A Guide to Local Authors at the 2024 San Antonio Book Festival

San Antonio Book Festival Spotlights Local Literary Talent

The San Antonio Book Festival, with its extensive list of 100 guest writers and 66 author sessions, offers an abundance of choices for literature enthusiasts. This year, the Festival is amplifying local voices with a number of sessions featuring homegrown San Antonio and Texas authors. From novelist Isa Arsén to children’s book creator Xavier Garza, you can spend your day navigating the myriad of presentations by prominent local authors.

Morning Sessions

The day begins with Lorenzo Gomez III, the former Geekdom CEO and Chairman, turned author discussing his book ‘The Bully in Your Pocket’, a guide for dealing with online trolls at 10 a.m. This is followed by renowned San Antonio photographer, Al Rendón presenting ‘Mi Cultura’ at 11 a.m. Isa Arsén will then speak about her debut novel, ‘Shoot the Moon’, alongside author Elba Iris Pérez at 11:30 a.m, providing insights into crafting historical fiction.

Early Afternoon Sessions

The early afternoon kicks off with Poet C.L. “Rooster” Martinez discussing his poetry collection ‘Mexican Dinosaur’ at noon. Children’s book creator Xavier Garza and illustrator Gabriela Epstein discuss middle-grade adventure books at the same time. Later, at 12:30 p.m., author and journalist Peter L. Scamardo II and fellow author Celso Hurtado delve into their thrilling paranormal novels, ‘The Flyers’ and ‘The Devil’s Promise’ respectively. Stephen Briseño, a children’s book author and educator, will discuss his new book ‘Queen of Leaves’ at 12:40 p.m. Día de Muertos-themed book authors Xelena Gonzalez and Adriana M. Garcia discuss their latest work, ‘Remembering’, at 1:10 p.m.

Evening Sessions

The evening sessions bring music and memoirs to the table, with musician and scholar Juan Tejeda presenting his memoir, ‘Mi Carnal Frank’, at 1:30 p.m. This is followed by a two-way talk by authors Ursula Villarreal-Moura and Jennifer duBois on their novels ‘May December’ and ‘The Last Language’ at 2 p.m. At 4 p.m., San Antonio’s poet laureate emerita, Jenny Browne, leads a panel discussion on the new poetry collection ‘Texas, Being: A State of Poems’.

As the festival approaches its end, young adult queer romance authors, Jonny Garza Villa and Joe Jiménez discuss their recent works, and seasoned journalist Cary Clack shares his new collection of newspaper columns, ‘More Finish Lines to Cross’ at 4:30 p.m., wrapping up the day packed with impressive literary figures.

The Festival’s Experience

The festival navigates through downtown, spanning the Central Library and the UTSA Southwest Campus. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with the authors after their sessions, allowing for personal interactions and book signings. For ease of planning, a festival location map is available for download.

With such a diverse line-up, the San Antonio Book Festival offers a unique platform not only for established writers but also for up-and-coming authors to connect with the local community. The Festival reaffirms the vibrant literary culture in San Antonio and Texas, and promises an eventful day for book lovers of all genres.