In the morning at 10AM we have a special event for kids and families at the Exeter Public Library children’s room with award-winning illustrator E.B. Goodale. Her first picture book Windows, written by Julia Denos, received an Ezra Jack Keats Illustrator Honor. Many of her books have accumulated accolades and awards including Junior Library Gold Standards, ALA Notables, Best of lists, among others. Bring the kids!

 

The Town Hall portion of the day begins at 12pm with an original poem by spoken word artist Durane West, descendent of Exeter’s abolitionist poet James Monroe Whitfield. In honor of America’s 250th, this is world-premiere poem was commissioned for the event by the Exeter Literary Festival.

 

The rest of the day’s events will be at the Exeter Town Hall, starting at 12pm with our first featured author, award-winning astrophysicist Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein. We’re thrilled to be helping Chanda kick off the tour for her *brand new* book, The Edge of Space-Time: Particles, Poetry, and the Cosmic Dream Boogie, a journey into some of the universe’s most confounding mysteries through the lens of both science and pop culture. She’ll be joined in conversation with PEA instructor Summer Morrill.

 

At 1:30pm we have concurrent events. Upstairs at the Town Hall we’re offering a very special poetry panel curated by Diannely Antigua. Featuring readings by poets Sara Deniz Akant and Myles Taylor, as well as featured poets from Exeter High School, we’ll also observe them in dialogue with each other about their process, inspiration, and more. This one is not to be missed.

 

Downstairs in the Town Hall at 1:30pm we’re offering Writing the American Story, a panel featuring three historians who have each in their own way written about American self-definition, and how our history is full of people – known and unknown – who have envisioned and fought for a country better than the one they inherited. Featuring acclaimed authors Brooke Barbier, Kabria Baumgartner, and Caleb Galye, this discussion with be moderated by Exeter Literary Festival Board Chair Katie Adams.

 

Downstairs at 2:45pm join us for Worlds on Fire, a panel discussion about writing climate stories in fiction in today’s world. Featuring authors Julie Carrick Dalton, Nick Fuller Googins, and Andrew Krivak, this event will explore ways today’s novelists are thinking about climate and the natural world as both a setting and a storyline as the effects of climate change unfold around us. Moderated by editor and podcast host Liberty Hardy.

 

And closing out this year’s program at 4pm, join best-selling novelist Lara Prescott as she interviews Catherine Newman, writer of both fiction and memoir, most recently the New York Times best-selling novel Wreck. She’s made a career writing about women’s lives from every angle, always bringing her signature humor and warmth.

 

Books will be for sale, and authors will be available to sign them after their events. Read more about this year’s authors here.