Fall for the Book’s mission is to connect readers and writers, and to enhance the role of reading and writing in our community. We believe in the power of literature and storytelling to bring us together, to foster connections between people and across communities, and that reading and experiencing literature together encourages cultural growth, expands our sense of empathy, and grows our knowledge of one another and the world around us. Our flagship event, the annual Fall for the Book festival, and our year-round programming aim to provide a writer for every reader, to offer readers opportunities to connect with authors and literature in new and vibrant ways, and to create literary events that foster connection within our community and the greater community of readers and writers.

2023 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Wednesday, October 4, 7:30 PM

The Beck Environmental Lecture: Katharine Hayhoe

Enjoy a Festival preview event with Katharine Hayhoe, one of the world’s most influential climate scientists. Her new book Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World, presents an inspiring call to action based on interdisciplinary research and personal stories. She argues that collective climate action is about connecting with our communities and shows that we already have power to create change. Publisher’s Weekly says “practical advice abounds in this compassionate guide to conducting meaningful discussions about the environment. Those in search of a hope-filled approach will find plenty of encouragement.” Learn how you can do your part while staying optimistic! Sponsored by Robert & Lucy Beck.  

Location: Center for the Arts Lobby, George Mason University.

Tickets

Tuesday, October 10, 7 PM

Spies, Lies & Treason

Thrills, secrets, and danger await in three killer spy stories. Informed by her time as an intelligence officer, Alma Katsu’s novel, Red London, follows CIA agent Lyndsey Duncan as she races against the clock to prevent the most calculated global invasion of our time. In The Peacock and the Sparrow, debut novelist and former CIA operations officer I.S. Berry introduces us to Shane Collins, a CIA spy stationed off the coast of Saudi Arabia who becomes embroiled in conflict, political upheaval, and a budding romance with his informant. In Code Name Blue Wren: The True Story of America’s Most Dangerous Female Spy – and the Sister She Betrayed, Jim Popkin shocks readers with the real life account of Ana Montes, one of the U.S. government’s top intelligence agents for almost 17 years until she was publicly exposed as a secret agent for Cuba. Sponsored by the Friends of the Pohick Regional Library. 

Location: Pohick Regional Library, 6450 Sydenstricker Road, Burke, VA

President Garfield: Portrait of a Man

In the first authoritative biography of James Garfield in over four decades – historian C.W. Goodyear casts an often disregarded figure in a refreshing new light. Although he is most commonly known for being a president who was assassinated weeks after taking office, Garfield was one of the most accomplished American statesmen of the 19th century. The last president to be born in a log cabin, Garfield quietly shaped the rise—and fall—of Reconstruction. In fact, his peacemaking attempts to heal rifts in the postwar Republican Party resulted in his murder. In this biography, Goodyear draws on diaries, archival research, and more to show a progressive statesman working to keep America intact throughout a contentious time. Kirkus Reviews calls the book a “masterful portrait of a man of great intellect, patience, and ability who should not be overlooked by history.” Sponsored by the Friends of Richard Byrd Library.

Location: Richard Byrd Library, 7250 Commerce St, Springfield, VA

Cycling Through History

Over the course of four years, David Goodrich, author of On Freedom Road: Bicycle Explorations and Reckonings on the Underground Railroad, rode his bike 3,000 miles to travel the routes of the Underground Railroad and to delve into the history of each place. Goodrich recontextualizes familiar locations, such as New York, New Orleans, and Buffalo, and enables readers to view these locations in a different light. Booklist says “On Freedom Road is a vital and accessible text for readers to understand the conditions enslaved people faced when attempting escape.” Sponsored by the Friends of Kings Park Library. 

Location: Kings Park Library, 9000 Burke Lake Rd, Burke, VA

October 11

10:30 AM

Roller Derby: Heal on Wheels

Gabe Montesanti shows us how the glitzy, high impact sport of roller derby brought her to her knees before supplying the courage to overcome past emotional trauma of growing up queer in the conservative Midwest. Her memoir, Brace for Impact, is a story of redemption wherein Montesanti finds the strength to confront her fears and self-doubt and live a truly adventurous life. The book is described by Olympian Abby Wambach as, “A universal story of healing and triumph, made all the more beautiful, wild, and free by Gabe’s fierce love for roller derby and her team, who become her family.” Sponsored by Women and Gender Studies.

Location: Wilkins Plaza Tent, between the Johnson Center & Horizon Hall, George Mason University

Laughing Through the Pain

Alyssa Graybeal’s memoir, Floppy: Tales of a Genetic Freak of Nature at the End of the World, playfully and thoughtfully explores the emotional landscape of living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome from a patient’s perspective. When ten-year-old Alyssa is diagnosed with the rare genetic connective tissue disorder, she vows not to let it stop her, even if that means neglecting her health. Twenty years later, she’s finally forced to confront the reality of her condition head on when her body starts to unravel in ways she can no longer ignore. Author Ariel Gore says “Alyssa Graybeal is a genius. This refreshing coming-of-age memoir with its sick, queer perspective will remind you that humor is essential and sensitivity is a strength.” 

Location: Virtual, via Zoom. To receive the login, register for free on Eventbrite. 

12 PM

The Value of Voice

Jamey M. Long and Joseph A. Pisani, co-authors of The Value of Voice in Shared Leadership and Organizational Behavior discuss the importance of shared leadership in the world of education and business. They present the Value of Voice (VoV) model, which enhances the process of establishing a mutually beneficial connection at all levels of an organization by promoting understanding and providing practical steps to achieve optimal outcomes.

Location: Fenwick Reading Room, 2nd Floor, Fenwick Library

Queer Body Horror: A Frankenstein Retelling

Addie Tsai’s Unwieldy Creatures is a biracial queer, non-binary retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, which follows three beings who navigate life from the margins: an intern at an embryology lab; a scientist who risks everything to procreate without sperm or egg; and her nonbinary creation, painstakingly brought into the world, only to be abandoned. Author Kiese Laymon says “Unwieldy Creatures, unrelenting in its inventiveness and its ambition, is easily the most innovative book I’ve read in years. Addie Tsai manages to hold on to the useful parts of tradition while creating a wholly original revision of Frankenstein. I’m hooked.”

Location: Wilkins Plaza Tent, between the Johnson Center & Horizon Hall, George Mason University

1:30 PM

Poem Bitten by a Man

Brian Teare’s poetry collection, Poem Bitten by a Man, is collaged from journals and notebooks the author kept during a period of economic precarity, chronic illness, and heartbreak. This book provides a fragmented record of a queer life undergoing many crises, all while maintaining a profound devotion to poetry and visual art. Writer Aisha Sabatini Sloan says “This book is already a mainstay, a nexus of body and image and story and time that I’ll reach toward again and again.”

Location: Wilkins Plaza Tent, between the Johnson Center & Horizon Hall, George Mason University

2:15 PM

Ecotravel & a Hope for the Future

In Climate Travels: How Ecotourism Changes Mindsets and Motivates Action, Michael M. Gunter, Jr. explores the impacts of climate change across the United States. Gunter takes readers on a journey highlighting the diverse manifestations of the climate crisis, including sea level rise in Virginia, inland floods in Tennessee, and imperiled ecosystems in national parks. Emphasizing the importance of local action and environmental justice, and by sharing his personal experiences and the power of travel, Gunter offers readers a hopeful message and encourages them to take action at the local level. Michael E. Mann says, “Read this book and feel empowered to make a difference.” Sponsored by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. 

Location: Virtual, via Zoom. To receive the login, register for free on Eventbrite.

3 PM

Southern Black Womanhood

Halle Hill’s debut short story collection, Good Women, renders the lives of twelve Black women across the Appalachian South with empathy and precision. Through stories that are both darkly funny and deeply human, Hill depicts moments of personal choice to show how these twelve women shape themselves. Of the book, author Deesha Philyaw says, “We meet mothers and daughters, lovers and friends, saints and aint’s––all longing for something, some place, someone. They are curious, messy, and determined, and Hill’s fierce and dazzling pen lets us feel every ounce of their complicated desires. Every mistake, every realization, every triumph, every tragedy. This is a fantastic firecracker of a collection I’ll return to again and again!”

Location: Fenwick Reading Room, 2nd Floor, Fenwick Library

4:30 PM

Mason Alumni Prose Reading

Celebrate Mason Creative Writing alumni with three compelling prose writers: Dan Kois, author of the novel Vintage Contemporaries, and Art Taylor, author of the story collection The Adventure of the Castle Thief, and Other Expeditions and Indiscretions, and Benjamin Inks, author of Soft Targets. Kois’ novel is a joyful novel of writing, parenthood, loyalty, and New York City. Taylor’s collection provides twists and turns in a series of mysterious tales involving ghosts, detectives, and quests. Inks’ collection examines camaraderie, vulnerability, and the stories we tell about war. Sponsored by Mason Creative Writing. 

Location: Fenwick Reading Room, 2nd Floor, Fenwick Library

6 PM

Poetry Reading with Shane McCrae

In Cain Named the Animal, poet Shane McCrae combines the heavenly with the mundane, illustrating how divinity is inseparable from our lives on Earth and examining the wonder and banality of everyday miracles. Publishers Weekly says, “Prophetic and necessary . . . This dazzling collection tests the limits of language, memory, and mythmaking in wildly inventive, often devastating ways.” Sponsored by Mason Creative Writing. 

Location: Fenwick Reading Room, 2nd Floor, Fenwick Library

7 PM

In All Good Faith

Liza Nash Taylor takes readers from Boston to Keswick Virginia, to Washington, D.C. during the Great Depression-following the intertwining fates of two women searching for hope during a difficult time. Author Camille Di Maio says, “A story of friendship, struggle, family, and love, with a sweeping and vital historical backdrop, this book will have the reader eagerly awaiting the next story from Taylor.” Sponsored by the Friends of Oakton Library. 

Location: Oakton Library, 10304 Lynnhaven Place, Oakton, VA

Murder and Medicine

Dr. Benjamin Gilmer joined a rural clinic only to find that its previous doctor shared his last name. Dr. Vince Gilmer was loved and respected—until he strangled his ailing father, shocking the community. As Benjamin looked deeper into Vince’s case, he became obsessed with discovering what pushed his predecessor toward violence. The Other Dr. Gilmer: Two Men, a Murder, and an Unlikely Fight for Justice explores our shared human fallibility, made worse by the failing prison system. Author Maureen Callahan says “Benjamin Gilmer masterfully peels away the layers of a long-closed murder and drops us into an unbelievable true story of medical mystery, mental illness, and the terrifying injustices of our justice system.” Sponsored by the City of Fairfax Regional Library Friends.

Off-Campus Location: City of Fairfax Library, 10360 North Street, Fairfax, VA

October 12

9:40 AM

We’ll Always Have Paris

Aimie K. Runyan and Bryn Turnbull explore the power of women’s resistance during wartime in their captivating historical novels set in Paris. In Runyan’s A Bakery in Paris, two women –  one during the 1870 siege by the Prussians and one in 1946 having suffered a great loss after WWII– embrace love and confront impossible choices armed only with the belief that flour, yeast, sugar, and love can ignite their own revolutions. In Turnbull’s The Paris Deception, estranged sisters-in-law risk their lives to rescue looted modern art from Nazi destruction, devising a daring plan to save Paris’s treasures. Sponsored by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. 

Location: Virtual, via Zoom. To receive the login, register for free on Eventbrite. 

10:30 AM

Creating Comics with John Gallagher

Interested in becoming a comic artist or graphic novelist? John Gallagher, author of the popular Max Meow graphic novel series, will discuss the wonderful world of comics. Gallagher, long-time comic book author, art director of the National Wildlife Foundation’s Ranger Rick Magazine, and cofounder of “Kids Love Comics,” will be explaining the ins and outs of being a comic artist, from the creation of graphic novels to the art of the comic business. 

Location: Fenwick Reading Room, 2nd Floor, Fenwick Library, 4348 Chesapeake River Lane, Fairfax

12 PM

Killer Secrets

E.A. Aymar and Lindsay Cameron shock and thrill readers with uncovered secrets, murder, and sharp social commentary. Aymar’s No Home for Killers follows two troubled sisters trying to solve their brother’s death and confront their own demons. The New York Times calls it “an affecting tale of what we do for the ones we love.” Cameron’s No One Needs to Know is a fast-paced novel about the darkest secrets of New York’s wealthiest residents coming to light, and someone ending up dead. Author Robyn Harding says “this sly, witty thriller…is a juicy page-turner that will leave readers gasping—and guessing—until the end.” Aymar and Cameron will be in conversation with author Art Taylor. 

Location: Wilkins Plaza Tent, between the Johnson Center and Horizon Hall, George Mason University.

Leading Multiple Generations

The Leading to Well-Being Speaker Series presents Growing Leaders founder and CEO Tim Elmore, author of A New Kind of Diversity: Making the Different Generations on Your Team a Competitive Advantage, in our next webinar. Join us for his free presentation “Leading Multiple Generations.” 

People talk a lot about diversity today – ethnic, gender, and income diversity. But there is an elephant in the room. A different kind of diversity exists: the diverse generations that serve on your team. Today’s workplace has four to five generations working together, and far too often, we collide instead of collaborate. Dr. Elmore’s presentation will explore the characteristics of each generation working today and how to leverage them to your competitive advantage. Too often we stereotype people, taking mental shortcuts and profiling young or old team members. This webinar will offer practical strategies to bring out the best in each generation. As a “pracademic,” Dr. Elmore is down-to-earth and his work is research-based. He is a best-selling author and international speaker who creates unforgettable leadership experiences for the world’s top brands. He has authored more than 30 books and trained thousands of leaders in nationally-renowned organizations such as Delta, Home Depot, the National Football League, and the U.S. Department of Justice.

This is a virtual Partner Event. Register for the Zoom here.

1:30 PM

Who We Lost: Writing about the Pandemic

Who We Lost: A Portable COVID Memorial is a community-generated collective memorial to those who passed away from COVID-19 and a handbook for the bereaved. In the early days of the pandemic, editor Martha Greenwald asked mourners to write memories of their loved ones lost to the pandemic. This book, which emerged as a result of this exercise, contains a collection of essays as well as writing prompts to help others write remembrances. Booklist reviewer Margaret Quamme says, “The collection, with many hopeful notes among its heartbreaking ones, should serve to connect readers who might feel alone in their losses and may inspire others to join the project.”

Location: Fenwick Reading Room, 2nd Floor, Fenwick Library, 4348 Chesapeake River Lane, Fairfax

Kissing Kosher: Love & Baking

In Kissing Kosher, Jean Meltzer delves into a tantalizing tale that combines love, secrets, and delectable treats. Avital’s dreams are derailed by chronic pelvic pain, leaving her focused solely on managing her family’s beloved kosher bakery, Best Babka in Brooklyn. Desperate for assistance, she hires a handsome baker, unaware of his ulterior motives. As Avital and Ethan work side by side, a delicious chemistry begins to simmer, and Ethan’s attention shifts from stealing family secrets to igniting passion in Avital’s life and helping her find relief from her pain. As they navigate the kitchen and uncover secrets, will they discover the recipe for a love that conquers all? Sponsored by Judaic Studies. 

Location: Wilkins Plaza Tent, between the Johnson Center and Horizon Hall

2:15 PM

Stand Up for Your Beliefs and Surf When You Can

Brett Crozier, captain of a prestigious US Navy aircraft carrier, made the courageous decision to protect his sailors from COVID-19, leading to his relief of command. In Surf When You Can: Lessons in Life, Loyalty, and Leadership from a Maverick Navy Captain, Crozier reflects on his life, career, and the importance of kindness, teamwork, and standing up for one’s beliefs. Through captivating stories from his extraordinary experiences as a fighter pilot and commander, Crozier shares valuable lessons applicable to both personal and professional life. Admiral James Stavridis called it “utterly compelling, authentic, and relatable – simply superb advice in life and leadership!” Sponsored by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

Location: Virtual, via Zoom. To receive the login, register for free on Eventbrite.

3 PM

DC Punk & the Studio that Changed it All

Photographer Antonia Tricarico chronicles the fascinating history of Inner Ear – the D.C. recording studio responsible for some of the most iconic DC punk bands in The Inner Ear of Don Zientara: A Half Century of Recording in One of America’s Most Innovative Studios, Through the Voices of Musicians. Tape OP says this photo-filled oral history “gives us a wonderful glimpse into who Don is, and what has made his Inner Ear Recording Studios one of the most culturally-important places to make records in the US. We hear about sessions with Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Fugazi, Bikini Kill, Foo Fighters, The Dismemberment Plan, and so many others.” Tricarico will be joined by Don Zientara, himself, along with Fugazi member Joe Lally to discuss this iconic period of music history.

Location: Fenwick Reading Room, 2nd Floor, Fenwick Library, 4348 Chesapeake River Lane, Fairfax

4:30 PM

Searching for Home in African Literature

Chika Unigwe and Leila Aboulela take readers on difficult and heart-felt journeys spanning time and continents. Unigwe’s The Middle Daughter, a modern reimagining of the myth of Hades and Persephone within a Nigerian family, tells the story of seventeen-year-old Nani’s journey to freedom and homecoming after marrying an abusive man. Publisher’s Weekly says, “Unigwe’s textured imagery and rich, lyrical prose make this a welcome addition to Nigerian feminist literature.” Aboulela’s River Spirit is the unforgettable story of the people of Sudan, who, against the odds and for a brief time, gained independence from foreign rule. With the spotlight on Akuany, a Sudanese girl who was orphaned in a village raid, this coming of age novel, illuminated by the voices of seven men and women, tells the bloody history of Sudan’s fight against imperialism bound by the tensions of Christianity versus Islam. Author Abdulrazak Gurnah calls it “A novel of extraordinary sympathy and insight … a wonderful achievement.” Ungiwe and Aboulela will be in conversation with Helon Habila. 

Location: Johnson Center, 3rd Floor, Meeting Room D

Poetry & Living Life in the Red

In their innovative poetry collection, Negative Money, Lillian-Yvonne Bertram pushes the binary thresholds of life: racial and gender identity, love and loneliness, and more, as well as the exhaustion created by these oppressive, constraining systems. Publishers Weekly says, “Bertram blends irreverence, honesty, and formal play in poems that bear witness to the precarity of living on the margins of society . . . This profound book will stir readers into necessary reflection.” Bertram is also the author of Travesty Generator, which was a finalist for the National Poetry Series. 

Location: Fenwick Reading Room, 2nd Floor, Fenwick Library, 4348 Chesapeake River Lane, Fairfax

6 PM

Love, Loss, and Figuring It Out with CJ Hauser

Written with witty directness and a kind-hearted spirit, CJ Hauser’s memoir in essays, The Crane Wife, offers an introspective and modern look at love, intimacy, and self. Ten days after calling off their wedding, CJ Hauser went on an expedition to study the whooping crane, and realized they’d almost signed up to live someone else’s life, prompting a complicated journey of self-discovery. The Washington Post says, “Hauser is a playful, energetic, and always likable writer” and calls The Crane Wife  “a frank exploration of intimacy and romance that doesn’t always lead to a ‘happily ever after.’” Sponsored by Mason Creative Writing. 

Location: Fenwick Reading Room, 2nd Floor, Fenwick Library, 4348 Chesapeake River Lane, Fairfax

7:30 PM

6th Annual New American Voices Award Ceremony

Enjoy the three powerhouse finalists – and celebrate the winner – of the Sixth Annual New American Voices Award for immigrant writers: Rachel Heng’s The Great Reclamation, Angie Kim’s Happiness Falls, and DK Nnuro’s What Napoleon Could Not Do. They will be joined by two of this year’s judges: Sofia Ali Khan and Cleyvis Natera. The New American Voices Award was created in 2018 by Fall for the Book and the Institute for Immigration Research to recognize recently published works that illuminate the complexity of the human experience as told by immigrants, whose work is historically underrepresented in writing and publishing.  Sponsored by the Institute for Immigration Research.

Location: Grand Tier III, Center for the Arts, 4373 Mason Pond Drive, Fairfax

October 13

4 PM

Debut Speculative Fiction from Stillhouse Press

T.N. Eyer reads from her first novel, Finding Meaning in the Age of Immortality, an arresting work of speculative fiction set in a near future, where the discovery of a cure for mortality—a very expensive and difficult cure—rips apart the fabric of society and brings two very dissimilar families together in a fraught and unlikely partnership.

Location: Fenwick Reading Room, 2nd Floor, Fenwick Library

4:30 PM

A Time Traveling Adventure with Sean O’Brien

Former White House speechwriter Sean O’Brien will discuss his new book, White House Clubhouse, and lead kids on a creative adventure to write their own time traveling story. When First Daughters, Marissa and Clara, discover a hidden tunnel in the White House that transports them to 1903, they join forces with the children of President Theodore Roosevelt on an action-packed railroad journey, aiming to help the president and make a difference. Sponsored by the Friends of Burke Centre Library.

Location: Burke Centre Library, 5935 Freds Oak Road, Burke, VA

6 PM

Mind-Bending Stories with Ruth Joffre

Doomed love stories and twisted fairy tales abound in Ruth Joffre’s short story collection, Night Beast. Joffre’s powerful and unsettling book explores both the conventional and unconventional lives of women, while revealing the monsters lurking in all of us as we seek human connection. Author Anna Noyes says “Hypnotic and elegant, Night Beast built to a resonance that resounds in me still. These stories are unforgettable, full of longing and hunger and alert tenderness. Finishing the collection was like waking from a night of disquieting and luminous dreams.” Sponsored by Mason Creative Writing.

Location: Fenwick Reading Room, 2nd Floor, Fenwick Library.

7 PM

Poetry Night Out

Four talented Mason alumni reunite in this Friday night poetry reading. Joe Hall’s Fugue & Strike braids panic-inducing contemporary catastrophes with a long view of solidarity in struggle. Ana Pugatch takes readers through her travels across Asia and back to the United States in Engrams: Seven Years in Asia. In What Pecan Light, Han VanderHart examines a family’s long entwinement with whiteness and the South, revealing the speaker’s complicity in the institutions of whiteness. Michael Joseph Walsh’s Innocence is about the unknowability of the future and the intimacy of contemplating that future within the surveillance of the digital age. Sponsored by Poetry Daily. 

Location: Old Town Hall, 3999 University Drive, Fairfax.

7:30 PM

Fairfax Library Foundation Presents: A Life in Books & Film: Nick Hornby

Nick Hornby’s award winning books and screenplays have thrilled readers and movie goers for over twenty-five years. From About a Boy to the cult-classic High Fidelity to Fever Pitch, his novels and memoirs have made their way to the silver screen and television. Hornby’s career has spanned genres with his trademark blend of humor and unsentimental emotion, including his Oscar-nominated screenplays for Brooklyn and An Education, and Emmy-winning work on the short form series State of the Union. His newest book, Dickens and Prince: A Particular Kind of Genius, is a warm, and entertaining reflection on art, creativity, and the unlikely similarities between Victorian novelist Charles Dickens and modern American rock star Prince. Hornby, in conversation with writer Stephen Goodwin, will discuss his remarkable career and the power of art in this thoughtful and entertaining conversation. Sponsored by the Fairfax Library Foundation.

Location: Stacy C. Sherwood Center, 3740 Old Lee Hwy, Fairfax

Set a reminder to reserve your free Eventbrite ticket. Tickets will become available on October 6 at 7 p.m. 

Virtual Events

Libraries for All: Celebrating Civil Rights Heroes

In Desegregation in Northern Virginia Libraries, Chris Barbuschak and Suzanne S. LaPierre, librarians in the Fairfax County Public Library’s Virginia Room, highlight four Civil Rights leaders and their fight to desegregate libraries in Northern Virginia. From the father of DC basketball, to President Eisenhower’s window decorators, to the organizer of one of the first sit-ins in the nation, these pioneers worked to make libraries accessible to all. 

Watch, starting October 13:

Speaking of Poetry

Fairfax County Poet Laureate, Danielle Badra, explores the power of poetry in this conversation with poet Jennifer Grotz, author of Still Falling, and Alexandria Poet Laureate Zeina Azzam, author of Some Things Never Leave You. Grotz explores the profound vastness of grief in her collection, ruminating on the deaths of her friends, mentors, and mother; the endings of relationships; and the confinements of life. Poet Jericho Brown says “Still Falling is an undeniably gorgeous book of love poems full of grief.” In her collection, Azzam, a Palestinian American, depicts her childhood memories and the repeated experiences of exile in order to both celebrate and mourn life’s wonders. Poet Lena Khalaf Tuffaha says “Azzam writes with heart and with an ear keenly tuned to the rhythms of displacement and loss.” 

Watch, starting October 13:

The Hidden & the Haunted

Join Alix E. Harrow and Leopoldo Gout as they discuss the horrors found beneath the surface.  Harrow’s Starling House is a modern Gothic novel about a young woman’s obsession with a sinister old manor in her hometown. Author Melissa Albert says the book is “Devastatingly good, a sharp, delicate nested tale of worlds within worlds, stories within stories, and the realm-cracking power of words.” Gout’s Piñata follows the Sanchez family, who are being stalked by something malevolent and unexplainable after unearthing a hidden stash of centuries-old artifacts in Mexico. Library Journal says “Gout succeeds in presenting a thought-provoking, violent, and immersive revenge-horror story and excels in restoring the rich history of an erased people.” 

Watch, starting October 13:

October 14

All Daytime Events at Old Town Hall - 3999 University Drive, Fairfax

Craft Hour - Downstairs, Old Town Hall

10 AM

Design Your Own Dog Mask

Author Joan Waites will take you on a magical quest with Bo, the fluffy black dog, as he eagerly explores the New Mexico desert alongside his owner, Georgia O’Keeffe. Unbeknownst to Bo, a clever lizard watches his every move as he sets off to find vibrant flowers in the seemingly barren desert. Could the desert hold hidden treasures that will become the subjects of Georgia’s breathtaking paintings? Immerse yourself in their enchanting journey as you decorate a wearable Bo dog mask, and find inspiration in unexpected places.

10:30 AM

Decorate an Áo Dài

Decorate your own áo dài, make butterflies, and enjoy a yummy treat at this fun and crafty event with Hanh Bui, author of The Yellow Áo Dài. When a young girl’s special áo dài dress doesn’t fit for her Vietnamese Fan Dance performance, she embarks on a mission to find a replacement – which turns out to be more special than she could have ever imagined.

Ready, Set, Draw! Comic Fest - Downstairs

12 PM

Start Your Own Graphic Novel Series

Jonathan Roth, creator of the Rover and Speck graphic novel series, takes kids aged 6-11 on a ride through creating their own characters and putting them in their own graphic novels. Rover and Speck’s art, plot, and hilarious moments will have kids rooting for these characters and wanting to draw their own!

1 PM

Making Comics with Laura Lee

Draw along as Laura Lee Gulledge demonstrates her creative process by drawing live an original character + building a story world co-created on the spot with participants. Plus, learn how to tell your own short comic stories in a mini comic zine format.

2 PM

Publish Your Own Comic

Do you have big dreams for publishing your own comic? J. Robert Deans and Sam Deans show you how to bring a comic to life on paper – thinking about concept, layouts, coloring, lettering and more – and how to use the tools you have at home to make it a printed reality. Deans is the author of Moo Fast, Moo Furryous, and The Case of the Chicane Mutiny: A Bear from A.U.N.T. Adventure.

3 PM

Imagination Aquarium

Ever find yourself stuck for cartoon ideas? Put on your wetsuit and dive into the IMAGINATION AQUARIUM, where cartoonist Jamar Nicholas will help you catch ideas in your net and create awesome cartoons! Nicholas is the author of Leon the Extraordinary, a hilarious graphic novel about a regular kid who becomes a superhero to save his school. 

Adult Events - Upstairs, Old Town Hall

11 AM

Voices of the Caribbean: Family, Memory & Secrets

Uncover long-hidden family secrets with Caribbean novelists Carol Mitchell and Joanne Skerett. Mitchell’s What Start Bad a Mornin’ uses three interwoven narratives spanning the United States, Trinidad, and Jamaica to give voice to Amaya, an immigrant woman forced to confront her repressed memories. Author Nerissa Golden says “Carol Mitchell’s debut adult novel is brilliant storytelling that deftly weaves a tale of cross-cultural Caribbean life, trauma and survival. I couldn’t put it down.” Skerrett’s Island Man follows an estranged father and son who arrive on the island of Dominica when Hurricane Maria strikes and their struggle to forge a relationship in the midst of family trauma, secrets, and loss. Author Marita Golden calls it “an impressive novel that examines the passionate loyalties and difficult choices inspired by the demands of community, family, and love…You will find yourself dreaming, aching, and yearning with a cast of characters whose lives span generations and will remain with you long after the last page.” Mitchell and Skerett will be in conversation with Krylios. 

12 PM

Fall in Love with Romance

Whether it’s found in rival bakeries or in an anonymous correspondence, love is in the air in these two contemporary romance novels. Kristina Forest’s The Neighbor Favor follows a shy bookworm who asks her neighbor to set her up on a date with no idea this neighbor is the author she fell in love with over email. Jean Meltzer’s Kissing Kosher chronicles the budding romance between two rival bakery workers. 

1 PM

Researching the Past for the Present

How do historical fiction writers navigate the strange new territory of the past, and balance fact and invention? Narrative historian Scott W. Berg, author of The Burning of the World sits down with three writers to discover their research and writing secrets: Tania James, author of Loot, Mary Kay Zuravleff, author of American Ending, and Juan Goméz Bárcena, author of Not Even the Dead. Loot explores eighteenth-century India and Europe, American Ending visits and nineteenth-century Pennsylvanian Appalachia, and Not Even the Dead is a hallucinatory journey from 1500s colonial Mexico to Trump’s Border Wall. Bárcena is the Cheuse Center’s 2023 Visiting Writer from Spain. Sponsored by the Alan Cheuse International Writers Center.

2 PM

Sisters & Misfits in YA Fantasy

Explore the bonds of sisterhood–biological and chosen–in two outstanding new YA fantasy novels. Unseelie by Ivelisse Housman follows Seelie, an autistic changeling left in the human world as an infant, and her twin sister Isolde as they hunt for a fabled treasure. Author Andrew Joseph White says, “both meaningful and whirlwind-fun, Unseelie sparkles with mystery, adventure, and enchantment.” In a reimagining of the Robin Hood legend, Kelly Ann Jacobson’s Robin and Her Misfits centers around the “merry men,” a fierce gang of queer female bikers, street racers, and thieves, who pledge to steal from the rich and give back to girls in need. Author Jessamyn Violet says, “Robin and Her Misfits reads like the action movie with all-female leads you always hoped for… A greasy, gritty adventure carved for those who need a massive flip in the script.”  

3 PM

Diary of a Good Dog

W. Bruce Cameron, bestselling author of A Dog’s Purpose and A Dog’s Way Home, is back with Love, Clancy: Diary of a Good Dog, another deeply moving story about dogs and the humans who love them. Follow the stories of a cast of characters who find themselves jointly and separately navigating the challenges of life, of love, and other pets, all through the eyes of Clancy, a very good dog, who is keeping a diary of it all. Be reminded of why dogs are man’s best friend from the tender perspective of Clancy as he shares his lovable doggie take on what is truly important in life. Library Journal says that Cameron’s writing is “funny, heartwarming, and touching.” 

Headliner Event - George Mason University

7 PM

The George Mason Friends Present Breaking the Mold with Marlon James

Marlon James has won high praise for his Dark Star Trilogy – which Entertainment Weekly describes as “drenched in African myth and folklore.” The first book, Black Leopard, Red Wolf was a finalist for the National Book Award, and was named one of TIME’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time. Now James is back with the second installment, Moon Witch, Spider King, which flips the story on its head, retelling it from the Moon Witch’s perspective – a tale that’s “part adventure tale, part chronicle of an indomitable woman who bows to no man.” Salman Rushdie praises the sequel, saying it’s “A fabulist reimagining of Africa, with inevitable echoes of Tolkein, George R.R. Martin, and Black Panther.” Sponsored by the George Mason Friends.

Location: Johnson Center Cinema, George Mason University 

Tickets go live on October 7 at 7 p.m.

Date: October 4-14, 2023

Location: 

Online

Events are held at George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus, and around the City of Fairfax and Fairfax County Public Library Branches.  

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