Virtual Tour

To the 2024 McKinney Literary Festival

From August 17-19, 2024, the McKinney Public Library held its first ever Literary Festival at the Roy and Helen Hall Memorial Library.

During the two-day event, the Library hosted 60 formally registered authors and 450 attendees...

Now, however many days after the event, you can be the 451st!

Scroll through and check out the festival itinerary!

10:30AM

It's time for the keynote—hurry and take your seat!

Award-winning newspaper columnist Dave Lieber is speaking on "The Power of Storytelling." With his many publications and adventures, he is certainly a voice worth listening to on how storytelling can be used to inform, entertain, and connect with others.

11:30AM - Fiction & Storytelling Readings

We now commence the first author reading session for Fiction & Storytelling!

We begin with Travis Davis and his excerpt from One of Four: World War One Through the eyes of an Unknown Soldier. Written in diary-format and read posthumously, his book is the record of a single soldier's experiences found next to his lifeless body by a young French girl who witnessed his death and bravery.

Now, onto Heath Dollar reading his excerpts from Waylon County: Texas Stories and Old Country Fiddle. In each collection of stories, Dollar retells eccentric casts of characters in scenic Texas settings.

For her selection, Roxanne Gail Hodge is reading from her suspense novel, The Long Road Back! Her story is a tale of a CIA Special Agent caught between dream and reality, investigating a sinister plot with catastrophic consequences.

YA Author Mary Karlik is reading from Three Simple Rules, a celebrity rom-com about a secret actor posing as an ordinary high school student and an ambitious STEM student, each bound by their own rules.

Lyndsey Lewellen is reading from her debut novel, The Chaos Grid. In this dystopian tale, Texas is a wasteland, and 17-year-old Juniper Conway wants revenge for the murder of her parents.

For his reading, Kevin Magavern is reading his debut novel and the first of the Titans of the Earth series, Forgetting Kora. This tale is a genre-bending fantasy with suspense and family secrets.

David Nos is reading from his debut Kordan the Wizard, a high/political fantasy adventure with dragons, giants, and heroes and heroines. His work is a hybrid musical novel with accompanying original tracks.

E.O. "Mackie" Shiflett is reading from Son of Enoch: The Last Prophet, a Christian fiction tale about an anointed prophet fighting against all odds.

For the final reading in the Fiction & Storytelling section, Jolene Whitten is reading from her novel, The Archer's Mark. Her tale is one of hope and renovation, and she explores themes of grief and isolation in the setting of the global pandemic.

12:30PM

Is it time for lunch already? Lucky for you, the Hall Library is situated in historic Downtown McKinney where there are many places to eat and explore. Plus, you have that handy coupon in youtr itinerary!

2:00PM - Poetry & Creative Writing Readings

Onto the second author reading session! For this session, we'll be listening to local voices in the poetry and short story genres.

Susan Mardele is reading poems from her various works. Her award winning poetry is diverse in topics and styles.

For his excerpt, Immanual Joseph is reading from his newest work, I Am a Child of Gaza. His tale is told from the perspective of a young girl living in a refugee camp.

Haven't all the author readings been so interesting? There really is a diverse pool of talent and ideas just here in McKinney. And it's a great thing many of these authors' works are available at the McKinney Public Libraries!

3:00PM - Fiction, Nonfiction & Memoirs

We conclude the day with our final author reading session--this time, highlighting voices from the fiction and nonfiction genres.

First up, we have Lopamudra "Lopa" Banerjee reading from All That Jazz & Other Pathbreaking Tales. This collection of a romance novella and ten other short stories narrates the tales of contemporary women and their journeys.

Linda Bonner is reading Blessed with Extraordinary: Support & Resources for Families of Children with Down Syndrome. Her book is sure to help other families find the resources and encouragement they need.

For his excerpt, George Getschow is reading from Pastures of the Empty Page. He worked as editor for this collection of essays that provide insight on Larry McMurty, America's preeminent western novelist.

Lisa Hammett is reading from her guidebook, From Burnout to Best Life: How to Take Charge of Your Health & Happiness, which can help anyone move from burnout and feeling mediocre to feeling fulfilled and driven by purpose.

David Huntley is reading from his newest book, The B-17 Tomahawk Warrior: A WWII Final Tribute, which is a tribute to a B-17 crew that perished in a crash in England during WWII.

Gay Ann Kiser is reading from her autobiography, Take Three, which traces her challenges growing up in the foster care system during the 1950s and 60s. She explores the importance of mentors then and now.

Sheila Williamson is reading from her memoir and resource book, Two Calls: Blossoming Faith: Keeping Hope Alive. Her experiences dealing with a family member with an addiction are well worth listening to for other families with similar situations.

What a day!

Usually it'd be time for you to head home and get ready for tomorrow, but this is a virtual tour! "Tomorrow" is just a scroll away...

Sunday, 10AM

Take your seat!

It's time for the first panel discussion: Publishing & the Book Industry!

Panelists

The featured panelists are authors David Huntley, Laura Bull, Mary Karlik, Michelle Miles, and Travis Davis.

Take some notes...

...as our experts share their insights on the publishing process and what to expect for individuals in the audience who may want to publish some works of their own.

11AM

For our first workshop, Susan Mardele discusses the Art and Business of Freelance Writing.

2PM

Onto the second panel!

Our panel of authors Jan Sikes, Samantha Raymer, Kevin Magavern, Lyndsey Lewellen, Suzanne Ferrell, and Jalyn Fiske will be discussing all things Creative Writing with David Nos as the moderator.

Thanks for attending!

From the staff of the McKinney Public Library, we hope you enjoyed this virtual tour! This tour does not reflect every session and author featured in the 2024 Literary Festival, but seeks to guide the viewer through the general schedule and expectations of the event and share insight into some of the local talent in McKinney.

Curious to know more? Check out our local history resources, and feel free to explore the links embedded throughout this exhibit to authors' profiles and personal websites! Better yet, we hope to see you in person next year for the 2025 Literary Festival!

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