No doubt one of the biggest allures of living in Central Virginia is access to the mountains. But unless you have dwelled deep within the high country, Appalachia will always carry a certain mystique. Several panels this year offer insight into the culture and way of life of Appalachia, including "Stories of Appalachia" on March 21 and"Virginia: Appalachia and Lost Communities"on March 22. As the title suggests, the Thursday panel includes the authors of the fantastic Lost Communities of Virginia coffee table book that documents the forgotten small towns of our fair state, many of which are located in the Appalachian region of Virginia.
The festival’s crime wave slate is always popular, and expect this year to be no different. With the next 007 flick out this fall, now is your chance to get primed for Skyfall and ask a few probing questions of Jeffrey Deaver, author of the new contemporized James Bond novel Carte Blanche. Will his book ultimately be adapted for the screen (as rumor would have it)? Deavor speaks at the Crime Wave Luncheon on March 24, and will stick around for the late afternoon “Masters of Crime Reveal Their Secrets” event with J.A. Jance, known for her Ali Reynolds series, J.P. Beaumont series, and Joanna Brady series of thrillers.
As you likely have heard, 2012 represents the 250th anniversary of Charlottesville’s founding. So get your fix of history with the three Celebrate! 250 Charlottesville events taking place this year. First up: “If Buildings Could Talk” on March 22 with the authors of Jefferson, A Monticello Sampler, The Story of Keswick Hall, and A History of Grace Church. If you think you know Charlottesville inside and out, the next two panels, “What You Didn’t Know About Charlottesville” and “Our Sister City in Ghana,” both on March 23, promise to be eye-openers. At the latter, authors Peggielene Bartels and will discuss their book King Peggy: An American Secretary, Her Royal Destiny, and the Inspiring Story of How She Changed an African Village, which describes how Bartels became the first female king of Otuam, Ghana. Otuam neighbors Winneba, Ghana, which is one of Charlottesville’s sister cities.
The digital revolution is transforming how we read and consume information. So are “dead tree” books fast becoming a thing of the past? Now is your chance to ask that question and find out what the future of e-books and digital publishing holds with the “Readers and Social Media” and “Pub Day: E-Books” panels on March 23 and 24, respectively. The first event will focus on social media and how it has changed the author-reader relationship, while the second examines how e-books have impacted the author, design, and publishing process. The best way to show you are ahead of the digital curve? If you are in the audience, make sure you add to the conversation with the #vabook Twitter hashtag or by following the Virginia Festival of the Book on Twitter @va_ctr_book. -Jennifer Pullinger