SAN ANTONIO — Local authors and other Texas authors will be featured in a first ever book fair specifically for the Southside. The first annual Southside Book Fair is set for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 16.
“The goal of the book fair is to promote more reading and writing in our Southside community,” April Monterrosa, editor in chief of Live From The Southside Magazine.
The book fair will showcase up to 20 authors who will be autographing and selling their books at Brooster’s Backyard Icehouse, which is a family and pet-friendly location.
A writing contest for children is also being held to encourage kids to write and share their stories, Monterrosa said. The top three winners will be awarded prizes and featured in Live from the Southside Magazine.
“We are also recognizing our young writers that contribute to our "Kid's Korner" column. They are all from Southside schools,” she said.
The theme of the featured panelist authors is “Writing Beyond Borders” – which they will share and discuss their unique perspectives on how their works reflect overcoming borders (both physical and symbolic).
The Twig Book Shop will be there selling the authors’ books and the San Antonio Museum of Art is also participating to promote literacy.
The panelists and authors that will be featured are:
Carmen Tafolla (panelist) – The Last Butterfly
Nicholas Solis (panelist) – The Color Collector
Margarita Longoria (panelist) – Living Beyond Borders
Alda P. Dobbs (panelist) – Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna
Linda Pearson – Kid Illustrated (book series)
Xavier Garza – Maximilian: The Mystery of the Guardian Angel
Susan McCauley – Ghost Hunters
Natalia Trevino – Virgin X
Bella Cortez – Crafty Cortez Sisters
Carolina Hinojosa – Becoming Coztototl
Vincent Cooper – Zarzamora: Poetry of Survival
Lindsay Leslie – Nova the Star Eater
Adrianna Cuevas – Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez
Jeanette Larson – Hummingbirds Facts and Folklore from the Americas
Jim Sanderson – Gambled Dreams
Kari Lavelle – We Move the World
Nephtalí De León – I will catch the sun!
The following children will be recognized as contributing writers for Live From the Southside Magazine: Adrian Ramirez, Uriel Nolasco, Rachel Good, Bella Cortez, Anaia Rivas, Ainsley Erickson, Ariana Marie DeLeon, Kristin Howell, Madalyn Jai Sanchez and Evan Anthony Sanchez.
The Scooby Van of San Antonio will be at the book fair to collect used books to help support its mission of giving free books to underserved kids and to stock local little free libraries.
The event is free and open to the public. Free snacks will be available, and refreshments and food will also be available for purchase.