The Book Festival relies solely upon individual and corporate contributions and grants. This event is not geared toward raising funds. Any revenue that is generated is applied directly to the festival. If you or your organization would be interested in contributing to the festival, please contact Terry Wooten at terry.wooten@kanawhalibrary.org or 304-343-4646, ext. 287.
back to page menuOur event is free. You do not need admission tickets for any of our speakers' programs. However, in cases where we anticipate a large crowd, we do issue tickets for the book signing. See details about this procedure in question #3.
back to page menuAll authors who present programs will sign books immediately after their programs. Most will sign in the featured authors area located in the Civic Center lobby. Exceptions: Those who are speaking in the Coliseum or the Little Theatre will sign in the meeting room.
Due to long waits associated with the larger audiences in the Coliseum and the Little Theatre, we have implemented the following procedures for those meeting rooms. We will issue a numbered ticket to audience members as they line up for seating. After the program, audience members will remain seated and will come to the signing table when their number is called.
back to page menuChances are we've tried to get the author you're asking about. Sometimes the author is already booked or is not taking speaking engagements because he/she is at work on his/her next book. Sometimes our budget won't permit us to book a particular author. Sometimes an author is just not interested in our event. However, maybe we haven't considered the author you're interested in, so please do suggest him/her to us.
We are always looking for sponsors to help us book more expensive authors. If you would be interested in sponsoring an author, please contact Terry Wooten at terry.wooten@kanawhalibrary.org or 304-343-4646, ext. 287.
back to page menuWe find authors in a variety of ways. Sometimes we know that an author has a new book coming out, so we approach him or her. Sometimes an author will approach us. And sometimes one of our vendors or an individual will approach us with a suggestion for an author.
back to page menuSend an e-mail to Pam May, and please include as many details as you can provide. If you are submitting a suggestion for an author, please provide a link to his/her website or publisher's website.
back to page menuFrom two of our vendors in the Marketplace. West Virginia Book Company carries books by some of the authors, and Books-A-Million has books by everyone.
back to page menuWe have a limited number of programs, so we do not schedule more than one appearance per speaker.
back to page menuPrograms last about an hour. Depending upon the format of the program, most speakers talk for about 45 to 50 minutes and allow 10 to 15 minutes for questions.
back to page menuWe estimate around 7,000 people attended last year.
back to page menuWe can accommodate a few groups. Please contact pam.may@kanawhalibrary.org to work out details.
back to page menuThe Civic Center provides a snack bar area in the lobby. There are also several restaurants within walking distance, including Fifth Quarter, Wendy's and all the restaurants located inside the Charleston Town Center Mall.
back to page menuRent a booth. If you'll provide your snail mail address, we'll add you to our mailing list. Vendor packets are mailed out and posted on our website in late January or early February each year, and we generally sell out by July or August.
Submit a program proposal. Our festival is built around a series of programs presented by authors and others. Generally speaking, authors who are invited to present programs have published a new book or won an award within the last two years or have an old book that is newly relevant.
Programs at the festival deal with a wide range of life images and interpretations that are accessible through literature. Although the festival is primarily aimed at readers, we frequently offer programs for budding writers. Appalachian literature and its function for those of us who live in the region will always be emphasized, but the festival will incorporate authors from other areas of the country, as well.
Our committees have the program schedule finalized by the end of May each year. To be considered as a program presenter, please submit to pam.may@kanawhalibrary.org before March 10:
A short biographical sketch.
Your publishing history, including titles, dates and publishers.
A proposal for a program that you would like to present at the festival.
Book sellers, publishers, individual authors and others who have a literary mission.
back to page menuDeadline for program proposals: March 10
Deadline for vendors to be listed in the spadea: August 15
Deadline for vendors to submit list of authors who will be signing books at their booth: August 15
Please note that even though the deadline to be included in the spadea is August 15, we always sell out in late July or August.
back to page menuBooth spaces are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
back to page menuThe Marketplace is set up like a trade show with curtain walls. For each 10'x10' booth space, the West Virginia Book Festival provides one covered, skirted 8' table. You also get as many chairs and S-hooks as you need.
back to page menuEnhancements are available directly from the Charleston Civic Center. Your final packet (mailed in September) will have forms for your order. The list includes carpeting, electricity, internet access, telephone lines, TV cable, water, compressed air, extra tables, comfortable chairs, easels, wastebaskets, stools, etc. You may also opt to have your merchandise/booth supplies shipped to the Civic Center.
back to page menuWe encourage you to bring a variety of topics - West Virginia and Appalachian titles, children's books, gift books for early holiday shoppers and other book-related merchandise. We also recommend that you make the most use of your space by having visuals such as signs and banners, and that you consider having prize drawings to attract more people to your booth. Vendors keep all proceeds from book and merchandise sales.
back to page menuAlso included in your final packet (mailed in September) will be information from the West Virginia State Tax Department regarding sales tax.
back to page menuSpadea: Charleston Newspapers prints and runs the official West Virginia Book Festival program as a spadea in the Sunday Gazette-Mail on the Sunday before the event. Provided we receive your contract and payment by August 15, we will list your organization in the spadea and on our website. If your contract is received after August 15, you will only be listed on the website. You may also choose to advertise in the spadea. If you're interested in talking with a representative from Charleston Newspapers, please check the appropriate box on the application.
Blog: The Festival also has a year-round blog that contains news and information about Book Festival events, authors and vendors, as well as other West Virginia literary items and reading in general. The blog can be found at http://blogs.wvgazette.com/wvbookfestival/. Vendors are invited to submit items for the blog to Greg Moore, the blog's administrator, at gmoore@wvgazette.com.
