction faculty at the Converse low-residency M.F.A. program and often teaches in the M.A. program in Writing at Johns Hopkins University. Raised in Iowa, she now lives in Alexandria, Va.
 Jon Pineda is the author of the new novel, "Let's No One Get Hurt." His other books include the poetry collection "Little Anodynes," winner of the 2016 Library of Virginia Literary Award; the novel "Apology," winner of the 2013 Milkweed National Fiction Prize; and the memoir "Sleep in Me," a 2010 Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. His first poetry collection, "Birthmark," was selected by poet Ralph Burns for the 2003 Crab Orchard Award Series in Poetry Open Competition, and his second collection, "The Translator's Diary," received the 2007 Green Rose Prize from New Issues Poetry & Prose. A core member of the M.F.A. faculty at Queens University of Charlotte, Jon lives in Virginia with his family and teaches at the University of Mary Washington.
 Eryk Pruitt is a screenwriter, author and filmmaker living in Durham, N.C., with his wife Lana and cat Busey. His short films, "Foodie" and "Liyana, On Command," have won several awards at film festivals across the U.S. His short fiction appears in The Avalon Literary Review, Pulp Modern, Thuglit and Great Jones Street, to name a few. In 2015, he was a finalist for the Derringer Award for his short story, "Knockout." His third novel is "What We Reckon."
 Susan Holloway Scott is the author of more than 50 historical novels. Writing under several pen names, she has received numerous awards for her nationally best-selling books. With more than three million copies of her books in print, her work has been published in 19 foreign countries and translated into 14 different languages. Susan also writes as half of the popular history blog, Two Nerdy History Girls. A graduate of Brown University, she lives with her family outside of Philadelphia. Her most recent novel is "I, Eliza Hamilton."
 Carrie Turansky is an award-winning author of inspirational romance novels set in Edwardian England and the U.S. Her latest is "Across the Blue," which combines the charm of Downton Abbey with the adventurous spirit of the Wright Brothers. She loves weaving heartwarming tales about family, faith and lasting love. Her novels have been translated into several foreign languages and enjoyed by readers around the world. Born and raised in Oregon, Carrie currently lives in central New Jersey.
 Roseanna M. White is a best-selling, Christy Award-nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years, including her latest, "Song Unheard." Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. Roseanna and her family make their home in the mountains of West Virginia, where she and her husband both grew up.
~ Mystery ~
 E.A. Aymar is the co-editor of, and a contributor to, "The Night of the Flood." He also writes a monthly column for the Washington Independent Review of Books, and is the managing editor of The Thrill Begins (for the International Thriller Writers). His short fiction and non-fiction have appeared in a number of top crime fiction publications. E.A. is also involved in a collaboration with DJ Alkimist, a N.Y.- and D.C.-based DJ, where his stories are set to her music. He lives outside of Washington, D.C.
 Ted Bell, a New York Times best-selling novelist, has 10 bestsellers to his credit: Eight of the Alex Hawke spy thrillers and the young adult adventure series, "Nick of Time" and "The Time Pirate." His latest book is "Overkill: An Alex Hawke Novel." In 2001, after a stellar career in advertising during which he won every award the advertising industry offers, Ted retired as the vice chairman and worldwide creative director of Young & Rubicam to write books. Ted graduated from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia. He holds an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Kendall College in Michigan and is also an Adjunct Professor of English Literature at Florida Southern College in Lakeland. He is a member of DOCA, a program run by the Department of Defense in support of America’s military.
 Con Lehane is the author of five mystery novels. His latest, "Murder in the Manuscript Room," is the second in the 42nd Street Library Mystery series. Recent stories appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. Con is also the author of the Bartender Brian McNulty mystery series. He holds an M.F.A. in fiction writing from Columbia University School of the Arts and teaches fiction writing at the Bethesda Writer’s Center. He lives in Washington, D.C.
 Alan Orloff’s debut mystery, "Diamonds for the Dead," was an Agatha Award finalist, and his most recent novel is "Pray for the Innocent." His short fiction has appeared in Jewish Noir, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Noir at the Salad Bar, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, The Night of the Flood, Chesapeake Crimes: Fur, Feathers and Felonies, and Mystery Most Geographical. His story, “Rule Number One” (SNOWBOUND), was selected for "The Best American Mystery Stories" 2018 anthology, edited by Louise Penny. Alan lives in Northern Virginia and teaches fiction-writing at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Md. He loves cake and arugula, but not together.
 Shawn Reilly Simmons is the author of "The Red Carpet Catering Mysteries," featuring Penelope Sutherland, an on-set movie caterer, inspired by Shawn's own experiences cooking for the rich and famous. She also authored several short stories appearing in various anthologies. Her most recent, "Burnt Orange," appears in "Passport to Murder: The 2017 Bouchercon Anthology," and "The Prodigy" appears in "Mystery Tour," the Crime Writers' Association Anthology. Shawn is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, the Crime Writers' Association in the U.K., and the International Thriller Writers. She is also an editor at Level Best Books, publishers of award-winning mystery anthologies. When she's not writing or editing, Shawn is cooking, reading, drinking wine or running. She lives in Frederick, Md., with her husband, son and English bulldog.
~ Non-Fiction ~
 John Bicknell was a journalist for more than 30 years, about half of that in Washington, D.C., for Congressional Quarterly and Roll Call. He is the author of “Lincoln’s Pathfinder: John C. Fremont and the Violent Election of 1856” and “America 1844: Religious Fervor, Westward Expansion and the Presidential Election That Transformed the Nation,” and was senior editor of the 2016 and 2018 editions "The Almanac of American Politics."
 Mark Bittman is the author of 20 acclaimed books, including the "How to Cook Everything" series, the award-winning "Food Matters," and The New York Times #1 bestseller, "VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00." For more than two decades, his popular and compelling stories appeared in the Times, where he was ultimately the lead food writer for the Sunday Magazine and became the country’s first food-focused op-ed columnist for a major news publication. Bittman has starred in four television series, including Showtime’s Emmy-winning "Years of Living Dangerously." He has written for nearly every major newspaper in the United States and many magazines, and has spoken at dozens of universities and conferences. His 2007 TED talk has more than one million views. He was a distinguished fellow at the University of California (Berkeley) and a fellow at the Union of Concerned Scientists. He is a member of the faculty of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and a columnist for Grub Street and New York Magazine. Throughout his career Bittman has strived for the same goal: to guarantee that food is fair, affordable, nutritious, green and delicious.
 Teresa Bruce writes about collapsing roads and cities savaged by riots. A gun smuggled into Latin America in a vintage camper. A 16-year-old dog in the back seat. Earthquakes, erupting volcanoes and political coups. And that was the safe road trip Teresa took down the Pan American Highway. Thirty years earlier, in the 1970s, she traveled the same route, most of it spent flagging down help along the side of the road when her family's homemade camper broke down - 61 times. Her childhood home was still out there, abandoned somewhere in the Bolivian outback. Bruce's latest book, "The Drive: Searching for Lost Memories on the Pan-American Highway," chronicles her search for it and the triumph of reaching the end of the road. Her published books include IBPA's best memoir of 2014: "The Other Mother: a rememoir" and the narrative for "Transfer of Grace: images of the lowcountry." She is also an award-winning screenwriter, PBS documentary filmmaker and TEDx speaker.
 Marcia Butler’s nationally acclaimed memoir, "The Skin Above My Knee," was one of The Washington Post’s “Top 10 Noteworthy Moments in Classical Music in 2017.” She was chosen as 2017 notable debut author in 35 Over 35. Her work has been published in Literary Hub, PANK Magazine, Psychology Today, Aspen Ideas Magazine, Catapult, Bio-Stories and others. Her first piece of flash fiction appears in the anthology, "One Hundred Voices," from Centum Press. Marcia was a 2015 recipient of a Writer-in-Residence through Aspen Words and the Catto Shaw Foundation. Her forthcoming debut novel, "The Optimistic Voices," will be released in spring 2019 from Central Avenue Publishing.
 Rachel Cooper is a freelance writer and author with extensive knowledge of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Her books include "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Washington, D.C.," co-written with Renee Sklarew; "Images of Rail: Union Station in Washington, D.C.;" and "Quiet Water: Mid-Atlantic Region," AMC’s canoe and kayak guide to the best ponds, lakes and easy rivers (to be published in spring 2018). Rachel has written thousands of articles for regional and national publications including About.com, Washingtonian, Montgomery Parks, ApartmentGuide.com, Conde Nast Traveler, Grandparents.com, Washington Parent and more.
 Joseph A. Esposito is a writer, historian and educator. He served in three presidential administrations, including being appointed a deputy undersecretary for international affairs at the U.S. Department of Education. He also worked at the U.S. Agency for International Development. He is currently an adjunct faculty member at Northern Virginia Community College. Esposito holds academic degrees from Pennsylvania State University, George Mason University, Georgetown University, University of Pennsylvania and University of Virginia. His meeting John F. Kennedy when he was 10 years old sparked a lifetime interest in politics, history and, in the end, writing "Dinner in Camelot: The Night America's Greatest Scientists, Writers, and Scholars Partied at the Kennedy White House."
Royce Hanson is research professor at the George Washington Institute of Public Policy. He is the author of many books, including "Civic Culture and Urban Change: Governing Dallas," "Tribune of the People: The Minnesota Legislature and Its Leadership" and the forthcoming "Suburb: Planning Politics and the Public Interest."
 Andrea Jarrell’s debut memoir, “I’m the One Who Got Away,” was named one of the Best Books of 2017 by Kirkus Reviews noted for prose "reminiscent of Joyce Carol Oates." Nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award and appearing on several 2017 must-read lists, The Today Show called it "one of the most buzzed about books of Fall 2017." Jarrell’s essays have been published in The New York Times “Modern Love” column, Harper’s Bazaar, Literary Hub, Narrative Magazine, The Washington Post, and many other sites, journals and anthologies.
 Barbara K. Lipska, Ph.D. is the director of the Human Brain Collection Core at the National Institute of Mental Health, where she studies mental illness and human brain development. A native of Poland, she earned a Ph.D. in medical sciences from the Medical School of Warsaw, and is an internationally recognized leader in human postmortem research and animal modeling of schizophrenia. Before emigrating from Poland to the United States, Dr. Lipska was a researcher at the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw. She has been at NIMH since 1989 and has published more than 120 papers in peer-reviewed journals. A marathon runner and a triathlete, she lives with her husband in Annandale, Va.
 V.P. Loggins is the author of "The Fourth Paradise" (Editor’s Select Poetry Series, Main Street Rag 2010) and "Heaven Changes." He has also published one critical book on Shakespeare, "The Life of Our Design," and is co-author of another, "Shakespeare’s Deliberate Art." Winner of the 2016 Cider Press Review Editors’ Prize for "The Green Cup," his poems and articles have appeared in The Baltimore Review, Crannog (Ireland), The Dalhousie Review, English Journal, The Formalist, The Healing Muse, Memoir, Poet Lore, Poetry East, Poetry Ireland Review, The Southern Review and Tampa Review, among other journals.
 Eugene L. Meyer is an award-winning journalist and a former longtime reporter and editor at The Washington Post. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, U.S. News & World Report, Washingtonian, CQ Researcher and many other national and regional publications. The author of two previous books, "Chesapeake Country "and "Maryland Lost and Found…Again," Eugene serves on the board of the Washington Independent Review of Books. His most recent book is "Five for Freedom: The African American Soldiers in John Brown's Army." He lives with his wife Sandra in Silver Spring, Md., and is a contributing editor for Bethesda Magazine.
 Philip Padgett examines history by applying skills developed during 40 years of national security and homeland security research and analysis. He supported Washington teams negotiating five international arms control treaties and agreements. Phil’s analyses of the East-West military balance, nuclear doctrine, NATO, and arms control monitoring were used by senior leaders for insight into emerging concerns and as bridges between national policy and technology. "Advocating OVERLORD: The D-Day Strategy and the Atomic Bomb" is his first book. Phil earned his Bachelor and Masters Degrees at University of Maryland University College. A Navy veteran, he resides in Kensington, Md.
 Bill Press has a long and storied career on TV, radio and in print, as well as in the political spectrum. After a career in California state politics, as chief of staff for State Sen. Peter Behr and then director of the California Office of Planning and research with Gov. Jerry Brown, Press left politics to work on air as a political commentator for KABC TV in Los Angeles for over a decade, covering a multitude of major stories from the Sandinista revolution in El Salvador to the Rodney King riots in L.A. He also spent time with KCOP TV, as well as KABC radio and KFI radio in L.A., with his own show at both radio stations. In 1993 the chance to re-enter the political circle again was there for him and he was named chair of the California Democratic Party from 1993-1996. One more career curve then took place, bringing Press back into the world of media, when he was named to the prestigious “left” (liberal opinion) seat on CNN’s hugely successful political commentary show, Crossfire. From the mid-1990s to today, Press has been on air or in print through the following shows and mediums: CNN’s Crossfire, CNN’s Spin Room, MSNBC’s Buchanan and Press, appearances on Dial Global and Current TV, his own nationally syndicated radio show for more than 12 years, as well as a member of the White House Press Corps, a columnist for Tribune Media Services, and a contributor for Huffington Post and The Hill. His most recent book is "From the Left: A Life in the Crossfire." He is the author of 13 previous books, including "Buyer’s Remorse," "The Obama Hate Machine," "Toxic Talk," "Train Wreck" and "Spin This!," among many others. Press lives near Washington, D.C.
 Kim Roberts is the author of "A Literary Guide to Washington, D.C.: Walking in the Footsteps of American Writers from Francis Scott Key to Zora Neale Hurston," and five books of poems, most recently "The Scientific Method." She co-edits the journal, Beltway Poetry Quarterly, and the web exhibit D.C. Writers’ Homes. Roberts has been the recipient of grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, HumanitiesDC and the D.C. Commission on the Arts, and has been a writer-in-residence at 18 artist colonies across the U.S.
 Renee Sklarew is a native Washingtonian who enjoys exploring her city’s many attractions, especially its parks and trails. As a young girl, her family lived in Switzerland, where she began her passion for traveling and hiking. Today, her family makes surveying nature’s wonders a priority, and they love visiting America’s national parks. Renee regularly contributes travel articles and photos to newspapers and magazines, including The Washington Post, Boston Globe, Washingtonian, Northern Virginia Magazine, ForbesTravel.com and RootsRated.com. Renee is the dining editor for VivaTysons and VivaReston magazines. She co-authored "The Unofficial Guide to Washington, D.C." and Fodor’s "Washington, D.C., Guidebook." A member of the “Oh Ranger” team, Renee writes and edits the guidebooks found at visitor centers in national, state and local parks. She hopes readers will use "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Washington D.C.," co-written with Rachel Cooper, to discover new trails and meaningful destinations.
 Mary Stockwell holds a Ph.D. in history, served as a history professor and department chair at Lourdes University, and is now a full-time writer. She received fellowships at The New York Public Library and the University of Michigan’s Clements Library. Her books include "The Other Trail of Tears: The Removal of the Ohio Indians," finalist for the Ohio Library’s Association’s 2016 Best Book Award; "Woodrow Wilson: The Last Romantic," part of the First Men in America series, and nominee for the 2018 Dartmouth Medal; "Interrupted Odyssey: Ulysses S. Grant and the American Indians," upcoming from the Southern Illinois University Press; and "Unlikely General: "Mad" Anthony Wayne and the Battle for America," which is forthcoming in April 2018.
 Paula Tarnapol Whitacre is a transplanted New Englander who lives in Alexandria, Va.. Early in her career, she worked for The Washington Post and as a Foreign Service Officer. She became a freelance writer after D.C.’s “Blizzard of 1996,” when she realized she could make a living from home. Currently, she writes and edits for the National Academy of Sciences, NIH and other organizations. She is on the boards of Friends of Alexandria Archaeology and the Civil War Roundtable of Washington. Her own mid-life transition and interest in local history led her to research the life of abolitionist and suffragist Julia Wilbur. Her current book is "A Civil Life in an Uncivil Time: Julia Wilbur's Struggle for Purpose."
 Glenn F. Williams, Ph.D., is a retired military officer who entered public history as a second career. He currently works as a historian at the U.S. Army Center of Military History in Washington, D.C., and previously for the National Park Service and USS Constellation Museum. His specialty is the 18th century. Glenn is the author of "Year of the Hangman: George Washington’s Campaign Against the Iroquois" and a contributor to "The Revolutionary War and War of 1812: Two Interpretive Maps." His latest book, "Dunmore’s War: The Last Conflict of America’s Colonial Era," was released in May 2017.
~ Children's ~
 Falynn Koch is a writer and illustrator from Buffalo, N.Y., who loves traveling with her husband Tucker and her dog Ghost. She earned a Master's degree from Savannah College of Art and Design, is a graduate from the International Culinary Center in New York, N.Y., and the former owner of a mac n’ cheese food truck. Science Comics' "Plagues: The Microscopic Battlefield" was preceded by “Bats: Learning to Fly.” She’s a lover of animals (real and mythological), germs, food history, and her favorite baked good is doughnuts.
 Erin Danielle Russell has been writing stories since she learned how to spell. When she grew up, she became co-author of The New York Times best-selling "Dork Diaries" series with her mom, Rachel Renee Russell. Her most recent book is "How to Trick the Tooth Fairy." She currently lives in Virginia with her husband, Jacob, and her spunky teddy bear, Stanley. When Erin’s not writing or daydreaming, she likes to cook, travel, play video games and watch cartoons.
~ Young Adult ~
 Ashley Woodfolk has loved reading and writing for as long as she can remember. She graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and currently works in children's book publishing. She writes from a sunny Brooklyn apartment where she lives with her cute husband and her cuter dog. "The Beauty That Remains" is her debut novel.
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9th Annual Gaithersburg Book
Festival
____
Saturday
May 19, 2018
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On the Grounds of
City Hall in
Olde Towne Gaithersburg, Md.
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GBF Exhibitor Applications due March 26
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Authors, poets, publishers, literary nonprofits, businesses that relate to reading or the book industry, and food vendors have until March 26 to claim their exhibitor space for the Gaithersburg Book Festival without a late fee
Applications are now online for exhibiting authors, literary vendors and food vendors. All required materials must be provided by the deadline in order to be considered.
Questions? Email Jennie Cottrell or call 240-805-1507.
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Big Read Montgomery
Kicks Off April 14
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The NEA Big Read Montgomery will kick off on Saturday, April 14 at The DiverseCity Showcase. The Big Read Montgomery is a joint partnership of Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) in partnership with the Friends of the Library, Montgomery County (FOLMC), Montgomery Community Media, the Gaithersburg Book Festival, and Montgomery History.
Hosted by the City of Gaithersburg and Lakeforest Mall from Noon to 4:30 p.m., the DiverseCity Showcase is a community celebration of cultures through dance, music, & fashion in the most diverse city in the United States.
The event marks the official beginning of Big Read Montgomery's three-month conversation about "The Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears" by Dinaw Mengestu and the immigrant experience in Montgomery County.
The NEA Big Read program "broadens our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book." Key to the book is the immigrant experience, including the traumas of war, the pain of exile, and what it looks like to make a new home in an unfamiliar place.
Our goal is to create a community-wide understanding of our collective Montgomery experience, learning about and from each other through events, book discussion groups, short stories, and conversations, as well as developing a collection of videotaped oral histories of our new American neighbors that can be archived and shared.
For more information about the many activities related to NEA Big Read Montgomery, please visit the Big Read Montgomery website.
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Volunteers Needed -
We Want You!
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Interested in spending the day rubbing elbows with today’s literary stars and helping your community? If so, consider volunteering for the 2018 Gaithersburg Book Festival.
A wide array of volunteer opportunities are still available.
Visit our website to learn more.
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Consider a Festival Sponsorship
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A Gaithersburg Book Festival sponsorship is a great way to make your company shine in front of some of the region's best-read and most well-educated individuals, as well as show your support for the community and the arts.
There are a variety of sponsorships to fit every budget, and we can tailor one to specifically meet your needs. Learn more about available sponsorships or download the application today!
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The Gaithersburg Book Festival thanks the organizations that have recently pledged their support of our 9th annual event.
~ Presenting Sponsor ~
Linowes and Blocher, LLC
~ Book Lover ~
Art of Problem Solving
Downtown Crown
Jehovah's Witnesses
Red Carpet Remodeling
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~ Partners ~
~ Featured Sponsor ~
~ Festival Sponsors ~
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Stay Informed about #GBF 2018
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Share the GBF News with your friends, family and book club members so they can see what we're planning for next year! Simply click the "Send to a Friend" button at the top of the newsletter to pass along this issue.
To become a regular GBF News subscriber, visit the Festival website and click "Join Our Mailing List."
Subscriber contact information will be used solely for the newsletter and will not be shared or sold to other parties.
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