Photo: Getty Images
The Bluffton Book Festival, an annual family-friendly event that brings national and regional authors, books, and writers’ events to the area, benefits The Literacy Center (TLC) in Beaufort County, South Carolina, as well as the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (Binc). Produced 100% virtually for the second time due to Covid-19, its events now reach well beyond the local area and garner audiences from across the country.
“We made the decision to go virtual again for public health reasons, but we’ve found the silver lining: we now reach a wider audience and can bring national attention to our charities,” says Founder, Rockelle Henderson. “In fact, our participation data from 2020 tells us we’ve gone global!”
For 2021, the Bluffton Book Festival is proud to bringNew York Times’ bestselling author,Jacqueline Woodsonto the festival! Woodson isthe recipient of a 2020 MacArthur Fellowship,2018–2019 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, winner of a National Book Award, as well as the Coretta Scott King Award, a Newbery Honor, and the NAACP Image Award. She is currentlythe Kennedy Center’s Education Artist-in-Residence, and will join us onMonday, November 22ndto read from her book for all ages,Each Kindness.
Keynote sessions followed by panel discussions with local and regional authors, writers’ workshops, and free and ticketed events will featureNew York Times’ bestselling authorWilliam Kent Krueger; Walters and Golden Kite award-winning authorPadma Venkatraman; bestselling authorKalynn Bayronin partnership with the Pat Conroy Literary Center; Long-listed for the National Book Award, andNew York Times’ bestselling authorJason Mott; a cooking demo with Haitian Chef,Nadege Fleurimond; and our first ever Romance panel featuringHarlequinauthorsMarcella Bell, #1New York Times’bestselling authorRobyn Carr (Netflix series ‘Virgin River’),USA Todaybestselling authorNaima Simone, andNew York Times’ bestselling authorRaeAnne Thayne, moderated byNew York Times’ bestselling author and HBO producer,Zane! Ticketed events include a copy of the featured author’s book.
In addition to our annual Indie Author Workshop sponsored and presented by Ingram Spark, we’ve added a workshop about traditional publishing featuring a Senior VP/Editorial Director from HarperCollins, former Publicist from Hachette Book Group, and a high-powered agent for books and film. All events will be presented via Zoom.
The 6thAnnual Bluffton Book Festival is made possible through the support of HarperCollinsPublishers, IngramSpark, Follett Higher Education Group, Carole and Hilary Bryan, and Rock Inked, Inc. A portion of the proceeds will benefit The Literacy Center (TLC) and The Book Industry Charitable Foundation (Binc).
For tickets and additional information about the Bluffton Book Festival (#BBFsc2021), including how to register for events; or to become a sponsor, please visit www.blufftonbookfestival.comor call 843-410-9555.