By Abigal Glaser
This year’s Savannah Book Festival will host more than 40 authors, ranging from New York Times bestsellers to local lifestyle authors.
The annual event, beginning Feb. 15, will run five days as opposed to its normal three.
New York Times bestselling author Brad Thor will open the event, giving a speech at The Plantation Club on Skidaway Island.
This is first of three ticketed events the festival has planned — Walter Isaacson and Stephen King keynoting the other two.
King will present the closing address.
“It’s one of only two or three talks he’ll give in 2012,” said third-year writing major Courtney Davison from Virginia Beach, Va. Davison is also interning for the festival this year.
Local and acclaimed southern writer, Pat Conroy, will give a speech at Trinity United Methodist Church. Savannah Book Festival Board President Stephanie Duttenhaver said, Conroy was the most asked for author this year.
On Feb. 18, the festival’s main day, lifestyle authors will give a series of cooking demonstrations.
Kim Wade, a graduate writing student originally from Richmond Hill and intern for this year’s festival said, “I know I can’t wait to finally see a live, televised cooking demonstration from some of my favorite cookbook and lifestyle authors.”
Forty-three authors will give speeches on the festival’s main day in a variety of locations such as the Trinity United Methodist Church, the Jepson Center and Telfair Square.
Click here for a full list of times and venues.
Stephen King will close the festival with his sold out speech on Feb. 19 at Trustees Theater. In honor of the event enthusiasts can enjoy a Stephen King inspired ice cream flavor at Leopold’s on Broughton Street.
All events, with the exception of the three ticketed speeches, are free and open to the public.