Kentucky Book Festival 2024
Every fall, I can’t wait for the Kentucky Book Festival! I check Kentucky Humanities’ website all the time to see who’s coming and what’s happening. It’s organized by Kentucky Humanities and hosted by the awesome independent bookstore, Joseph-Beth Booksellers.
The festival was a huge hit! The bookstore was buzzing with readers when I arrived. There were authors from all sorts of genres and a nice event tent outside for children’s authors. This year, food trucks were available for additional food options. It was nice to see readers interacting with authors and browsing the regular bookstore.
Despite the many authors and programs, I only had an interest in meeting two: Jessica Strawser and Ann Gabhart. I’ve been a fan of Jessica’s books for years and even met her at a book festival before. She’s always so friendly and down-to-earth. We went to the same college and she introduced me to Yellow Springs, Ohio. She also made me aware of The Back Room zoom author events. I was thrilled to receive some bookish swag from Jessica; a cookie with the book cover from her latest release! It was great to see her again and I bought her two most recent books, The Last Caretaker and Catch You Later. She always writes the nicest inscription when she signs my books.
Ann Gabhart is a local author who weaves enchanting tales. Her books are set in the beautiful landscapes of Kentucky and explore various genres, including historical fiction, mystery, and Christian fiction. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed her mystery books and can’t wait to dive into her historical fiction. Ann is a delightful person to chat with; she’s incredibly sweet and witty. I recently bought her two most recent books, In the Shadow of the River and The Song of Sourwood Mountain.
While browsing the bookstore, I found a signed copy of Paula Hawkins’ latest thriller, The Blue Hour. She’s one of my favorite authors, so I’m super excited to read this one!
Well, the 2024 Kentucky Book Festival may have been one of my briefest stays, but I sure managed to leave with quite the stack of books! This was a mild year for me as far as the number of authors I wanted to meet, and I still had the best time. The event appeared to be a success, which fills me with joy for Kentucky Humanities and Joseph-Beth Booksellers.
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