Monday, June 20, 2016

Books by the Banks - Meet Authors and (maybe) Learn How to Get Published

Southwest Ohio’s Free Book Festival

 

A Books by the Banks event poster.
                 What if I were to tell you that there is an event where authors and readers gather to talk about books, share experiences, and just enjoy each-others’ company in (relatively) small groups (small enough that everyone in attendance can usually ask questions and be heard) - would you be interested? Now, what if I added that there was also a specific set of talks at this event that are  focused on GETTING YOU PUBLISHED - would you be interested now? Finally, what if I added that entry to the event and the various talks is FREE - would you be excited now?


                The event I’m writing about is called Books by the Banks, and is southwest Ohio’s largest regional book festival. It is currently held at the Greater Cincinnati Convention Center (renamed Duke Energy Convention Center), usually in October. 2016 marks the 10th anniversary of the event, which has hosted notable authors such as Marc Brown (illustrator of Arthur), Gillian Flynn(Gone Girl), and John Scalzi (Old Man’s War).

Books by the Banks Author Pavilion / Great Hall

Author Pavilion

Books by the Bank’s “great hall” is known as the Author Pavilion. This is the standard convention room, filled with authors looking to talk with interested readers (and possibly sell their books). While the Pavilion is the primary draw for many visitors, shrewd visitors know to look deeper into the convention center for....

A (blurry) picture of Books by the Banks spotlight author John Scalzi, author of Old Man’s War, The Ghost Brigades,Redshirts, and many other works (and former president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America).

Author Panels

                These free events gather groups of authors for various talks with convention-goers. Previous subjects have included   Appalachian Storytelling, Writing Nature, Children’s Books, and Cincinnati Authors.  Featured authors usually get the big room, and are in events called “Author Spotlights” that have only one primary speaker. Questions are always taken. These events are done on a first-come, first-admitted basis, so make sure to get to the room early if you want to talk with the more popular authors.

Participants prior to the start of a publishing panel.

 The Writing/Getting Published Panels

                A continually expanding group of talks, this area currently encompasses over five hours of program time on the schedule. Everything from how to find an agent, how to edit your work, and how to find readers has been covered in the past, and future panels promise similar subject matter. While many literary figures have participated in these events, editor/author Chuck Sambuchino (Writer’s Digest) has been a regular (and is probably tired of everyone asking him the same questions every year).


Banners near the various areas.

Kids’ Corner & Teen Scene Areas

                Books by the Banks is a great place to take the family, and features two areas for youths. Younger attendees should visit Kids’ Corner, which features events such as sing-alongs and author readings for the younger crowd, as well as hands-on crafts and various musical experiences. Savvier youths should visit the Teen Scene section, which has teen-focused authors as well as maker-projects and more complex craft projects.


A full schedule of events can be found at the Books by the Banks website at http://www.booksbythebanks.org. Or like them on social media for the most recent updates at https://www.facebook.com/booksbythebanks.