There’s not a whole lot good about 2020, but one benefit for you is that our local book fest, the Fox Cities Book Festival, has gone virtual. Now, you can join in no matter where you are. Nicole and Rebecca have attended this festival for years and Rebecca is a board member of the festival.
The festival runs the gambit from poetry to YA fantasy but there’s six events we’re particularly excited about. And, we have a strong feeling they’ll interest you too.
All of the virtual events are free and open to the public. You can pre-register to be one of a limited group of participants in the Zoom calls (and submit questions to the authors), or you can stream the events on the FCBF Facebook page for 24 hours after the event.
Stephen Graham Jones
Horror // Science Fiction

This 2020 darling is a NEA recipient and has won a Bram Stoker Award. Jones is the author of 25 books including novels, collections, novellas, and comic books. His latest book The Only Good Indians is a horror tale that explores cultural identity, family, and those bad, bad events that eventually catch up with you. Jones will give the talk “And This is How I got Here” on October 17, 2020 at 6:15 PM. Jones will share about how he started writing.
Matt Forbeck
Science Fiction // Fantasy // Wisconsin Writer

Matt Forbeck is a New York Times-bestselling author and game designer. Forbeck has written more than 30 novels, some within such universes as Star Wars and Minecraft. He has also written or story doctored numerous games including Assassin’s Creed. Forbeck has won 17 Origins Awards, 10 ENnies, and a Scribe Award. Join “A Chat With Matt Forbeck” on October 17, 2020 at 1 PM to learn about his 30-year career as a creator.
Cadwell Turnbull
Science Fiction // Fantasy

Turnbull’s debut The Lesson was published in 2019 and was a finalist of the Neukom Institute Literary Award. He has a M.F.A in Creative Writing from the North Carolina State University where he teaches the subject. Turnbull is a seasoned short fiction writer. His stories have appeared in Lightspeed, Asimov’s, and The Verge. Turnbull is giving a reading on October 17, 2020 at 5:15 PM.
Sarah Read
Dark Fiction // Wisconsin Writer

Read is the author of the Bram Stoker Award winner The Bone Weaver’s Orchard. Her short story collection Out of Water came out in 2019 but you can find her short fiction in a variety of publications including Black Static, Gamut, and horror anthologies. She is also editor in chief of Pantheon Magazine. Find her at “From NaNoWriMo to Award Banquets: How I Wrote my Novel” on October 13, 2020 at 10:30 AM.
R. R. Campbell
Fantasy // Wisconsin Writer

R.R. Campbell is an International Book Awards finalist for his speculative fiction novel Imminent Dawn. He’s also written Mourning Dove and Accounting for It All. Campbell is also the founder of the Writerscast Network and has spoken at the University of Wisconsin Writers’ Institute, UntitledTown, WisCon, and Lakefly Writers Conference. Campbell will give the talk “Keeping Your Scenes Afloat with the 5 Fun Floaties of Scene Structure” on October 18, 2020 at 3 PM.
Richie Zaborowske
Short Story Night

Hosted by librarian extraordinaire Richie Zaborowske, Short Story Night is one part late-night talk show with a heavy dose of Intro to Lit 101. Join in on the fun for an evening of virtual trivia, author interviews, literary discussion, and more. Pre-register now for the October 13, 2020 event.