2009 Texas Book Festival

As a follow-up to yesterday's post on the National Book Festival, I wanted to do something similar for the upcoming Texas Book Festival. Since Laura Bush made a formal announcement in Dallas earlier this month of the authors who will be attending this year, I can share that information:









2009 Authors

Jeff Abbott Belinda Acosta Buzz Aldrin Jill S. Alexander Jessica Lee Anderson Margaret Atwood Jimmy Santiago Baca Blake Bailey Derrick Barnes Mac Barnett Lidia Mattichio Bastianich John O. Baxter David Baxter Kyle Beachy Colin Beavan Vince Bell Marvin Bendele Elizabeth Berg James P. Bevill Phil Bildner Scott Blackwood Pseudonymous Bosch James R. Boylston Jan Bozarth Taylor Branch Jay Brandon Libba Bray Bobby Bridger Douglas Brinkley Po Bronson Katharine Brooks Donnie Brown Sandra Brown Bryan Burrough Andrew Busch Robert Olen Butler Janie Bynum Howard Campbell Bryan Carlile Isobelle Carmody Novella Carpenter Ally Carter Keith Carter Oscar Casares Kathryn Casey Kristin Cast P.C. Cast Katherine Center Dan Chaon William Chemerka Gary Clark Rosemary Clement-Moore Betty Bailey Colley Gail Collins Lucha Corpi Sarah Cortez Jim Crace Dave Cullen Marcia Hatfield Daudistel Tracy Daugherty Steven L. Davis Carolina De Robertis Gina Donovan Dayton Duncan Jancee Dunn David Eagleman Nadine Eckhardt Owen Egerton William D. Eggers Barbara Ehrenreich Kurt Eichenwald Elizabeth Engelhardt Ted Lee Eubanks Jr. Harold Evans Percival Everett

Glenda Pierce Facemire Bruce Feiler Willa F. Finley Brian Floca Jonathan Safran Foer Greg Foley Jamie Ford Bruce Foster Kinky Friedman Tad Friend Amanda C. Gable Dwight Garner Julia Glass William H. Goetzmann Barbara Renaud Gonzalez Brad Gooch Keith Graves Jack Graves Amelia Gray Michael Greenberg Jeff Guinn Melanie Haupt Giuliano Hazan Heather Hepler Robert Hinkle Rolando Hinojosa-Smith K.A. Holt Vickie Howell Ard Hoyt Rupert Isaacson Sid Jacobson Francisco Jimenez Jacqueline Jones Daniel Kalder Jacqueline Kelly Gary Kent Ellie Krieger Harold S. Kushner Christian Lander Joe R. Lansdale Victoria Laurie Peter Lerangis Jonathan Lethem Lance Letscher David Liss Amanda Little Victor Lodato Loren Long Diana Lopez Jose Lozano Frank Luntz Peter Maass C. Marina Marchese Katherine Marsh Jeff Martin Kati Marton Michael H. Marvins C.M. Mayo Brian McCall Annette McGivney James McManus Wyatt McSpadden James E. McWilliams Bryan Mealer Bill Minutaglio Jane Clements Monday Benjamin Moser Cara Natterson Dina Nayeri Daniel Nayeri Bill Neal Antonya Nelson Clay Nichols LaShara J. Nieland Louise S. O'Connor

John O'Leary Mary Jo O'Rear Lauren Springer Ogden Scott Ogden Daniel M. Olsen James A. Owen ZZ Packer Christos H. Papadimitriou Laurence Parent John Pipkin Gerald Posner Lucas A. Powe, Jr. Brad Powell Rebecca Rather Andy Rhodes Steven Rinella Rick Riordan Robert Rummel-Hudson Richard Russo Benjamin Alire Saenz Rene Saldana Jr. Michael J. Sandel Bob Ray Sanders Lisa Sanders Tammi Sauer Gerald Saxon Liz Garton Scanlon Judy Schachner Bill Scheft Jon Scieszka Michael Scott Mark Seal Danzy Senna Jason Sheehan Lucy Silag Anita Silvey Jane Smiley Cynthia Leitich Smith Andrew Ross Sorkin Julie Speed Willard Spiegelman Aaron Starmer Deanne Stillman W.K. Stratton Carmen Tafolla Woody Tasch David A. Taylor Billy Taylor Cecilia Thompson Helen Thorpe Sergio Troncoso Luis Alberto Urrea Samantha Vamos Henk Van Assen Jeannette Walls Robb Walsh Amanda Eyre Ward Diana Welch Rosemary Wells Mark Weston Kathy Whitehead Colson Whitehead Allen J. Wiener Mo Willems Jennifer Williams Terry Tempest Williams Diane Wilson Brenda Wineapple Dan Winters Heather Green Wooten David Wroblewski Anissa Zamarron Sara Zarr Gwendolyn Zepeda

A few names jumped out at me on my first quick glance at the list: Margaret Atwood, Jay Brandon, Sandra Brown, Jonathan Safran Foer, Kinky Friedman, Richard Russo, Jim Crace, Buzz Aldrin, Jane Smiley, Douglas Brinkley...

I had a great time at the festival last year and I learned a lot about making the most of the experience. It can all be a bit overwhelming because of the huge number of authors and books being presented, but I'll be much better organized this year. I've learned a lot from my music festivals about capturing the event in as much detail as possible, so I'll be carrying a still camera, a video camera, a digital sound recorder and plenty of paper on which to jot down notes and reminders. Last year, my still camera broke on the very first image I tried to capture and I was left with only a sound recorder. I have some interesting readings and lectures, as a result, but they would be much better if accompanied by some pictures of the authors and the festival setting.

Speaking of the setting, it all happens on the Capitol grounds and many of the sessions are in the Senate or House chambers themselves:

I still get a kick out of getting to a session early enough to grab a seat at one of the desks on the chamber floor but even the gallery seats upstairs are good ones. The sound inside the chambers is excellent and it is easy enough to grab one of the upstairs seats near the speaker's stage.