In just five days Savannah Book Festival venues will serve as lightning rods attracting over 40 authors who will lead several thousand visitors through creative pathways into history, fiction, current affairs, biography, lifestyle, memoir and poetry. Lose Yourself in Books is this year’s Festival theme and it promises a stimulating five days from February 15-19. The Festival is free and open to the public.
Pat Conroy, Melissa Fay Greene, Brad Thor, Jeffery Deaver, Michael Oher, Lulu Powers, Charles Faudree and Janisse Ray are among the 40 plus authors who will discuss their writing processes, the books and writers that inspired them, and their recent work. A complete schedule for Saturday’s presentations is available on our website; please see the end of this newsletter for links.
If traveling to Savannah is out of reach, the 2012 Savannah Book Festival can be accessed live on national TV by C-SPAN/Book TV. Now, thanks to leading cable network C-SPAN, Festival highlights will reach a wider audience throughout the U.S.
“We are very excited that the Savannah Book Festival will be broadcast by C-SPAN this year,” said Festival Executive Director Robin Gold, “and we are delighted that they have recognized what a high profile event our Festival has become. We are particularly grateful to Comcast who funds CSPAN programming for choosing to film the fifth annual Savannah Book Festival.”
For those fortunate enough to be in Savannah enjoying the excitement of being lost in books amid the energy in Telfair Square, we offer logistics guidelines to help you park, eat, take photographs, purchase books and have them signed. The Festival website at www.savannahbookfestival.org provides additional information, schedules, and author biographies.
LIVESTREAMING OF KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Due to the anticipated demand for attendance at the keynote address by Pat Conroy in Telfair Square’s Trinity Methodist Church at 6:00 p.m. on Friday February 17, doors will open at 5.00pm. This event will be also be broadcast in real time to visitors in the Telfair Square Tent across from the church.
PARKING
There will be flat rate parking fee of $5.00 in the Robbie Robinson Parking Garage (on Montgomery Street across from the Chatham County Courthouse) on Friday, February 17 beginning at 4 p.m. Drivers will pay $5.00 as they enter the garage and then will be able to exit without having to stop. The $5.00 fee will enable drivers to park for the entire evening. Overflow parking will be at the Civic Center where there will also be a flat rate fee of $5.00.
On Saturday February 18, there will be the same flat rate fee of $5.00 for the entire day beginning at 7:00 am. Overflow parking will again be at the Civic Center and also at the Liberty Street Garage at Liberty and Montgomery Street – for the same flat rate of $5.00 to be paid upon entering.
FOOD
Food and beverages will be available for purchase throughout the main Festival day on Saturday, February 18. We are delighted that Thrive – A Carry Out Cafe specializing in local and organic based dishes is returning to Telfair Square along with the Whitemarsh Beverage Center offering a range of soft drinks. New for 2012 in Telfair Square will be Atlanta Bread Company, River Street Sweets and Two Smart Cookies.
PHOTOGRAPHS
At the Conroy, Isaacson and King events, photographs (withoutthe use of flash) may be taken while waiting in line or after the book signing. Due to time constraints, the line cannot be stopped for personal visits or photographs with Walter Isaacson, Pat Conroy or Stephen King.
During every Saturday author presentation photographs may be taken without the use of flash.
BOOK SIGNING PROCEDURES
To accommodate as many patrons in as orderly a manner as possible, there will be specific book signing procedures in place from Thursday through Sunday of the Festival.
All books for signing (with the exception of those for the Walter Isaacson and Stephen King presentations) can be purchased at the Ex Libris Author and Book Tent located between the Telfair Museum and Trinity United Methodist Church in Telfair Square.
The Author and Book Tent will be open from 12:00 noon until 9:00 p.m. on Friday, February 17 and from 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday, February 18.
Discounts (10%) for Literati memberships will be honored for all books purchased for signing.
No books and signing cards can be pre-reserved or sold in advance of the times specified.
Walter Isaacson Book Signing
Walter Isaacson will be able to sign a maximum of 400 books. To be eligible for a book signature, patrons must have a signing card numbered 1-400.
To obtain a signing card, patrons must purchase a copy of Steve Jobs. Only one signature card can be purchased per person. If someone would like to purchase multiple copies of the books, they may do so, but only one signing card per person will be issued.
All books for the Walter Isaacson signing will be on sale at the Trustees Theater from the time the doors open at 5:00 PM.
Patrons must have a ticket to the presentation in order to be allowed into the theater and to purchase books for signing.
At the conclusion of the presentation, patrons will be asked to line up in the corresponding order of their book signing cards beginning with the number one. All signature card holders will be assured of having their book signed. If patrons must leave the signing line, they need to return by 8:30 p.m. to ensure they are able to obtain a signature.
Pat Conroy Book Signing
Pat Conroy will be able to sign approximately 200 books on Friday night and 200 books on Saturday afternoon. To be eligible for a book signature, patrons must have a signing card numbered 1-200.
To obtain a card, patrons must purchase a copy ofone ofPat Conroy’s books from the Ex Libris Author and Book tent. Only one signature card can be purchased per person. If someone would like to purchase multiple copies of a book(s), they may do so, but only one signing card per person will be issued.
All books for the signing will be on sale at the Ex Libris Author and Book Tent beginning at 12:00 Noon in Friday, February 17.
At the conclusion of Conroy’s Keynote Address, patrons will be asked to line up in the corresponding order of their book signing cards beginning with the number one. All signature card holders will be assured of having their book signed.
Saturday Book Signings
At the conclusion of the author presentations on Saturday, the authors will be escorted to the Ex Libris Author and Book Tent to sign books. We anticipate a large number of visitors at the Festival so we request that patrons limit the number of books they request to have signed.
Stephen King Book Signing
Stephen King will be able to sign a maximum of 400 books. To be eligible for a book signature, patrons must have a signing card numbered 1-400.
To obtain a signing card, patrons must purchase a copy of 11.22.63. Only one signature card can be purchased per person. If someone would like to purchase multiple copies of the books, they may do so, but only one signing card per person will be issued. The doors to the Trustees Theater will open at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 19. For safety and security purposes, patrons will not be allowed to form a queue prior to 12:00 noon on Sunday. All patrons must have a ticket to the presentation in order to be allowed into the theater and to purchase a book for signing.
Any patrons attempting to form a queue before noon on Sunday will be requested to leave. Any disruptive behavior will result in the patrons being removed from the property and they will not be able to enter the theater for the presentation.
At the conclusion of the Closing Ceremony with Stephen King, patrons will be asked to line up in the corresponding order of their book signing cards beginning with the number one. All card holders will be assured of having their books signed. If patrons must leave the signing line, they must return prior to 5:30 p.m. to ensure they are able to obtain a signature.
SCHEDULE OF FESTIVAL (Subject to change)
The Savannah Book Festival Inc. is an independent, non-profit corporation led by a volunteer board of directors. It is committed to remaining free and open to the public and to celebrating the written word. For more information, please contact Executive Director Robin Gold at (912) 598 4040, info@savannahbookfestival.org or visit www.savannahbookfestival.org.
Literati cards from the 2011 Festival will be honored throughout the 2012 Festival.