Brazos Valley Book Festival

Check out the article in the Bryan Eagle from 16 May 2018!

Good discussion of former residents coming back to share their work with the community they grew up with.

Extracted from Eagle Article:

After having to reschedule twice, the Brazos Valley Book Festival is coming to Bryan on Saturday, bringing local and other Texas authors to the Palace Theater.

The purpose of the book festival -- one of about six put on by the Texas Association of Authors and the Book Festival Network around the state -- is to connect authors and readers.

"It's just kind of a homecoming," Ernie Lee said, noting his fellow Stephen F. Austin High class of '65 classmate Howard Hatfield will also be participating in the first Brazos Valley Book Festival.

 Ernie Lee

Aspiring writers of all ages can leave the festival having met and interacted with best-selling and award-winning Texas authors.

The most difficult part about being an author, Lee said, is getting the word out about your books and getting that work into people's hands.

"Without book fairs around the state and country, that would be much, much more difficult," the Bryan native said.

For Hatfield, Saturday's festival will only be his second as an author. His first was in October in Austin, where he currently lives.

John Howard Hatfield

"This author thing is kind of new to me," he said. "I've written all my life, but never took it this far."

In addition to gaining more festival experience, Hatfield said, he enjoys talking with people, which he will get to do at the free festival.

"I am basically a storyteller, so I've been doing that all my life," he said.

"Basically my book is a collection of stories I used throughout my career to solve leadership problems. I just really enjoy talking. I meet people everywhere, and I sort of make them talk."

See the entire article at:

http://www.theeagle.com/news/local/book-festival-aims-to-connect-texas-authors-and-readers-while/article_d68ce1c5-3aa0-5592-8b23-efca173bc91b.html