Saturday, March 15, 2025
11:30am - 12:45pm ~ VIP Meet & Greet Reception
The pre-festival VIP Reception will take place in the Speight Ballroom from 11:30am-12:45pm. This is your chance to mingle with the authors at a private reception before the festival kicks off! $30 per person. Limited to 50 tickets, first-come, first served. Advance tickets only, while supplies last. *VIP Reception tickets are now SOLD OUT!*
What you'll get:
• The chance to mingle with all the authors!
• Access to book sales before regular attendees!
• Delicious hors' d'ouevres!
• Goodies from the attending authors!
• A Souvenir Ticket!
• A Festival Goodie Bag of Epic Proportions!
*Please contact the Suffolk Visitor Center at 757-514-4130 to purchase a VIP ticket*
What you'll get:
• The chance to mingle with all the authors!
• Access to book sales before regular attendees!
• Delicious hors' d'ouevres!
• Goodies from the attending authors!
• A Souvenir Ticket!
• A Festival Goodie Bag of Epic Proportions!
*Please contact the Suffolk Visitor Center at 757-514-4130 to purchase a VIP ticket*
1pm -6pm ~ Festival open to the general public
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The authors will be at their signing tables from 1-6pm in the Kilby/Meade Ballroom. Meet your favorites or discover new, exciting authors to read. A limited supply of the latest titles from each author will be available for purchase, but please feel free bring your own copies to be signed.
Consider bringing home some signed copies for future holiday and birthday gifts! And really, who doesn't love books?
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1:15pm - 2pm ~ interview with headline Author ~ tonya kappes
Tonya Kappes |
Kerri Furey |
Get to know Festival Headliner, Tonya Kappes, with
a one-on -one interview facilitated by esteemed broadcast journalist and public relations professional, Kerri Furey. Kerri Furey is a friendly and familiar face in Hampton Roads, known best for her nearly twenty year presence as a local news anchor and reporter on WAVY-TV and the Hampton Roads Show. These days Kerri balances semi-retired life with projects that let her use her writing, speaking and interviewing skills to help her community, meet interesting people, and have some fun! Kerri lives in Virginia Beach with her husband Kevin, their two children, and a cranky little chihuahua who rules their house. Kerri is also a proud New Englander, and veteran of the U.S. Navy. |
Location: Chuckatuck Meeting Room
Interviewer ~ Kerri Furey
Interviewer ~ Kerri Furey
2pm - 3pm ~ Moderated Panel Discussion #1
Location: Chuckatuck Meeting Room
"Unraveling the Clues: Crafting Intricate Mysteries that Keep Readers Guessing"
Panelists ~ Esme Addison, Maya Corrigan, Jenna Harte, Thomas Kies, and Carrie Ann Knox
Moderator ~ Maya Corrigan
Panelists ~ Esme Addison, Maya Corrigan, Jenna Harte, Thomas Kies, and Carrie Ann Knox
Moderator ~ Maya Corrigan
3:15pm - 4:15pm ~ Moderated Panel Discussion #2
Location: Chuckatuck Meeting Room
"Balancing Fact and Fiction: Navigating the Line Between Historical Accuracy and Creative License"
Panelists ~ Ellen Butler, Nicole Glover, Eleanor Kuhns, Stacie Murphy, Katharine Schellman, and Christine Trent
Moderator ~ Christine Trent
Panelists ~ Ellen Butler, Nicole Glover, Eleanor Kuhns, Stacie Murphy, Katharine Schellman, and Christine Trent
Moderator ~ Christine Trent
4:30pm - 5:30pm ~ Moderated Panel Discussion #3
Location: Chuckatuck Meeting Room
"The Art of Building Tension: Exploring Conflict, Fear, and Adrenaline Across Genres"
Panelists ~ Dee Armstrong, Mary Burton, John Gilstrap, Jeffrey James Higgins, and Hunter J. Skye
Moderator ~ Mary Burton
Panelists ~ Dee Armstrong, Mary Burton, John Gilstrap, Jeffrey James Higgins, and Hunter J. Skye
Moderator ~ Mary Burton