Vegas Valley Book Festival set for Nov. 1-3, 2012
100 Authors, 100 Events, 10,000 Readers

Planning is now underway for the 2012 Vegas Valley Book Festival that will feature the largest array of literary and cultural programs in the history of the event. Set for Nov. 1-3, 2012, the festival is expected to draw more than 10,000 people for an exciting mix of readings, panel discussions, workshops, book signings, art exhibitions, spoken word performances and other special events. Most all events are free and open to the public.

This annual festival, now in its 11th year, hosts:

• The Main Festival
• The Children's Book Festival
• A Comic Book Festival
• Nevada Humanities Salon
• The First Friday Poetry Brigade
• Eight pre-festival events

• The Flash! Flash Fiction writing contest - open to local writers - with cash prizes
• The Crystal Bookmark Awards - recognizing individuals and organizations for literary excellence and advocacy
• The Las Vegas Writes Project - a publication of short stories by local authors
• Spark - a teen poetry writing/performance project with cash prizes
• The Illustrated Word art exhibitions - coordinated with 5 local galleries.

The heart of this annual festival is the gathering of more than 100 authors on Nov. 3 at the Historic Fifth Street School. Keynote authors include Jennifer Eagan, whose novel, A Visit from the Goon Squad, won last year's Pulitzer Prize; and Charlaine Harris, the New York Times bestselling author whose Southern Vampire Mystery series was the basis of the popular HBO series. (Harris appears at the Clark County Library.) The festival presents a day of panel discussions and workshops and will also feature more than 40 exhibitors/ vendors including used and new book sellers and publishing house exhibitors. The festival features over a dozen young adult authors including Matt de la Pena (A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis.) The festival site hosts three stages with readings, music and poetry; a "Feasting on Wheels" food court with 10 local food trucks, a culinary tent with cook books and demonstrations, a beer and wine garden, art exhibitions, interactive writing projects and many other special events.

Sign up for a festival vendor space! Local businesses, individuals and entrepreneurs can sign up for a vendor space on Nov. 3 on the Historic Fifth Street School campus by calling 229-5431.

Call to local authors: a limited number of tables are available for authors to do book signings.

For more information, call 229.5431; or visit www.vegasvalleybookfestival.org.