Bay Area Book Festival Podcast

Nancy Jooyoun Kim, Ritu Mukerji, Jason Powell, moderated by Heather Young Moderated by thriller author Heather Young (The Distant Dead), this panel brings together novelists whose books center elements of crime, whether they're shelved in mystery or literary fiction. Writer and firefighter Jason Powell's debut novel, No Man's Ghost, explores the psyches of those who fight fires and those who set them. Nancy Jooyoun Kim's What We Kept To Ourselves is a historical novel about a Korean immigrant family grappling with the mystery of the mother's disappearance, only to find a dead body in their yard somehow connected to her. An Edgar Award Finalist for Best First Novel, Ritu Mukerji's Murder by Degrees is a historical mystery set in 19th-century Philadelphia, following a pioneering woman doctor as she investigates the disappearance of a young patient who is presumed dead. This panel brings to its audience an expansive celebration of crime fiction from exciting writers whose page-turning stories model why readers love these tales.

Aida Salazar, Nikki Grimes, Mason Deaver, Dashka Slater, moderated by Mychal Threets From 2021 to 2023, PEN America's Index of School Book Bans recorded 5,894 instances of book bans across 41 states and 247 public school districts. The bans show no sign of slowing down, and they're disproportionately aimed at authors of color, LGBTQ+ authors, and women. Books about racism, sexuality, gender, and history are under particular attack. This conversation between some of today's leading authors of books for young people—many of which tackle the subjects most often targeted for censorship—will examine how the issue impacts kids today and how we fight back. With Aida Salazar (Ultraviolet), Nikki Grimes (A Walk in the Woods), Mason Deaver (I Wish You All the Best) and Dashka Slater (Accountable). Moderated by celebrated public librarian and library advocate Mychal Threets.

Myriam Gurba, author of the acclaimed essay collection Creep, and Ingrid Rojas Contreras, author of the debut memoir The Man Who Could Move Clouds, engage in a powerful conversation about reclaiming narratives. They discuss the urgency of sharing personal stories rooted in trauma and identity while highlighting the role of humor as a healing tool. The authors explore navigating familial relationships marked by violence, the significance of cultural identity, and the complexities of truth in creative nonfiction, challenging Western literary conventions.

Charlie Jane Anders, Aya de León, Sim Kern, Rebecca Roanhorse, moderated by Keya Chatterjee Climate fiction is a unique way to approach the climate crisis through both real and imagined endings and beginnings. This panel, moderated by author and activist Keya Chatterjee, explores why writers are drawn to climate fiction (Cli-Fi), and what they hope to achieve through the genre. Charlie Jane Anders has been writing climate novels for nearly a decade. She is the international bestselling Cli-Fi author of the fantasy YA novel, Promises Stronger Than Darkness. Award-winning author Aya de León writes CliFi in the form of thrillers, heists, spy novels, and dramas set in the contemporary real world of the African Diaspora. New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Roanhorse is an Indigenous novelist reshaping North American science fiction. Her most recent book, Mirrored Heavens, is the conclusion to her critically acclaimed epic fantasy trilogy.. Sim Kern's new book, The Free People's Village, is a YA sci-fi/CliFi alternate history of our time. Come find out how each of these author's journeys into the climate crisis in fiction can help us chart our path out of it in reality.

Sonya Renee Taylor, moderated by Cinnamongirl Kailynn and Cinnamongirl Symone An empowering conversation with one of the world's most inspirational activists and thought leaders writing and speaking today. You'll want to bring your daughters, sons, their friends, and your friends to hear the radically powerful message of Sonya Renee Taylor, revolutionary founder of The Body Is Not an Apology, a global digital media and education company exploring the intersections of identity, healing, and social justice through the framework of radical self-love. The author of the bestselling book by the same name and six more, Taylor will be in conversation with the extraordinary young women of Cinnamongirl Inc, Kailynn and Symone.

Rebecca Roanhorse and Dani Trujillo, moderated by Kristina M Canales A not-to-be-missed conversation between Indigenous horror writers Rebecca Roanhorse and D.H. Trujillo, both of whom are featured in Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology. This groundbreaking book celebrates Indigenous resistance by highlighting themes of magic, tradition, ancestry, family, and cultural rediscovery. Making connections between horror and settler colonialism, the collection dares to ask the question: "Are you ready to be un-settled?" Both authors are known for their important contributions to speculative fiction, blending elements of fantasy, science fiction, and horror with Indigenous storytelling traditions. This genre-bending approach has earned them both a loyal following as they continue to captivate readers' imaginations in ways that push the boundaries of conventional stories. Moderated by lifelong reader, writer, and gaymer Kristina Canales.

Viet Thanh Nguyen, Piper Kerman, Alka Joshi, moderated by Laura Warrell Turning a beloved book into a compelling film or series is a journey filled with creative collaboration, financial considerations, script development, casting decisions, and years of meticulous preparation. For the authors at the center of these adaptation journeys, it also involves roadblocks, setbacks, near misses, and plot twists, with lessons about letting go of control and outcome. This all-star panel brings us three celebrated authors whose books have been or are being adapted for a viewing audience. Piper Kerman's internationally renowned memoir, Orange Is the New Black, about her time in a women's prison, became one of Netflix's most watched and longest-running series. Pulitzer Prize-winning Viet Thanh Nguyen's novel, The Sympathizer, the story of a Vietnamese communist double agent who infiltrates the South Vietnamese army and later moves to the United States, is now one of the most anticipated series to hit HBO this year. Alka Joshi's New York Times bestseller, The Henna Artist, centering a young woman who escapes an abusive marriage to build a new life for herself in the vibrant city of Jaipur in the 1950s, is in development with Netflix. This exciting panel offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at what adaptation is really like—the surprises, delights, and disappointments of having one's work reimagined; the power of screen adaptations to reach much broader audiences; and insights into the differences between storytelling on the page and storytelling on the screen. Don't miss this rare opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the fascinating world of book-to-screen adaptations from the perspective of these three acclaimed and beloved authors as they discuss the intricate dance between words and images, imagination and interpretation, in a discussion that promises to be as enlightening as it is inspiring.

R.O. Kwon, Brontez Purnell, Sam Sax, moderated by Lucy Jane Bledsoe Join us for a captivating panel discussion moderated by author Lucy Jane Bledsoe (author of Tell the Rest and No Stopping Us Now) and featuring three acclaimed writers—R.O. Kwon, Brontez Purnell, and Sam Sax—as they delve into the rich and complex terrain of sexuality, desire, and queerness in literature. From candid reflections on personal experiences to incisive analyses of societal norms and cultural representations, this conversation promises to be both inviting and thought-provoking. R.O. Kwon, author of the bestselling novel The Incendiaries, has recently published Exhibit, an exploration of art, racism, feminism, and desire. Brontez Purnell, author of Ten Bridges I've Burnt, brings his unique blend of humor, wit, and raw honesty to this conversation. Sam Sax, acclaimed poet and author of Madness, offers insights from his exploration of desire and mental health in his poetry, and the power of language to articulate the complexities of desire and queerness. All of these authors' work illuminate the ways in which literature can serve as a vehicle for grappling with questions of desire, longing, and belonging. Don't miss this chance to engage with writers whose commitment to storytelling makes room for anyone who desires, loves, or lives outside of the heteronormative binary.

Sara Calvosa Olson in conversation with Terria Smith Sara Calvosa Olson is a food writer and editor exploring the intersections of storytelling, Indigenous food systems, security, sovereignty, reconnection, and recipe development. Olson's maternal ancestry is from the Karuk tribe whose lands are part of northwest California, and her new book, Chími Nu'am: Native California Foodways for the Contemporary Kitchen, aims to help integrate more traditional ingredients into everyday recipes. Chími Nu'am, which translates to "Let's eat!" in the Karuk language, is a seasonal guide to gathering, processing, and cooking with Indigenous foods. The book speaks to a variety of audiences—Indigenous readers hoping to embrace cultural foods and non-Indiginous readers interested in ethical ways to decolonize their diets. Olson emphasizes reciprocity and offers Native Californian traditional ingredients with a modern-day twist. Terria Smith, a tribal member of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians and the editor of News from Native California magazine as well as the director of the Berkeley Roundhouse, Heyday's California Indian publishing program, will moderate.

Joan Baez in conversation with Greg Sarris Ground-breaking Mexican-American musician, artist, and activist Joan Baez joins accomplished writer, professor, and tribal leader Chairman Greg Sarris in a conversation about writing, creating, and legacy. Sarris is co-executive producer of Joan Baez: I Am A Noise, a deeply personal, profound, and haunting documentary that follows Baez on her 2018 Fare Thee Well goodbye tour and explores memory and abuse through home videos, journal entries, photographs, and therapy tapes. In a continued pursuit of an "honest legacy," Baez's debut poetry collection, When You See My Mother, Ask Her to Dance, is an intimate and inspiring meditation on her most life-changing moments as an artist. Through never-before-seen poems, Baez reminisces on family, childhood, nature, art, as well as her contemporaries such as Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, and Jimi Hendrix. Greg Sarris is an author, producer, and playwright, and he is serving his sixteenth term as Chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. His most recent play, Citizen, debuted at San Francisco's Word for Word theater, and his new book, The Forgetters, remembers shared histories and caring for the world. Come listen to these two legendary artists as they discuss creating across genres and forms, the power of vulnerability and detail, and writing into memory, family, finding connection and hope, and moving on.