Throughout the day, the Mesa Book festival will feature a schedule of free panels and presentations that attendees can attend. Below is the current schedule as well as the participants in the presentation. The schedule is subject to change and programming is confirmed.
Indoor Tree Childrens Book Reading @ Benedictine
Bring the children and let's enjoy a book around the tree for the holidays!
10:15 AM: Mesa Mayor John Giles
11:00 AM: Mesa Vice Mayor Jenn Duff
11:25 AM: Mesa Councilmember Mark Freeman
11:45 AM: Mesa Councilmember David Luna
12:30 PM: Mesa Councilmember Kevin Thompson
1:00 PM: Mesa Councilmember Julie Spillsbury
Main Street Patio (Outdoors)
10:00 AM: Live Music, Roger Wiedabach
Acoustic artist Roger Wiedabach’s shows are not just about performing great music, they are about creating the perfect place to be! When everyone is smiling and the guitar and vocals are blending in just right, that’s when Roger is the happiest. Playing everything from great old songs by The Beatles & Tom Petty to current hits by Maroon 5 & Ed Sheeran as well as a few of his own original songs, Roger makes every show unique. There is always a little something for everyone. Come on out and check out a show and get ready to have some fun!
1:00 PM: Live Music, The Eddie Unplugged
My solo show is specifically focused on the performance of popular music in my own solo style. My goal as a performer is to delight and surprise my audience with a selection of music that includes modern solo acoustic standards you might expect to hear, but also a showcase of unique selections that most solo artists won't even think to try. Online at eddieunplugged.com
3:00 PM: Live Music, Mark Greenawalt
Mark Greenawalt is a singer-songwriter with melodic rock and pop influences (Queen, Styx, Beatles). He is versed at multiple instruments and he has self-produced dozens of original songs that can be heard on all streaming platforms and in films and commercials. Greenawalt’s primary instruments are acoustic guitar and piano which are ideal for songwriting and solo performances when he isn’t rocking on stage with full bands. His lyrics and general demeanor are positive and uplifting and he thrills at the opportunity to sing and perform. More info can be found at www.MarkGreenawalt.com .
Community Room, Benedictine University
The large presentation room of the university.
10:00 AM: Publisher Showcase- Dead Star Press
Web | Facebook | Instagram
Dead Star Press is an independent publisher of all things weird based in Phoenix, Arizona. Our latest releases include Darkest Day by Joseph D. Newcomer, a novel with the socially conscious heart of The Twilight Zone and the comedic sensibility of the film Office Space, and From the Dead, an anthology of short stories, poetry, and essays from the peculiar minds of 10 authors. We are currently seeking novels, novellas, poetry, short stories, novelettes, and anything else as long as it's weird.
11:30 AM: Publisher Showcase- Blood Bound Books
Web | Amazon | Facebook
Blood Bound Books is excited and grateful to be celebrating thirteen years of publishing. In 2022 we teamed with Neil Gaiman, Jeremy Robert Johnson, and more to release Blood Bank: A Charitable Anthology, sales of which benefit READ BETTER BE BETTER a local charity to improve childhood literacy.
1:00 PM: Publisher Showcase- Brick Cave Media
Web | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter
Headquartered in Mesa, Arizona, Brick Cave Media publishes books in digital ebook, audio book, paperback & hard cover print formats.
Featuring:
Sharon Skinner, Author- Blood From A Rose
Bruce Davis, Author- Silver Magic
Patrick Hare, Poet- Corporate Boiler Plate Vinegar
Marcus Campbell, Poet, Author- My Identity as a Stereotypical Side Character
2:30 PM: Publisher Showcase- Paperclip Publishing
Web | Facebook | Twitter
Determined with a mutual desire to open the doors to a new world of publishing for authors while inviting a whole new generation of bibliophiles to discover magical new worlds and ideas through books, Paperclip Publishing was created.
Panel Room 1 (First Floor)
10:00 AM: Quick, I need a recipe! Panelists share their favorite Cookbooks
Attendee Roundtable, Self moderated
11:30 AM: Nobody Knew this Film Was a Book First- Non Fiction Edition
Featuring:
Jenn Windrow, Author- Evil's Unlikely Assassin
Moderated by:
Kelly Lydick, M.A. Author- Dream Incubation for Greater Self-Awareness
1:00 PM: New Release Discussion: Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Attendee Roundtable, Self moderated
2:30 PM: I want to remember you like this- Readers talk about their favorite Memoirs
Moderated by:
Danielle Tantone, Author- Piece of Work
4:00 PM: Worldbuilding greats- Which Fiction Authors build the best worlds?
Featuring:
Mimi Francis, Author- Private Party
Panel Room 2 (Second Floor)
10:30 AM: Self Publishing 101- I wrote it, what next?
Featuring:
Ron Paschall, Author- The Hummingbird Wars
Sohrab, Author- Flat Mountian Publishing
Jenn Windrow, Author- Evil's Unlikely Assassin
Moderated by: Tiffany Meuret
12:00 PM: Agent Mania! Best tips and practices for researching and approaching an agent
Moderated by:
Linda L. Richards, Author of Exit Strategy
1:30 PM: An Entire panel about Amazon and selling books on it
Featuring:
Bob Nelson, Publisher, Brick Cave Media
3:00 PM: Investing in yourself- Paying to learn to improve your craft
Featuring:
Mimi Francis, Author- Private Party
Jenn Windrow, Author- Evil's Unlikely Assassin
Moderated by:
Kelly Lydick, M.A. Author- Dream Incubation for Greater Self-Awareness
Panel Room 3 (Second Floor)
10:00 AM: Organization Feature- Society of Children’s Book Writer’s and Illustrators- Working in Traditional KitLit Publishing
Featuring:
Jim Pailott, Illustrator - My Weird School Series
Harshita Jarath, Author - The Leaping Laddoo
Dawn Young, Author - The Night Baa’fore Christmas
1:00 PM: Arizona State Poetry Society
Featuring:
2:30 PM: Society of Children’s Book Writer’s and Illustrators- Working as an Independent Publisher in Children’s Literature
Featuring:
Kathie McMahon, Author - Mortimer Moose Series
Ebonie P. Fields, Author - Zoey And The Magical Hummingbirds, Zenie And The Magical Hummingbirds
Fawzia Tung, Author - The Wonderful Tale of Donkey Skin
Tom Tate, Author & Illustrator - Mortimer Moose Series, Mythles.
4:00 PM: A Crash Course in Creating Comics
Featuring: Russ Kazmeirczak
Russ Kazmierczak, Jr. is the creator and self-publisher of Amazing Arizona Comics, a superhero satire of local news, history, and culture. He was Phoenix New Times' 2018 Best Storyteller, and he's exhibited at countless comic cons across the country. Amomg his influences are Kirby, Ditko, Denny O'Neil, and The Monkees.
Panel Room 4 (First Floor)
1:30 PM: Artisans of Words and Wonders
Featuring:
T.L. Smith, Author- Star People Legacy
Hal C F Astell, Author- Velvet Glove Cast in Iron: The Films of Tura Satana
Dani Hoots, Author- Revenge (City of Kaus Book 1)