BookFest PA to Host Authors, Sale During Arts Festival

STATE COLLEGE — “We’re expecting 1,800 people at BookFest this year,” said Maria Burchill, head of adult and teen services at Schlow Centre Region Library. “It’s always an incredible day.”

On Saturday, BookFestPA 2023: Comics to Cozies will showcase 15 authors on the Schlow Centre Region Library grounds and host a costume contest, a book sale and book-related vendors as part of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts weekend. Visitors can listen to a live virtual talk by New York Times bestselling author Charles Soule and enjoy the “Images 2023” juried art exhibition, which is displayed in several locations throughout the library.

Burchill said this year the authors and vendors will have individual tents in the parking lot. The vendors include Aisle of Comics from Williamsport, Lady Latham’s Cosplay Closet and PaperPie, which sells books, toys and educational materials for children and teens.

The annual BookFest Costume Contest will again be sponsored and led by Setsucon, the organization that runs the annual anime and manga convention in Altoona. Burchill said Setsucon does a great job with the costume contest.

Contestants can register between 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. on the Schlow Library grounds. Real or realistic weapons are not permitted. The winners will be announced at 2 for three categories — best in show, best kids and most creative.

New this year is the Library Foundation Book Sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Schlow Library Downsbrough Community Room.

“We were discussing ways to involve people inside the library,” Burchill said. “A book sale seemed like an opportunity we hadn’t tried before. We’ve had some pretty amazing donations. Then we got some donations from AAUW, which is a great partner throughout the year.”

She said the gently used books are mostly fiction in especially fine condition. There will be a selection of limited-edition roleplaying games, and possibly some graphic novels and pop-up books. Literacy knickknacks and snacks will be available for purchase.

“We’re very lucky to have so many local authors,” Burchill said. She said sometimes authors also come from neighboring states like Maryland and New York.  

Festival attendees will have the chance to talk with the authors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The authors will have books for sale and will also sign copies of their books that people have purchased elsewhere.

“I’m excited to meet readers in my first BookFest here, as I grew up in northcentral Pennsylvania,” said middle-grade author Lee Y. Miao. “Memories of crazy antics during middle school aided me in writing two middle-grade novels published in 2022–2023. Both feature international travel and sports with lots of humor and heart. They center around multicultural characters who discover connections to their cultures and families from the past.

“My second book, ‘It’s a RHAP, Cat,’ is about a 12-year-old history nerd who struggles to solve the mystery of why she’s a startling look-alike to a 16th-century portrait by Raphael,” she said.  

“Writing stories for children is like putting dreams into words,” said Gayle C. Krause, who writes for children and young adults and was the 2022 middle-grade first-place winner of the Kids’ Choice KIDLIT Writing Contest. She has attended BookFestPA for four years.

“I was a voracious reader as a child, and now I write to inspire children to develop a love of reading, so they too can find their creativity,” she said. “I gravitate toward fantasy/fairytale retellings. My young adult dystopian fantasy, ‘Ratgirl: Song of the Viper,’ is a reimagining of the Pied Piper set in a future affected by global warming. And my middle-grade poetry collection, titled ‘Once Upon a Twisted Tale,’ features ‘fractured fairytales’ in various poetic forms.”

Her most recent book was released on July 1. “Zadie and the Witch’s Tea” is a picture book illustrated by Kate Talbot and is a reimagining of the Cinderella tale with a little witch and no prince.

J.L. Delozier, an author and semi-retired Centre County physician, draws on her professional knowledge to write thriller and mystery novels for adults that are often inspired by weird aspects of science and medicine. Her fourth novel, “Con Me Once,” won a Silver Falchion Award, and her short fiction won an Omega Award. She was an International Thriller Writer Awards finalist for her novels “The Photo Thief” and “Type and Cross.”

“As an author, I love BookFest because the national audience the ArtsFest brings to State College allows me to interact face-to-face with fans — old and hopefully new — without leaving town,” she said. “The first year I participated, my librarian sister helped, and we had a blast. She was in book heaven. This year, BookFest falls the day before my 21st wedding anniversary, so my husband is helping.”

Burchill said that at 2 p.m., New York Times bestselling novelist, comic book author and musician Charles Soule will be giving a virtual author talk as part of Schlow Library’s author talk series.  “It just so happens that it coincides with BookFest,” she said.

Soule is best known for his comics and graphic novels, including “Daredevil” and “She-Hulk.” He will discuss his third fiction novel, “The Endless Vessel,” a story about a depression plague and the scientist who searches through time and space to find a better future. Burchill said people can watch his free live-streamed talk in Schlow Library’s second floor sunroom or register to view it online at schlowlibrary.org/events/1737. The talk will be recorded and available for future viewing on the library website.

The visual arts are also part of the celebration at Schlow Library. During the month of July, the library will host “Images 2023,” the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts’ juried art exhibition of 2D work by Pennsylvania artists. The show can be viewed in person or online and will be judged by James Farrah. The winners will be announced on Thursday at the awards reception from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m..

Schlow Centre Region Library is located at 211 S. Allen St, State College. For more information, call (814) 237-6236 or visit bookfestpa.schlowlibrary.org and arts-festival.com/images-juried-exhibition