Author Series connects diverse writers with Fort Worth readers
Published on April 20, 2021
Connecting readers with a diverse set of authors to create meaningful dialogue is at the heart of #FortWorthReads. The Fort Worth Public Library’s Author Series presents writers with a variety of unique voices for all to enjoy.
“It’s really important to make sure that when we provide the opportunity for author visits that we’re representing many genres of writing and many different viewpoints of writing,” said Jennifer Demas, Senior Librarian – Adult Services. “For me personally, the diversity for which we’re booking is really part of what our mission is as a Library.”
The Library is Fort Worth’s literary hub, with programs such as the author series, book clubs and writing workshops. Fiction and nonfiction authors alike visit with library patrons and, whenever possible, their works are available at local booksellers for purchase and autographs. These featured books are also added to the Library’s collection for either print or digital checkout.
The authors come from all backgrounds and literary styles. Some scribes reach out directly to be part of the series. Others are selected by researching different publishers, including university presses across Texas.
“A lot of the authors we’ve been highlighting, particularly during the pandemic, are either new authors who are having debuts or, on the nonfiction side, they’re well known in their field, but not well known to our audience,” Demas said. “Part of that is introducing readers in our city to authors they haven’t heard of or read before.”
These live sessions allow readers the opportunity to interact with authors in a Q&A format. The discussions run the gamut of topics.
“It can be anything from advice on how to be a writer and getting published to recommendations on places in the area to go discussed in some of the books we’re reading. We’ve had great discussions about sports in Texas and the impact of things that happen here in state across the country,” Demas said. “It’s really an opportunity to engage with someone you normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to.”
The virtual format also has the built-in advantage of increasing the pool of authors and range of topics.
“We’ve been able to have conversations all over the country,” Demas said. “These are authors that we would not normally be able to bring in. We’ve had panels with an author on the call from California while one is in New Mexico while we’re in Fort Worth. That’s why we’re going to continue to do some virtual ones when we get back to normal programming.”
Some of the authors coming up include Richard Webb (May 13), Erik Semanek (May 26) and Nick McIntire (June 10). Those who miss out on chatting with the authors live are in luck. All completed sessions are available afterward on-demand on the Library’s YouTube channel.