What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/1482864
MONICA HOOPER NWA Democrat-Gazette A fter a two-year pause and an expansion, the Fayetteville Public Library will once again host the True Lit Festival. With story times, author talks, workshops and more, this year's festival will truly have something for everyone who loves books. The festival is "a celebration of the written word for all ages," says Willow Fitzgibbon, the director of library services. "We know how important it is to connect with reading when you're young. And that just builds into a lifetime of being a reader. We hope there's something in the festival for everyone — whether someone just enjoys learning about new experiences and hearing from writers or whether someone is an aspiring writer. It's a great opportunity to connect with other people that value literacy and literature." All the events planned for the Nov. 1-6 festival are free and will include programs in the library's new spaces like the teaching kitchen and the event center. "This year Suzanne Billings will be doing a 'Jarcuterie' demo [in the teaching kitchen]. It's really fun to be able to include cookbook authors," Fitzgibbon says. Billings is a local author whose book and concept, "Jarcuterie," adapts a charcuterie board into a smaller, handheld container such as a jar creating a portable and Instagram-able snack. "SoNA will be presenting 'Peter and the Wolf.' It's a bilingual narration of that program," Fitzgibbon adds. Set to a quintet arrangement by Earl C. North, the symphonic fairy tale will include narration by Al "Papa Rap" Lopez and SoNA Board Member Jack Cleghorn. The all-ages event will be in the event center. Local authors Ashley Klotz and Ashley Franklin will lead story times for kids. There's also a songwriting workshop for kids led by children's musician Dino O'Dell. For older kids and teens, there will be craft workshops, a masquerade party, and cartoonist Zeke Peña will host a teen comics workshop. "One of this year's keynote speakers will be Ayana Gray, who wrote the 'Beast of Prey' trilogy, which are coming-of-age fantasy novels for young adult readers," Fitzgibbon adds. "She's going to speak here at the library, and books will be available for sale and signing as well. "Susan Campbell Bartoletti is another keynote author that we're bringing in. She's an award-winning children's nonfiction author. She writes about some tough topics like Hitler's youth, the KKK, the woman known as Typhoid Mary, labor movements. But when she talks with the students, she really focuses on the change and impact that they can make in the history that they're developing for themselves, so I think she'll be really interesting," Fitzgibbon goes on. "She'll be talking about her experiences writing children's nonfiction and doing the research." Additionally, there will be adult workshops that focus on writing and learning about agents. There will also be pitch sessions. "The authors will get 10 minutes to pitch what they're working on with the agents or the publishers. It'll be virtual. We do have representation from around the country. The authors will come to the library, and then we'll set them up with a computer and the timer and say, 'ready, set, go!' We've done that for several years, and a lot of authors have found a good connection through that program," Fitzgibbon explains. "There have been authors who have been published." Registration is required. OCTOBER 30-NOVEMBER 5, 2022 WHAT'S UP! 3 A New Chapter True Lit Festival a page turner for book lovers Ashley Clontz will read "Giraffe, What Do You Like to Eat?" her picture book that she wrote with her 4-year-old son, for a True Lit preschool story time at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 2 in the Walmart Story Time Room at the Fayetteville Public Library. (Courtesy Photo) "When she talks with the students, she really focuses on the change and impact that they can make in the history that they're developing for themselves," Library Services Director Willow Fitzgibbon says of Susan Campbell Bartoletti, who has published poetry, short stories, picture books and novels, but is best known for her award-winning nonfiction books. The fearless researcher will give a talk at 6 p.m. Nov. 3 in the Ziegler Reception Room at the Fayetteville Public Library as part of the True Lit Festival. (Courtesy Photo) COVER STORY See True Lit Page 4