The Chisholm Trail Book Festival held the last several years in Duncan is no more. The event, which began under the leadership of author Tonya Holmes and then moved to Duncan, has announced it will not continue the event citing lack of adequate leadership among board members.
This is a blow to Oklahoma's emerging and self-publishing authors who depend on venues such as this to raise awareness of their work and promote book sales. It will be sorely missed and will leave a void right now in the state since no other book festivals appear to be scheduled for 2013.
It DOES provide an opportunity for a local community, agency, or organization to step in and provide leadership to promote Oklahoma's struggling author and publishing concerns. There are dozens of talented authors, illustrators, promoter, and publishers in the state and they are important to the state's business and artistic profile.
Hopefully, someone will see the opportunity in this news and a book festival, conference, symposium will be offered to fill the gap. I will eagerly await news of such an event in Oklahoma.
