2009.03.26
Wine, Cheese, and Authors
Finally, after thirteen years of living in Virginia, I went to the Festival of the Book. Now, I'm making plans to attend next year, and every other year that I can swing it. I intend to swing it. Soaking in the atmosphere of the written word, I had a joyous two days and quite easily could have reveled in the entire five day conference. What am I talking about?
The mission of the Virginia Festival of the Book is to bring together writers and readers and to promote and celebrate books, reading, literacy, and literary culture. That said, let me elaborate....
It is the largest gathering of authors, writers, and readers in Virginia, and, I'm told, the Mid-Atlantic region. Produced by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities (I've always loved the Humanities!) the Book Festival has become an integral part of Charlottesville and UVA. And they are lucky to have it. Almost every aspect of the Festival is organized and generated by Festival committees consisting of community volunteers who contribute their time. This is a huge undertaking, and a widely varied set of events.
Programs range from traditional author readings and book signings to a StoryFest day of children's authors and storybook characters; from a panel on how to publish a novel to a discussion on running a book club; from a workshop on book-binding to a discussion on freelancer's rights. All programs are open to the public; with the exception of a few ticketed events, programs are free of charge.
The crowds of attendees are all book lovers, or so it seems, with a giddiness that permeates the air. The excitement over meeting a beloved author was infectious; the desire to gather more and more books to cherish or devour was a common ailment.
One event I attended was a delicious evening of intimate bookish conversation. Wine & Words with David Baldacci and Adriana Trigiani on Thursday afternoon, March 19th, was a perfect appetizer for the Festival for me. (See if you can spot Amy Hanek and I on this slideshow on the Festival's website.) Just the description from www.vabook.org makes me hungry all over again:
"It's la dolce vita with Adriana Trigiani (Very Valentine) and David Baldacci (Divine Justice). Enjoy an assortment of Italian meats, cheeses, grapes, olives, and a glass of Italian wine at this intimate engagement."
Held at a lovely wine bar, Enoteca, 401 East Main Street in Charlottesville, just down from the UVA campus, it was a bit tight for the crowd that these two authors drew, standing room only, but nicely done.
David Baldacci, author of Divine Justice and 16 other novels, will release First Family in April 2009. Famous for his thrillers, he is a lawyer, born and raised in Virginia. He and his wife have established the Wish You Well Foundation which supports family literacy. David spoke about his foundation to a very welcoming crowd.
Adriana Trigiani (Very Valentine) is the best-selling author of the Big Stone Gap series; Lucia, Lucia; Queen of the Big Time; Rococo and Cooking with My Sisters. She has written and will direct the Big Stone Gap movie. Adrianna shared a bit of news about the casting of the movie, and introduced her lovely sisters and mother to the crowd. Her in-laws were also in attendance and funnily enough are close neighbors to David Baldacci at Smith Mountain Lake.
I was able to speak to David briefly about his upcoming appearances in Roanoke and Smith Mountain Lake, and of course, get a copy of his latest book signed for my mother, his "#1 fan." Talk in the room touched on numerous topics revolving around the media and writing. An acquaintance of mine asked me about The Roanoke Times and the newspaper business, while my friend Amy sat and chatted with Adriana's entourage. (More on that in another blog entry.) Both authors signed books for the guests and made for a lovely literary afternoon.
