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December 6, 2001
For Immediate Release
Contact: Kevin McFadden
434-924-6890
kjm7a@virginia.edu
VABook! 2002 Hosts Array of Authors
in Charlottesville, Virginia
March 20-24, 2002
Highlights include A Day of Mystery, Publishers' Day and StoryFest devoted
to children and families
(Charlottesville, Virginia, December 6, 2001) . . .
The Eighth Annual Festival of the Book will kick off on March 20, 2002 with an
opening ceremony, hosted by Grace Simpson, Poet Laureate of the State of Virginia.
During the Festival's five days, hundreds of literary events are produced
throughout the Charlottesville area. Authors and audiences come together in a
series of readings, panel discussions, seminars, and conversations about books
and the people who write, read, and publish them. All events events are open to
the public. Most of them are free.
Preview of 2002 Events Calendar
Official Festival Opening Ceremony—Wednesday, March 20
Time 10 – 11:15 a.m. Location: Omni Charlottesville Hotel
Opening ceremonies will include a brief reading and remarks by Poet Laureate
of Virginia, Grace Simpson, along with the Mayor of Charlottesville and other
dignitaries and invited guests. Winners of the state school competition, Letters
about Literature, will be announced. The event is free and the public is invited
to attend. (Media invited.)
Festival Luncheon—Wednesday, March 20
Time: 11:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Location: Omni Charlottesville Hotel
on the Downtown Mall
Featuring: Marie Arana, National Book Award Nominee and Editor of the Washington
Post Book World
The annual Festival luncheon, one the hottest tickets in Charlottesville, will
feature National Book Award Nominee, and Editor of the Washington Post Book World,
Marie Arana. Her memoir, American Chica, Two Worlds, One Childhood, describes
her experiences growing up in her father's aristocratic family in Peru, then
sharing her mother's pioneering family in Wyoming, describing her girlhood
as a "split-cultural identity." She will sign books after the luncheon.
This event requires reserved tickets ($35 per person) through the Festival office
by calling 434-924-6890. (Media invited, but please notify Festival office.)
A Day of Mystery—Saturday, March 23
Time 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Location: Albemarle County Office Building
Featuring: Jeffery Deaver (The Bone Collector, The Blue Nowhere),
Anne Perry (Funeral in Blue, Cain His Brother), George Pelecanos (Shame
the Devil, The Big Blowdown), and more …
A full day of panel and discussion for mystery/suspense fans and would-be authors
as well, featuring famous and soon to be famous writers. Authors will explore
the various kinds of suspense fiction and sleuths, contemporary publishing realities
and biographies of famous mystery writers.
A Day of Mystery includes a ticketed luncheon at the elegant Metropolitain
Restaurant featuring Elizabeth Peters, author of several mysteries including the
Amelia Peabody series. Ticket required ($TBA).
Publishers' Day—Saturday, March 23
Time 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Location: Newcomb Hall Ballroom & Theater
University of Virginia
Featuring: "Father of the Quality Paperback," publishing industry
expert Jason Epstein; "Queen of ePublishing" M.J. Rose
With last year's incredibly successful day of ePublishing events as a
precedent, VABook! again presents Publishers' Day focusing on the various
ways to produce and market books using electronic media. Successful eBook authors,
educators and publishing professionals will participate in a day of discussions
and lunch on the historic grounds of the University of Virginia, home to one of
the largest eBook repositories in the world, the UVA eText Center. For all day
pass and lunch ticket ($35 per registrant) call Festival Office at 434-924-6890.
Motheread / Fatheread of Virginia Presents: StoryFest—March 23
Time 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Location: Jefferson – Madison
Regional Library
Four hours of free family-oriented programming will come to Charlottesville's
main library near the Historic Downtown Mall. Motheread / Fatheread of Virginia,
a family literacy initiative, will sponsor activities such as bookmaking, storytelling
with Jim Weiss and the appearance of costumed storybook characters like the Cat-in-the-Hat.
Doorprizes and special giveaways will make this an exciting celebration of books
and reading for all ages. Authors to be announced.
Festival Programming: Early Signers—March 20 - March 24
Time and locations to be announced. Check Web site and newspapers
Dorothy Allison, David Baldacci, Brad Barclay, Alan Cheuse, Stephen Cushman,
Rita Dove, Tim Flannery, Glen David Gold, Albert Goldbarth, Barbara Hamby, Homer
Hickam, Phillip Hoose, David Kirby, Jill McCorkle, Gregory Orr, Michael Pollan
and Trisha Thomas.
Reception: Carr's Hill Closing Night Gala—Saturday, March 23
Time: 6 - 8 p.m. Location: Carr's Hill, University of Virginia
Special Hosts: Homer Hickam and Mary Lee Settle
At the beautiful, historic home of UVA President, John T. Casteen, on the Festival
hosts its closing night reception. Special guests will include Mary Lee Settle,
Homer Hickam and Dennis Weaver, as well as Festival participants and guests. One
of the highlights of the event, this reception is a huge literary mixer. It is
open to the public and requires a ticket ($25 per person), which can be purchased
by calling the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities office at 434-924-3296.
The Opening Ceremony and the Carr's Hill Reception are the bookends of
the Festival. During the five days that intervene, hundreds of free events and
programs will take place throughout the Charlottesville / Albemarle area. The
Festival, in its eighth successful year is produced by the Virginia Foundation
for the Humanities, which is celebrating its 26th year of bringing humanities
programming to the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The Festival has a tradition of bringing together a wide array of authors
and audiences who gather in Charlottesville from near and far. Last year, the
Festival's informal sampling identified participants from 31 states and 7
countries, including the Irish author John Banville and Australian author Robert
Finlay. More than 15,710 people attended the five days of events. The Festival
is as welcome in Central Virginia as springtime, which arrives about the same
time of year.
Follow up
As the names of attending authors are confirmed, the schedule of events will
be posted on the VABook! website: www.vabook.org. Information and tickets to the
luncheon and reception can be obtained by calling the Festival office at 434-924-6890.
The media is invited to attend, but is asked to call Festival organizers to obtain
press passes.
Tickets are required for the following events: Festival Luncheon ($35 per
person); A Day of Mystery Luncheon ($TBA); Publishers' Day ($35) and Carr's
Hill Reception ($25). Please contact VABook! at 434-924-6890 for all ticket reservations.
Please note: This year, several customary sites and locations will change,
so be sure to check web site and program location information carefully.
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