Book Island Festival October 5-7
By Cara Curtin

  
   When the Nassau County Writers and Poets Society started planning the Book Island Festival, to be held October 5th through 7th, they envisioned a Saturday afternoon spent chatting with local authors, buying their books and discovering the path from great idea to published work.
   Joani Selement, a member of the Nassau County Writers and Poets Society for several years, had read about literary festivals in many other cities. She approached Don Parker, another Writer and Poet, and he agreed that a similar festival on Amelia Island sounded like a good idea. Don and Joani made their proposal to the Writers and Poets in November of last year, and the membership readily agreed - we would become not a book town, but a book island! Don volunteered to be the Festival Director, while Joani would handle Planning. We'd hold it in March, a long three months away. Piece of cake.
   But the cake grew larger and larger. Word spread through the literary community, and soon the number of authors who wanted to participate grew to over 40!
   By the Society's February meeting, it was obvious that this piece of cake was overflowing its pan. We needed more time to make sure the festival went off without a glitch. Not only did we need more time, we needed more money! When the Tourist Development Council granted us our seed money, they recommended that we move the festival to October. The island would be quieter then, and everyone would have more time and energy to help.

   That help came from the many talented people who live on our island. Each has added his or her own talent to the mix, resulting in a tasty treat ready to pop out of the pan in October. One of the greatest contributions came from John Perry, who designed the festival's beautiful website (www.bookisland.org) where you can read about workshops, readings and the authors who will present them.
   With over 40 authors signed up, the subjects they address are almost endless. Local authors include Gerhardt Thamm (Boy Soldier), Jimmy Johnston (Hann's Crew) and George Furnival (Michael Row Your Boat Ashore). Regional authors Gary Izzo (The Devils Rood) and Bill Reynolds (Jetty Man) will be at Maxwell Hall, as will nationally-acclaimed authors Louise Bernikow and her dog (Bark If You Love Me), Susan McBride (And Then She Was Gone) and Nola Perez (Continent of Dreams). Also in attendance will be Mark Winegardner, author of Crooked River Burning, and the director of the Creative Writing Pro-gram at Florida State University. In addition to the Marketplace, Mr. Winegardner will also appear at the Palace Saloon's "Rock 'n Roll Readings" event on Saturday evening.
   There will be 38 more published writers to visit with at the festival.
   "We'll have murder mysteries, travel guides, ecology, self-help, psychology, history, children's books - something for everyone," explains Don Parker.
   Other local merchants and organizations wanted a piece of the Book Island Festival cake, so it grew larger still. The Art and Antiques Center will be the site of a "Meet the Authors" reception on Friday the 5th. That evening's fare also includes Murder in the Stacks at the Fernandina Beach Library, a book signing by Louise Bernikow at Books Plus, Cruise-with-an-Author by Amelia River Cruises, and the Fernandina Little Theater's presentation of Daphne DuMaurier's Rebecca.
   Saturday the 6th promises to be filled with action from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The program will kick off with a panel discussion on how to publish your book. Featured speakers include Karen Helms, Bill Raser (Amelia Islander Magazine), Don Shaw (who helped Jan Johannes publish Yesterday's Reflections II) and Emily Carmaine, a local freelance editor.
   Maxwell Hall will be transformed into a Marketplace where the public can meet authors and buy signed copies of their books. Lunch will be a catered affair where festival-goers can dine with an author.
   Dave Tuttle, the president of the Writers and Poets Society, and his wife Barbara, the Society's secretary, are in charge of the events at Maxwell Hall. Dave is also spearheading the committee that will name the recipients of the festival's Young Writer's Scholarship, open to college sophomores, juniors and seniors. These will be awarded during Lunch-with-an-Author.
   After a day of workshops and readings (36 in all), lunch and panel discussions, festival participants can repair to the Palace Saloon for "Rock 'n Roll Readings," have "Wine and Cheese with the Authors" at Elizabeth Pointe Lodge or catch FLT's second performance of Rebecca.
   And, for the truly hardy, Sunday morning offers kayak rides by Kayak Amelia and a beach walk with the authors.
   Perhaps the only thing the Writers and Poets Society has continued to think small about is price. Entry to the Marketplace is free, so anyone can come in and talk with an author and buy an autographed book. For $25, you can have Lunch-with-an-Author and a reserved seat at two workshops of your choice. For a $10 ticket, you can skip the lunch and just attend two workshops. These prices will jump to $35 and $15 after October 3rd. You can preregister online at www.bookisland.org, or pick up registration forms at Books Plus, the Hampton Inn & Suites Harbor Front Hotel, the Fernandina Beach Library or the Art and Antiques Center. Both registration forms and tickets are available at The Sailor's Wife Book Exchange. The river cruise, kayaking and theater tickets are sold separately. The $5 charge for the "Meet the Authors" reception Friday night will pay for the caterer.
   As you can tell, the Book Island Festival is now a very large piece of cake that will fill the weekend of October 5-7 with authors, books, readings, workshops, receptions, river cruises and beach walks.