Nancy Jooyoun Kim, Ritu Mukerji, Jason Powell, moderated by Heather Young Moderated by thriller author Heather Young (The Distant Dead), this panel brings together novelists whose books center elements of crime, whether they’re shelved in mystery or literary fiction. Writer and firefighter Jason Powell’s debut novel, No Man’s Ghost, explores the ps…

Aida Salazar, Nikki Grimes, Mason Deaver, Dashka Slater, moderated by Mychal Threets From 2021 to 2023, PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans recorded 5,894 instances of book bans across 41 states and 247 public school districts. The bans show no sign of slowing down, and they’re disproportionately aimed at authors of color, LGBTQ+ authors, and w…

Myriam Gurba and Ingrid Rojas Contreras Mean, and the recent essay collection, Creep, a finalist for a National Book Critics Circle award in criticism. Rojas Contreras’s dazzling debut memoir, The Man Who Could Move Clouds, explores her Colombian identity and reckons with the bounds of reality through an oral history that challenges Western notions…

Charlie Jane Anders, Aya de León, Sim Kern, Rebecca Roanhorse, moderated by Keya Chatterjee Climate fiction is a unique way to approach the climate crisis through both real and imagined endings and beginnings. This panel, moderated by author and activist Keya Chatterjee, explores why writers are drawn to climate fiction (Cli-Fi), and what they hope…

Sonya Renee Taylor, moderated by Cinnamongirl Kailynn and Cinnamongirl Symone An empowering conversation with one of the world’s most inspirational activists and thought leaders writing and speaking today. You’ll want to bring your daughters, sons, their friends, and your friends to hear the radically powerful message of Sonya Renee Taylor, revolut…

Rebecca Roanhorse and Dani Trujillo, moderated by Kristina M Canales A not-to-be-missed conversation between Indigenous horror writers Rebecca Roanhorse and D.H. Trujillo, both of whom are featured in Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology. This groundbreaking book celebrates Indigenous resistance by highlighting themes of mag…

Viet Thanh Nguyen, Piper Kerman, Alka Joshi, moderated by Laura Warrell Turning a beloved book into a compelling film or series is a journey filled with creative collaboration, financial considerations, script development, casting decisions, and years of meticulous preparation. For the authors at the center of these adaptation journeys, it also inv…

R.O. Kwon, Brontez Purnell, Sam Sax, moderated by Lucy Jane Bledsoe Join us for a captivating panel discussion moderated by author Lucy Jane Bledsoe (author of Tell the Rest and No Stopping Us Now) and featuring three acclaimed writers—R.O. Kwon, Brontez Purnell, and Sam Sax—as they delve into the rich and complex terrain of sexuality, desire, and …

Sara Calvosa Olson in conversation with Terria Smith Sara Calvosa Olson is a food writer and editor exploring the intersections of storytelling, Indigenous food systems, security, sovereignty, reconnection, and recipe development. Olson’s maternal ancestry is from the Karuk tribe whose lands are part of northwest California, and her new book, Chími…

Joan Baez in conversation with Greg Sarris Ground-breaking Mexican-American musician, artist, and activist Joan Baez joins accomplished writer, professor, and tribal leader Chairman Greg Sarris in a conversation about writing, creating, and legacy. Sarris is co-executive producer of Joan Baez: I Am A Noise, a deeply personal, profound, and haunting…

Christina Gerhardt, Manjula Martin, Rosanna Xia, Jade S. Sasser, moderated by Maddie Oatman Join this essential and urgent conversation that examines the changing physical and cultural landscapes of the climate crisis. This panel centers one of the most pressing issues of our times and brings together in conversation four panelists who have written…

Steve Phillips, Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, Maurice Mitchell, moderated by Lateefah Simon In 2024, the threat of authoritarianism is greater than ever before. Yet our nation also has the potential to become a genuine multiracial democracy. How can we help tip the scale? Steve Phillips is a national political leader, bestselling author, and columnist…

Ramona Ausubel, Mary Otis, and Margaret Wilkerson Sexton, moderated by Jasmin Darznik Relationships between mothers and daughters can be fraught or fruitful—especially for fiction writers. Bring your mom, or your daughter—you might find common ground through some fabulous new fiction in this session. Buy the books here With the support of Californi…

Anthony Cody and Paisley Rekdal, moderated by Tess Taylor Many of us, when faced by stacks of dusty old documents, might leave the work to the archivists—or consign the mess to the recycling bin of history. In this session, we'll hear from those who instead look at archives and envision poetry. Poet Paisley Rekdal vividly documents how the heroic n…

Katy Hays, Marcie R. Rendon, and Brendan Slocumb, moderated by Laurie R. King Not even the rarified realms of art are safe in the imaginations of these writers, where intrigue lurks even in the concert hall or the museum. Buy the books here With support from the Federated Indians of Graton RancheriaOleh Bay Area Book Festival

Chenxing Han, interviewed by Faith Adiele We instantly fell in love with Chenxing Han’s "one long listening: a memoir of grief, friendship, and spiritual care." A hospital chaplain and caregiver in the making, Han journeys from a mountaintop monastery in Taiwan to oncology wards in San Francisco, from oceanside Ireland to riverfront Phnom Penh. The…

Jonathan Escoffery, Tsering Yangzom Lama, and Jens Liljestrand, moderated by Leslie Carol Roberts Here's your chance to meet three astonishingly talented young authors, from around the world, at the beginning of their careers—you'll be able to boast that you saw them when! In addition to learning about their new works, we'll hear about these debut …

Forrest Gander and Olivia E. Sears, moderated by CJ Evans Voltaire once claimed, "It is impossible to translate poetry. Can you translate music?" If that's true, these talented translators have certainly achieved the impossible—in this session, they'll share insights into how they did so. Olivia Sears and Forrest Gander will read from their transla…

Cory Doctorow, interviewed by Glynn Washington In cyber-security, the red team plays attack; the blue team plays defense. Martin Hench, the protagonist of Cory Doctorow’s latest too close to home for comfort thriller, Red Team Blues, was born to play attack. Doctorow’s novels are always feasts for the imagination, and this one is no different. It's…

Jamil Jan Kochai, Marie Myung-Ok Lee, and Susanne Pari, moderated by Lance Knobel Stories transcend borders, build bridges across cultural divides, and foster empathy. Join Marie Myung-Ok Lee, Jamil Jan Kochai, and Susanne Pari to explore themes of identity, displacement, and the impact of historical events on individual lives. With the support of …

K-Ming Chang, Kali Fajardo-Anstine, and Brandon Hobson, moderated by Rita Chang-Eppig At times in these accomplished writers' fiction, the boundaries between the spirit world and the "real world" grow porous or indiscernible, in ways that expand realities and excite readers' imaginations. Woven throughout all of these masterful works of fiction is …

Ava Chin, Fae Myenne Ng, and Paisley Rekdal, moderated by Kathryn Ma The Chinese exclusion era started in 1882 and ended (at least on paper) some sixty years later, but, as the authors in this session profoundly reveal, its echoes still reverberate from coast to coast. Buy the books hereOleh Bay Area Book Festival

Jessica Johns, Nick Medina, Marcie R. Rendon, and Margaret Verble, moderated by Melissa Stoner These Native American and First Nations authors have published exciting new works in the genres of mysteries, thrillers, psychological horror, and historical suspense. How do these writers incorporate historical and current crises—such as the disappearanc…

Rina Ayuyang, Kali Fajardo-Anstine, and Jane Smiley, moderated by Blaise Zerega The sweeping landscapes of the American West offer writers a broad canvas on which to set epic stories. Three masterful storytellers will transport us through the rich and complex history of California and Colorado as only the best fiction can. Buy the books here…

Kathryn Ma, Cecilia Rabess, and Erik Tarloff, moderated by Michael Shapiro They say it's easier to make people cry than to make them laugh—in this session, we'll put that theory to the test with three authors who effectively deploy humor in their recent and forthcoming novels. In this craft-focused session, we'll engage deeply with each author's wr…

Darwin BondGraham, Neil Gross, and Ali Winston, moderated by Laura Wenus From the Panthers to the Riders, Oakland is ground zero for legitimately questioning the very fabric of cop culture. In this session, investigative duo Darwin BondGraham and Ali Winston, San Francisco Poet Laureate Tongo Eisen-Martin, and Colby College sociology professor Neil…

Leslie Absher, Eric Newton, and Leta Seletzky, moderated by Sylvia Brownrigg We often find ourselves looking back on our parents’ lives to understand our own place in the world. Join the acclaimed Sylvia Brownrigg as she guides authors Leslie Absher, Leta Seletzky, and Eric Newton through this excavation into how the lives of our fathers may offer …

Rita Cameron, Carmen Kennedy, Amanda Mei Kim, J. Michael Martinez, and Keenan Norris, moderated by Alan Soldofsky What does it take to get beyond outlines and sh*tty first drafts to a finished manuscript? And, from there, how do you make it across the finish line to publication? Five San José State University faculty members, students, and Steinbec…

Patricia Quintana Bidar, K-Ming Chang, Grant Faulkner, Molly Giles, Nicole Simonsen, Kara Vernor, hosted by Kirstin Chen and Jane Ciabattari There's an art to writing a (very) short story, one that includes a captivating opening, a dynamic middle, and a surprising ending—often using fewer words than we're including in this session description. We'v…

Yohanca Delgado, Jonathan Leal, Antonio López, Ricardo Jaramillo, Maisie Wiltshire-Gordon, moderated by Heather Partington These days, when Goodreads reviews and social media takedowns outnumber dwindling book review publications and shrinking newspaper book pages, what role does professional criticism still play, and how can aspiring critics best …

Jerry Emory, Dean King, and McKenzie Long, moderated by Toby McLeod Place is political, especially when it comes to defining and defending public lands. Come hear three fascinating stories of places worth fighting for—and the people committed to preserving them. Buy the books hereOleh Bay Area Book Festival

Dorothee Elmiger and Jori Lewis, moderated by Ariana Proehl Jori Lewis traces both natural and human history as she reveals the long and tortured story of the peanut's entanglement with human bondage. Swiss author Dorothee Elmiger's protagonist (also named Dorothee Elmiger) is an archivist, an obsessive collector of objects related to the violent h…

Ingrid Rojas Contreras, K.M. Soehnlein, and Preeti Vangani, moderated by Dave Madden Jori Lewis traces both natural and human history as she reveals the long and tortured story of the peanut's entanglement with human bondage. Swiss author Dorothee Elmiger's protagonist (also named Dorothee Elmiger) is an archivist, an obsessive collector of objects…

Lily Chu, Claire Kann, Amy Spalding, and Taleen Voskuni, moderated by Jasmine Guillory The course of true love never did run smooth," and nowhere is that truer than in contemporary romantic comedies, where creative roadblocks make the journey to Happily Ever After endlessly entertaining, and the destination that much sweeter. Buy the books here…

David Fenton, interviewed by Monika Bauerlein How can activists create social change today? For starters, they need to be really good storytellers. David Fenton, one of the most effective progressive communicators of the past fifty years, has penned a remarkable book—part rollercoaster memoir, part guidebook—that distills lessons from his experienc…

Andrew Alden and Clare Frank, hosted by John King Northern California is home to countless compelling stories—in this session, authors of nonfiction books—on geology and wildfires—each get twelve minutes to share one with you. Buy the books hereOleh Bay Area Book Festival

Cory Doctorow interviewed by Wendy Liu Renowned sci-fi author and activist Cory Doctorow has come to the festival to tell a story that we sure wish was science fiction or fantasy. Do you know what the royalties are for the authors with books at this festival, or how much do musicians get paid every time you play their songs on Spotify? How exactly …

Erica Berry, Tom Comitta, and Talia Lakshmi Kolluri, moderated by Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí Readers of fiction (too) often gloss over description of nature, but this session invites readers to really pay attention to nature writing, in all its marvelous variety. Set aside your human concerns for an hour and immerse yourself in the beautiful urgency of …

Margot Douaihy, Catriona McPherson, T. Jefferson Parker, and Kwei Quartey, moderated by Laurie R. King Get ready to pack your bags—but keep an eye on your passport, your valuables, and your own neck because the global destinations depicted in these mysteries and thrillers are positively perilous! Whether you're headed out on your own global adventu…

Ilyon Woo, interviewed by Dorothy Lazard Scholars of American history have uncovered and recounted countless remarkable stories of the courage and resourcefulness of enslaved and formerly enslaved people. But it's no exaggeration to say that the one Ilyon Woo relates in her new book is, as Imani Perry writes, "one of the most important stories of A…

Kirstin Chen, Brendan Slocumb, and Kyla Zhao, moderated by Cheryl Popp This one's an ode to the grifters, the con artists, the scammers: the characters who would gleefully pull one over on you—and probably get away with it, too. Even if the characters they depict are complicated (to put it mildly), there's one thing we know for sure—these authors a…

Alexandra Petri, interviewed by Joe Garofoli Alexandra Petri is no stranger to making history—she became the youngest-ever columnist for the Washington Post. Now she casts her withering glance backward, compiling "historical fan fiction" that includes essential chronicles such as John and Abigail Adams's experiments in sexting. If you're a student …

Marie Lu in conversation with Alisha Rai Falling in love is always a rush—even more so when if you and your sexy sidekick are being chased by mobsters . . . or chasing them down yourselves. Talented authors Marie Lu and Alisha Rai really ramp up the adrenaline and the attraction—one way or another, this session will have your heart racing!. Buy the…

Adam Hochschild, introduced by Monika Bauerlein In American Midnight: The Great War, A Violent Peace, and Democracy’s Forgotten Crisis, award-winning historian and journalist Adam Hochschild brings alive the horrifying yet inspiring four years following the U.S. entry into the First World War, spotlighting forgotten repression while celebrating an …

Roxanna Asgarian and Garrett Therolf, moderated by David Barstow Roxanna Asgarian is joined by Garrett Therolf of the Investigative Reporting Program at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism to discuss, among other factors, the racial biases and corruption that placed children in positions of profound peril. Their conversation will be moder…

Tsering Yangzom Lama, interviewed by Cherilyn Parsons Very few novels by Tibetans have been translated into English and published in the United States. So we’re fortunate that award-winning writer Tsering Yangzom Lama, who lives in Canada, is joining us to discuss her gorgeous, fascinating debut novel, We Measure the Earth with our Bodies. Buy the …

Nicole Chung, interviewed by Brooke Warner Nicole Chung follows up her exquisite debut with a wrenching new memoir, written in the wake of her mother's death from cancer in the midst of the COVID pandemic. Readers will find both sorrow and solace in her open-hearted new book. Buy the books here Sponsored by She Writes Press…

Jens Liljestrand, interviewed by John Freeman Be one of the first readers in the U.S. to meet the author of a novel that’s sweeping the globe: Jens Liljestrand with his debut Even If Everything Ends, one the fiercest and most profoundly human of the climate novels we’ve ever read. Buy the books here Sponsored by the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundati…

Jessica Johns, Nick Medina, and Francesca Maria, moderated by Ben Monroe History—both personal and otherwise—comes back to haunt the living in these chilling tales of psychological and mythological horror. With support from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and the Consulate General of Canada San Francisco/Silicon Valley Buy the books here…

Olivia Allen-Price, interviewed by Peter Hartlaub and Heather Knight, introduced by Emilio Garcia-Ruiz From Grace Cathedral to the Marin Headlands, why are there so many labyrinths in the Bay Area? Why did the state capitol almost move to Berkeley? These are just a few of the endlessly fascinating questions Olivia Allen-Price and the team at KQED's…