Excitement is building for the 15th year of the Savannah Book Festival (SBF) on President’s Day Weekend and Festival Saturday. Free and open to the public on Saturday, February 19 from 9AM-5:30PM, Festival Saturday features dozens of authors in person at different locations in Historic Downtown Savannah. Several authors will also be presenting virtually to a live audience at the Jepson-Neises Auditorium, including Laura Dave, David Guterson, Alice Waters, and Hala Alyan. 

Other authors are appearing in person on Festival Saturday at Trinity United Methodist Church, The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Ascension Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall, First Baptist Church Sanctuary, and The Savannah Theatre. For more information, please visit www.savannahbookfestival.org as the schedule is subject to change. 

SBF previously announced their opening and keynote headliners as well as the closing address. Tickets for the following are still available at 

https://tickets.savannahboxoffice.com/?category=40 

• David Baldacci will deliver the opening address on Thursday, February 17, following the release of his latest novel, Mercy, the latest installment in the Atlee Pines thriller series and releasing in November.  Baldacci is a global #1 bestselling author, and one of the world’s favorite storytellers. 

• William Kent Krueger will present the keynote address on Friday, February 18.  Krueger’s current book Lightning Strike is the latest installment in his Cork O’Connor mystery series. Krueger is also the author of Ordinary Grace, his stand-alone novel published in 2013, which received the Edgar Award, given by the Mystery Writers of America in recognition for the best novel published in that year. The companion novel, This Tender Land, was published in September 2019 and spent nearly six months on the New York Times bestseller list. 

• Friends & Fiction will deliver the closing address on Sunday, February 20. New York Times bestselling novelists Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, and Patti Callahan Henry are four longtime friends with more than seventy published books to their credit. In their weekly podcast with chats, author interviews and fascinating insider talk about publishing and writing, these friends discuss the books they’ve written, the books they’re reading now, and the art of storytelling.

“We are also offering opportunities to purchase books by these outstanding authors,” Erika Dongre, SBF’s Executive Director said. “When you purchase books through SBF, 20% of all sales come back to the festival, which helps to keep Festival Saturday free and open to the public. It is also the only way to have your books signed at our festival events.” Books by all presenting SBF authors will be available for purchase at the SBF’s Book Sales Tent in Telfair Square beginning at noon on Friday, February 18 and throughout the day on Saturday, February 19. Books by headlining authors will also be available for purchase at the Lucas Theatre prior to and following the author presentations. LITERATI members and sponsors are eligible for a 10% discount on books purchased during Festival weekend. Please show your membership card to a book sales cashier.

SBF authors will sign books purchased at the festival and accompanied by an SBF author signing card (provided at the time of purchase) following their presentations. Festival Saturday authors will sign books in the Author Signing Tent in Telfair Square directly following their presentation. Authors are unable to sign books purchased elsewhere. 

The Savannah Book Festival Inc. is an independent, non-profit corporation committed to encouraging literacy and the love of books. SBF presents best-selling and emerging authors at a four-day Presidents’ Day weekend event featuring talks by dozens of authors. For more information, please contact Executive Director Erika Dongre at 912.598.4040, info@savannahbookfestival.org or visit www.savannahbookfestival.org.

Credit: Original article published here.