Los Angeles, CA – The BookFest® returns for its 5th biannual virtual event on April 2nd and 3rd, 2022, with an array of authors, literary experts, and speakers in panel discussions and conversations. Day one leans more toward readers and day two offers content geared more toward writers. The wonders of the Universe are a theme in this spring’s BookFest Adventure. Skeptic, Michael Shermer discusses UFOs with science fiction entertainment expert Paul Hynek and The BookFest’s founder Desireé Duffy. Dennis E. Taylor talks about his expansive Bobiverse and his popular book series with moderator Jenna Busch.
Fan-favorites Brave New Writer and The Critiki-Bar return, plus the first BookFest Awards winners will be announced. The BookFest is presented by Bookstagrammers and Books That Make You. It is produced by Black Château Enterprises.
The BookFest Spring 2022 features these speakers, just to name a few:
- Dave Chesson, the Founder of Kindlepreneur.com, a Kindle marketing Jedi, and author.
- Joel Eisenberg, author of the fantasy novel saga, The Chronicles of Ara and writer-executive producer of several award-winning feature films, including April Showers.
- Deborah Herman, founder of Author Branding Solutions, publisher, author, and former literary agent with over thirty years’ experience in the publishing industry.
- Paul Hynek, known as the Mystical Alien Wizard Man, he is a futurist, professor, and entrepreneur at the convergence of technology and entertainment.
- Angela Johnson, founder of Sunday Dinner Publishing, and diversity and inclusion activist working to increase representation for marginalized creatives in publishing.
- Suzie Newell, doctorate specializing in coping mechanisms for women with substance use disorder, nurse and author.
- Andy Ross, Founder of the Andy Ross Agency, represents books in narrative non-fiction, history, current events, adult and teen fiction.
- Katharine Sands, literary agent representing fiction, non-fiction and memoir. Agent provocateur of Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch a Literary Agent’s Eye, a collection of pitching wisdom from leading literary agents.
- Michael Shermer, author of Giving the Devil His Due: Reflections of a Scientific Humanist, publisher of Skeptic Magazine, host of the podcast The Michael Shermer Show, and Presidential Fellow at Chapman University.
- Dennis E. Taylor, author of the acclaimed sci-fi Bobiverse book series, a former computer programmer and member of the prestigious X-Prize Foundation Science Fiction Advisory Council as a Visionary Storyteller.
- Irwin Zucker, Industry icon, founder of the Book Publicists of SoCal and president of Promotion in Motion Public Relations.
Delivering the opening keynote is Suzie Newell, speaker, nurse anesthesiologist with a doctorate specializing in coping mechanisms, and author of The Path 365. On Day Two, Dave Chesson, the Founder of Kindlepreneur.com, a Kindle marketing Jedi, and author, delivers the keynote.
BookFest Spring 2022 features an array of authors, literary leaders, and BookFest judges, including: Beatrice Adenodi; Marylin Anderson; Elaine Ash; A.G. Billig; Jenna Busch; Andy Case; Dave Chesson; Isabel Cintra; Zeka Cintra; Ivor Davis; Tamara Miller Davis; Cristina Deptula; Celeste S. Duckworth; Desireé Duffy; Joel Eisenberg; Danika Ellis; Virginia Fox; Kim Gottlieb-Walker; Deborah Herman; Ina Hillebrandt; Paul Hynek; Marcus James; Angela Shanté Johnson; Steven Joseph; Kathleen Kaiser; David Konrad; Eric Labacz; CJ Ives Lopez; Lucia Manuonto; Heather Mathes; Karen Hodges Miller; Adanna Moriarty; Suzie Newell; Anna Nyakana; Alicia Ponce; David L. Robbins; Clyve Rose; Andy Ross; Scott Ryan; Katharine Sands; Ravi Sahay; Flo Selfman; Waleed Shah; Michael Shermer; Dennis E. Taylor; Harrison Taylor; Antina van der Veen; Elliott Wolf; and Irwin Zucker.
Attendees can browse “Virtual Booths,” which are pages for BookFest sponsors, like a physical booth one might find at a festival. There is also a “Books Page” showcasing books from participants. The BookFest organizers encourage attendees to browse books and support the authors and sponsors who help bring this free-to-attend event to attendees around the globe.
During the inaugural BookFest Awards, Industry icon Irwin Zucker, founder of the Book Publicists of SoCal and president of Promotion in Motion Public Relations, will receive the first Honorary Achievement Award on April 3rd. All winners of The BookFest Awards Spring 2022 will also be announced then.
The Pitching Room is open for submissions now and throughout the event. This is a space on The BookFest website for writers to submit their manuscript pitches to potentially be matched with literary agents and publishing decision-makers. In addition to possibly securing an agent or book deal through the Pitching Room, authors may also request to be considered for “Critiki-Bar” or “Brave New Writer” at The BookFest Adventure.
People are encouraged to register for email updates on the website to stay informed, and to join The BookFest Adventure Facebook Group.
The Saturday, April 2nd, 2022, live stream programming is dedicated to readers. Listed in Pacific Time, the programming includes:
10:30am PT – Welcome Message
10:45am PT – Opening Keynote by Suzie Newell: Do You Yearn to Live Your Dream? Overcome Your Fears and Become the Best You
10:00am PT – A Conversation with Dennis E. Taylor: Being a Creator of Imaginative Worlds for Readers
12:00pm PT – Authors and Books to Break You Out of Your Comfort Zone
1:00pm PT – The Perfection of Our Imperfection: How to Nourish Our Bodies, Health, and Well-Being
2:00pm PT – Decoding His Story: Men Who Write Memoirs
3:00pm PT – Dr. Michael Shermer and Paul Hynek in Conversation: The Great UFO Debate
4:00pm to 6:00pm PT – Live Author Chats Hosted by Scott Ryan and A.G. Billig
The Sunday, April 3rd, 2022, programming is geared toward writers. Listed in Pacific Time, the programming includes:
11:45 am PT – Day Two Keynote by Dave Chesson: Book Writing in a Busy World
12:00Pm PT – A Conversation with Joel Eisenberg – Are You Writing for Your Life?
1:00Pm PT – The Critiki-Bar: Page One Manuscript Critiques (An agent and an author walk into a bar…)
2:00Pm PT – The Magic Behind Illustrated Children’s Books
3:00Pm PT – Can You Really Do It All? Being an Authorpreneur and Knowing when to Enlist Help
4:00pm – Brave New Writer at The BookFest Adventure
Plus, throughout The BookFest, there will be special segments, including:
- Love Who You Are, Love What You Do with A.G. Billig
- Three Easy Steps to Nailing Your Media Appearances with A.G. Billig
- Becoming an Instagram Influencer and Engaging Book Reviewers with Antina van der Veen from Bookstagrammers
- Self-Editing Tips with Flo Selfman
- Presentation of the first Honorary Achievement Award to Irwin Zucker (Sun., April 3rd)
- BookFest Awards Announced
The BookFest is produced by Black Château Enterprises and presented by Bookstagrammers, a platform dedicated to book influencers, and by Books That Make You, a bookish brand for bibliophiles.
Other supporters of The BookFest include:
Authors Porch; Authors, Large and Small; Authors Porch; Black Château Enterprises; Book Publicists of Southern California; BookRiot; Boss Girl Raye; D.E.B. Method; Get Published Radio; Grupology; Horror Writers Association; Independent Writers of Southern California; Just Us Books; MyStar95.com; Napox Photography; Open Door Publications; OwlCrate; Roadmap Authors; Say it Loud Readers & Writers; Self-Publishing Mastery; Smashwords; The Skeptics Society; TVGuestpert Publishing; WannaBe Press; the Women’s National Book Association/Los Angeles; Wordsmith Writing Coaches; Vertikal Life Magazine and the Writers and Publishers Network (WPN).
The event’s hub will be the website TheBookFest.com, and visitors can find the live stream linked there on the day of the event. As well, it will stream through the Books That Make You Channel on YouTube and Facebook Page. Hashtags #TheBookFest and #TheBookFestSpring2022 are also being used, and social media for Black Château and Books That Make You will help spread the word.
ABOUT THE BOOKFEST®
The BookFest is the leader in virtual literary events and produces vital conversations on the world’s stage for those who love to read, and those who love to write. It launched May 2020 at a time when lockdown forced many live events to be cancelled. Free to attend, the biannual event happens in the spring and fall, and streams panel discussions, conversations, and live interactive sessions. As an award winner, The BookFest has recognitions from the Webby Awards with a nomination in 2021, a gold award from the Muse Creative Awards in 2020, and a silver award from the w3 Awards in 2020. The BookFest features an array of literary speakers, experts, and authors, which has included: Mitch Albom; Kevin J. Anderson; Mark Coker; Robert G. Diforio; Cheryl Willis Hudson; Wade Hudson; Sarah Kendzior; Jonathan Maberry; Lisa Morton; James Rollins; Connie Schultz; Michael Shermer; Mark K. Shriver; Danny Trejo; Helene Wecker; Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, and many others. The BookFest is presented by Books That Make You and produced by Black Château Enterprises. The BookFest is a registered trademark of Desireé Duffy, who is the founder of all three.
For more information, visit https://www.thebookfest.com/.
Media Contact
Company Name: Black Chateau
Contact Person: Desiree Duffy
Email: Send Email
Country: United States
Website: https://www.thebookfest.com/press-room/
