As Yogi Berra said, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” And, the Savannah Book Festival 2012 lives on with Geraldine Brooks’ anticipated talk on May 3 at high noon. She is visiting Savannah as part of her nationwide book tour for the paperback release of Caleb’s Crossing. This luncheon event taking place at the Plantation Club at The Landings on Skidaway Island is already sold out!
Reminiscing & Looking Ahead
“I can’t stop thinking about the 2012 Festival and all the incredible authors that entertained us,” said SBF Board President Stephanie Duttenhaver. “How can we top this lineup next year? The Board is already working hard on new plans to entice world class authors to the next Savannah Book Festival which will be held during President’s Day Weekend in 2013.”
Festival Executive Director Robin Gold added, “Judging by the crowds and the interest in the Festival, Savannahians have indicated that they love books! The SBF will continue on its mission to present authors who are so thoroughly enjoyed by our students, residents and visitors.
By all means, let us know who you would like to see and what additional genres we might offer. For example, one Book Festival fan wrote to the Savannah Morning News Vox Populi column, “I wish Pamela Druckerman, who has written the wonderful child rearing book Bringing Up Bebe; One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting could be at our Festival.” We welcome your input at info@savannahbookfestival.org. (As in past years, authors for the 2013 Festival are required to have published a new book during the previous 12 months.)
An Appreciative Salute to Festival Volunteers
Over 150 volunteers fueled the logistics required to run this year’s 5-day Festival. At the helm of volunteer coordinating were Anne Gardner, Ann Higbee and Catherine Ruhl. Ann Higbee said, “In total…we enjoyed enthusiastic and efficient support from many returning volunteers and lots of first-timers. We were thrilled with the willing and generous attention the volunteers brought to each assignment.”
Appreciation is also extended to the expert volunteer photographers who captured magic moments during our most successful Festival yet. Photos will be posted on our website at a future date.
New Frontiers
The 5th annual Festival really maximized SBF’s social media profile. With a lot of help from our friends, the networking has been awesome and we want to continue this momentum. Follow us on Twitter, “like” our new page on Facebook and follow our Festival blog on Tumbr. In addition, SBF is no stranger to FourSquare and Instagram. We may lose ourselves in books, but we also search out and tease the latest technology to spread the word.
Our website is better than ever and covers many bases, including frequently asked questions. It’s a great place to visit, but below are two questions worth addressing here.
- Why is there a large reserved section at some venues?
All of the main day Saturday events are free and open to the public, as is the Friday night keynote address. Festival costs including venues, tents, printing, author transportation and lodging are underwritten by the generous donations of individuals, corporations and the arts and literary funds in our community—all of whom are responsible for making the event possible. Reserved seats are a courtesy in appreciation for this generosity. - What is the LITERATI?
Members of the LITERATI (Friend of the Festival) enjoy special author events and receive advance notice and reduced rates for ticketed Festival events. Our LITERATI receive benefits such as exclusive invitations to SBF events featuring nationally renowned authors throughout the year; access to our author hospitality suite on Telfair Square on Festival day; and special access to the organizers of the Festival and advance information regarding all of our events. Please stay tuned for upcoming information on new LITERATI membership levels and benefits for the 2013 Festival.
The Savannah Book Festival Inc. is an independent, non-profit corporation led by a volunteer board of directors. It is committed to remaining free and open to the public and to celebrating the written word. For more information, please contact Executive Director Robin Gold at (912) 598 4040, info@savannahbookfestival.org or visit www.savannahbookfestival.org.
