Let's Get It Started: Book Festival

It's the Vegas Valley Book Festival time here in Vegas, so I figured it was the perfect time to start this blog. In short- I'm a bookworm from birth and adore books like crazy. As shocking and mind-shattering as it might seem, Vegas isn't known for being the pinnacle of literature- or the pinnacle of anything beyond tribute acts and wino to slot machine ratios, anyway. Still, interesting literary things DO happen, and we even have terrific writers hiding out here. Join me, won't you, in ferreting out the good stuff?

To start, I'm geeking out mightily because tomorrow brings Neil Gaiman. Just seeing him mention it in his journal- which is worthy reading, btw- gives me the happy shivers. I'm currently going through his brilliant Sandman series after putting it off for absolutely no reason whatsoever. Good Omens is a favorite of mine and the Sandman series has cemented him as a favorite writer period. He is doing the opening keynote at the festival, which will be at the Clark County Library (the one downtown) in the Main Theater, 6-7 P.M Wristbands will be given out an hour beforehand, and it's free but a first come first serve basis.

Saturday (Nov. 8), 11 a.m to 3 p.m. will be the Comic Book Festival. The gem there (for me, anyway) is Michael Chabon, who will be doing the closing keynote speech at 6 p.m. at the same location the Gaiman one will be. Pulitzer-winning Chabon is another favorite-favorite author of mine, and his love of comic books informs his writing very obviously. If he haven't read him I HIGHLY recommend you do, you can't go wrong with The Adventures of Kavalier & Clay

Also on Saturday they'll be showing comic book movies- Batman: Gotham Knight at 11:30 a.m. and Iron Man at 1 p.m. Nothing like movies at a book festival, eh? Gotta love Vegas.

More details can be found at this link.