TURNING PAGES CHILDREN'S BOOK FESTIVAL SET

The Turning Pages Children's Book Festival will be  October 11 and 12 in Ada, Ok. It's geared toward K-8th grade students, teachers, and parents and will have lots of contests, activities, and events for the kids. 

It's focus is to promote literacy in Oklahoma's youth and to inspire the next generation of authors and illustrators. We're still looking for vendors and have just a couple of presenter spaces left.  There's a lot more information on the website at turningpagesfestival.com. 

SAD NEWS - BUT ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY

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.

Chisholm Trail Book Festival Canceled

The Chisholm Trail Book Festival scheduled for September of 2012 in Duncan, Oklahoma. has been canceled due to unforeseen problems.  They hope to re-asses and plan for a 2013 event in January.  In the meantime, keep checking their website for updates and announcements.  

Scenes from the Chisholm Trail Book Festival

COWSKIN PRAIRE BOOK FESTIVAL, MARCH 2010

Authors are being sought to participate in the Cowskin Prairie Book Festival, Saturday, March 27, 2010 in Grove, Oklahoma. Chapter #2611, United Daughters of the Confederacy, is sponsoring the event. The Festival is open to authors of both fiction and non-fiction in all genres: history, biography/memoir, education, romance, mystery, western, military, genealogy, children, young adult, etc.

Exhibitor tables are just $20 per table. Admission will be free to the public. Reservations can be mailed to: Cowskin Prairie Chapter, UDC, 61801 E 280 RD, Grove, OK. 74344. Reservations received by December 15 will include a free lunch. For more information call 918-542-4148, 918-787-4059 or visit www.gregathcompany.com/cpokudc/2010/Festival.

Logo Unveiled for new Book Festival

Mary Beth Hawkins did this logo for the new book festival Oct. 24th in Duncan, The Chisholm Trail Book Festival (formerly the Border Queen Book Festival) . The festival will convente at the beautiful convention Center - Simmons Center http://www.simmonscenter.com/

There is an author call for authors wanting to attend. This is an "author friendly" book festival with little to no cost to the author, free to the public and an wonderful opportunity to promote Literary Awarness through an all county (Stephens County) Middle School Essay Contest with large cash prizes to be announced at the CT Bookfestival. Author contact person is: Tonya Holmes Shook http://us.mc01g.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=shookum@pldi.net 580-439-6912

Chisholm Trail Book Festival Announced

Oklahoma author Tonya Shook announces :

Chisholm Trail Book Festival (formerly known as the Border Queen Book Festival) will have it's first event in Duncan, Oklahoma on October 24th at the Fair Grounds. Authors will set up from 7:30 a.m. until opening time at 9 a.m. The book festival will run from 9 until 5 p.m. This event is another "author friendly" book festival that gives authors a break while it benifits the community sponsoring it.

Highlights hone in on Literacy Awareness through an all county essay contest for 8th grade - public schools and home schooled - with awards to be announced during the book festival. A fund raiser meal will also be done in conjunction with this book festival to give further assistance to the community and authors alike. We are preparing for a larger attendance in Duncan.

At present a name registration is needed to reserve your table. All tables will be an aisle table. Being author friendly, it will cost little or nothing for the author and no cost to the public. I will get back with those registered after our next meeting on April 16 to give further information if there will be a small fee or not. You will not be obligated if you sign up for a table. I will contact you later to confirm. No crafts may be for sale unless this unless it is in conjuction with the book you have written. It isn't a craft show but a book festival.

A block of rooms will again be offered with a discount for those needing lodging and information will be given for this after our next meeting hopefully. If you are interested in being a part of this book festival please contact Tonya Holmes Shook at shookum@pldi.net or by phone, 580-439-6912

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!

Our next Border Queen Book Festival, honoring an early name for Comanche, Oklahoma, will be held on March 7th , 2009 (Sat.) from 10 am until 3 pm (or later if customers are still coming.) The first festival saw authors of nonfiction, romance, suspense, history, children's literature, religious/inspirational works, and so much more!

Set ups will be at 9 am on the 7th of March. There will be a fee of $5.00 per author. That will defray the cost of utilities for this event. Food will be there for the customer and author to purchase, no menu has been settled on yet but I'm thinking Hot Dog/ Hamburger/ Salad type of thing for people, to purchase -but it will be reasonable. I should have a motel with a block of rooms at a lower price reserved as time nears - in Duncan, 8 miles north of Comanche. There will be room for 40 tables and no more, all tables will be isle tables accessible for the attendee to approach any author. Your decoration and salesmanship will determine your sales. I hope to have lots more advertising going on this year with a bigger head start than the first one. There will be no speaker, but I am looking for a caricaturist. Know anyone? They will set up and sell their work to the people, $5.00 fee for this space. I will ask those who want to attend to contact me to reserve your name; later ask for your non-refundable fee of $5.00 to reserve your place. It will be first come first serve. Any cancellation will be the only space left available for those listed in the name reservations that want to come. I will need your name first and you will be the first considered, your reservation money will be asked for much later.

This is the information I have at present. Hope you can make it. Get your name in to me as soon as possible so we can reserve a place. You are welcome to have 2 to a table if you wish, your choice, but it is $5.00 per entry. It will be a great time meeting people, networking, and selling books! The Schools will be advertising for this event as well as many other places.
Make your name reservation as soon as possible. Blessings, Tonya shookum@pldi.net580-439-6912

Contact your state representatives and legislators! Wouldn't it be wonderful if school systems and communtiies across the region, and even statewide, would set apart that day and the Saturday of other book festivals, in order to highlight literacy in our state? Help promote a CELEBRATION OF LITERACY in Oklahoma! School children and teachers would be free of other school activities (sports, tests, etc.) on that day and local schools could arrange to accept CEU's for attending the event.

Bookmark: the BQBF blog - updates and additional information will be added there as it appears.

Read on Oklahoma!