It was a schoolteacher from Midland, Texas, and her friend Mary Margaret Farabee that started the Texas Book Festival (TBF) in 1995. Laura Bush, the first lady of Texas at the time and well-known Austin Community leader Farabee, chose November of 1996 for the first ever TBF. They thought the State Capitol and its grounds would make an ideal venue and Governor Bush agreed. The love of reading united them and their volunteers in promoting literacy.
The festival for twenty-eight years has honored authors and helped fund Texas Libraries. Three and half million dollars in grants have been awarded to date. Sponsors and donors fund the festival to keep admission free to the public. This year over three-hundred featured authors books are available in the Book People Tent at the southeast corner of Eleventh and Congress south of the Capitol. Authors have scheduled times to autograph books in the signors tent directly behind the sales tent. Check the official schedule online for your favorite authors’ time to sign www.texasbookfestival.org. I will be selling all my books on Saturday, November 11 from 2-2:45 pm in the Writer’s League of Texas tent. I will be signing the Sheriff of Starr County 4-5:00 pm Sunday, November 12, 2023, immediately after my 3-3:45 pm panel discussion with Asher Elbein and Cindi Collins in Capitol Extension Room E2.016.
Parking is free in the Capitol Garage at 12th and San Jacinto. Hope to see you there!
#texasbookfestival #texaslibraries #bookpeople #sheriffofstarrcounty #authorandstorytellerdavidabowles #authorofthewestwardsagas
*Photo of Laura Bush and Mary Margaret Farabee courtesy of Ray Farabee.