Wellsboro Bookfest 2019

BOOKFEST IS SATURDAY, OCT. 19 AT DEANE CENTER PRESS RELEASE:

The 11th Annual BookFest will be different.

For the past 10 years, BookFest has been a two-part literacy festival. The first part brought together local and regional authors to talk with people about the writing and publishing process and to sell the books they authored as unique items with local ties that buyers might not be able to get elsewhere. The second part was the used book sale fundraiser with proceeds used by the Wellsboro Area School District libraries to purchase new books.

"We're shaking it up this year, and trying something new," said Kasey Coolidge, manager of From My Shelf Books & Gifts at 7 East Avenue in Wellsboro. A new fundraiser for the school libraries will be at the bookstore from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12 during Columbus Day weekend. "It will be a book fair at the bookstore," Coolidge said. "From My Shelf will donate to the school libraries 20 percent of the proceeds from purchases made by bookstore customers on Oct. 12. It does not matter whether those purchases are made in person at the bookstore or online through the bookstore's website. In either case, the buyer must use the code "WASD19." "Families and friends who no longer live in Wellsboro but want to contribute can make their purchases count, too."

"This is a great opportunity for people to start their Christmas shopping early or buy birthday or other presents with the money going to a great cause," said Coolidge.

"We scheduled this fundraiser for Columbus Day weekend when many people will have Columbus Day off. This year the holiday falls on Monday, Oct. 14. There are usually a lot of folks on fall break or fall foliage tourists in town," said Coolidge. "We hope that this event on such a busy weekend will raise more money for our school libraries than the used book sales were bringing in. Last year at BookFest we had more used books than any other year and sold far fewer than we had in the past."

This year's BookFest will feature 20 local and regional authors, 10 of whom are attending for the first time. It is being held on Saturday, Oct. 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the lobby at the Deane Center for the Performing Arts at 104 Main Street in Wellsboro and is free and open to the public.

Authors returning to BookFest are:
Kevin Coolidge (children's) Wellsboro
Nick Fidler (fantasy) Williamsport
Lilace Guignard (poetry; memoir) WellsboroBaiba Kreger (memoir) Liberty
Samantha Lienhard (horror; video game scripts) Blossburg
Dawn Lubertowicz (paranormal romance) Tunkhannock
Christy Nicholas (historical fantasy) Corning, NY
Judith Sornberger (poetry, memoir) Wellsboro
Paul Zelinka (motivational) State College
Lanie Zimmer (children's; cookbook) Troy

Newcomers are:
Basil Bacorn (fantasy) Athens
Ron Bonett (mystery) Williamsport
Jim Meade (memoir; business) Wellsboro
Allison Hanson (romantic suspense) Hershey
Peschel Press (mystery) Hershey
P.J. Piccirillo (historical fiction) Brockport
John Simcoe (comics) Mount Wolf
Betsy Stone (education, psychology) Harrisburg
Libby Trostle (children's) Littlestown

For more information, contact Kasey Coolidge at 570-724-5793.