Weekend Round-Up

PART ONE
Tucson Book Festival 2018

Where words and imagination come to life for the whole family. 

The Tucson Festival of Books Foundation is a non-profit organization. It made its debut March 14-15, 2009, on the campus of The University of Arizona. It's more than a book festival as Tucson celebrates books and literacy at one of the largest book festivals in the United States. 2018 is their 10th anniversary.

This two-day event featured over 400 authors participating in some 320 presentations at 36 venues as well as countless opportunities to meet authors, poets, screenwriters, and journalists. There were book signings, panel discussions, staged entertainment, food vendors, culinary demonstrations, children's and Science City programming, and dozens of free activities for all ages on the University of Arizona Mall. All genre in both fiction and nonfiction, adult and children were represented. Definitely something for all. 

Recently I read on someone's Facebook page the comment... who needs books anyway.

Well my response is there was an estimated 130,000 people in attendance who must have loved books-to me it was a book lover's paradise! AND they were buying books.  
Some well known author names included Dave Barry, Billy Collins, Mitch Albom, Amy Tan and Jacqueline Woodson.
Check out these crowds by mid afternoon

It does help to do your homework ahead. Choices are needed with second and third ones waiting in the the wings in case lines were too long to get into desired presentations or book talks. Since this was my fourth year  I was more savvy navigating my way around the campus. I was able to get into all my first choices.

Some highlights included a panel of women whose topic was brave and patriotic women as portrayed in each of their books-look up reviews as their stories were fascinating about women who worked behind the scenes during war time.

I enjoyed the Western Writers of America panel discussion and hearing the list of 2018 spur award winners. 

After I had the pleasure of meeting a real cowboy, Mike Blake the author of  "Cowboy President-Theodore Roosevelt".

Well I could on and on over all the books available and stimulating author talks. Such a wonderful community event.

Part Two

Field trip to Gammons Gulch-An Arizona movie Set