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Friday, Oct. 3: Evening Events
Oct 03, 2025, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM EDTJoin award-winning author Saeed Jones for a powerful conversation with Victoria Chang, Tiana Clark, and Aruni Kashyap—three voices from "The People’s Project," a bold new anthology exploring creativity, identity, and resilience in uncertain times.
Oct 03, 2025, 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM EDTKick off this year’s festival with #1 bestselling author Angie Thomas as she returns to the world of "Nic Blake and the Remarkables" in a thrilling Kidnote celebration, followed by a book signing. Session sponsored by Page Turners Make Great Learners and Agnes Scott College.
Saturday, Oct. 4: Festival Day
Oct 04, 2025, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM EDTHosted by Jericho Brown, poets turn a keen eye to grief, nature, spirituality, and heritage, illuminating how close attention can reframe our world.
Oct 04, 2025, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM EDTIn three powerful new novels, Sheri Joseph, Princess Joy L. Perry, and Angela Flournoy explore how loyalty, love, tragedy, and friendships shape our lives.
Oct 04, 2025, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM EDTMurder, secrets, and the high cost of truth—Elizabeth George and Hank Phillippi Ryan deliver gripping new mysteries that keep readers guessing until the last page through twists, wit, and literary thrills.
Oct 04, 2025, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM EDTViral sensation Landon Bryant (@landontalks) dishes on Southernisms, porch wisdom, and the love of Duke’s and deviled eggs. Join the author of "Bless Your Heart" and "The Night Before Christmas, Y’all" for a joyful, hilarious talk of all things Southern.
Oct 04, 2025, 4:45 PM – 5:45 PM EDTHannah V. Sawyerr, Jamie Jo Hoang, and Mahogany L. Browne share unforgettable stories of teen protagonists navigating life’s toughest moments — and finding their way through.
Oct 04, 2025, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM EDTClose out the Decatur Book Festival on a high note! From 4:30 - 5:30 PM on the Entertainment Stage, groove to the electrifying sounds of Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics, Atlanta’s powerhouse soul band led by the dynamic vocals of Ruby Velle.
Oct 04, 2025, 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM EDTGraphic novels with big laughs, bigger mishaps, and even a mystery on the moon. Sarah Sax, Gary Clement, and Ward Jenkins share how they turn dancing disasters, nonstop trouble, and lunar investigations into unforgettable middle grade adventures.
Oct 04, 2025, 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM EDTDiscover Georgia’s rich culinary heritage with Chef Kevin Mitchell and food historian David Shields. Their new book, "Taste the State: Georgia," explores iconic local foods, heirloom ingredients, and the stories that shaped Southern eating traditions.
Oct 04, 2025, 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM EDTJoin us as Georgia College & State University’s emerging writers take the spotlight at the Emerging Student Writers Stage. Don’t miss this 45-minute reading at 4 PM in the Decatur Library’s Fourth Floor Gallery & Event Space, featuring work from some of GCSU’s most promising literary voices.
Oct 04, 2025, 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM EDTStacey Abrams returns with "Coded Justice," a new thriller exploring the dark side of AI in medicine. Don’t miss this conversation with the bestselling author as she unpacks Avery Keene’s latest case — and the real dangers behind the code.
Oct 04, 2025, 3:45 PM – 4:15 PM EDTDon’t miss Natalie Keng, author, entrepreneur, and “The Sauce Maven™,” live at the Georgia Grown Culinary Village! Founder of Global Hearth™, she blends heritage, food, and leadership in her dynamic cooking demos. Catch her on the front lawn of First Baptist Church of Decatur!
Oct 04, 2025, 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM EDTThrough pandemic, queer and trans reflections, these poets affirm resilience, renewal, and radical change. Hosted by Jericho Brown.
Oct 04, 2025, 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM EDTBoardrooms, beaches, and backroads become battlegrounds in these smart, twist-filled thrillers from Kaira Rouda, Katherine Wood, and L.S. Stratton.
Oct 04, 2025, 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM EDTAward-winning journalist Tanya Talaga delves into "The Knowing," a powerful and personal exploration of how the trauma of residential schools and systemic injustice continues to reverberate in Indigenous communities today. A vital conversation on truth, healing, and the enduring power of story.
Oct 04, 2025, 3:15 PM – 4:00 PM EDTFrom small-town football fields to fractured families and royal courts, Derrick Barnes, Dori Hillestad Butler, and Ruby Lal share powerful middle grade stories about justice, identity, and history—told with bold voices, unforgettable characters, and timeless truths.
Oct 04, 2025, 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM EDTDon't miss Rose Hotel live on the Entertainment Stage from 3:15–4:15 PM! Atlanta’s own Jordan Reynolds blends lush indie rock with folk and psychedelic tones in a powerful, emotionally rich set from her acclaimed debut A Pawn Surrender.
Oct 04, 2025, 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM EDTMurder, mystery, and secrets that refuse to stay hidden. Mia P. Manansala, Charlotte Lillie Balogh, Tiffany D. Jackson, and Xan Kaur unravel dark stories where every truth comes at a cost. Trust no one.
Oct 04, 2025, 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM EDTCelebrate the emerging voices of the University of Georgia at the Emerging Student Writers Stage. Join us at 3 PM in the Decatur Library’s Fourth Floor Gallery & Event Space for a 45-minute reading showcasing original work by UGA’s talented student writers.
Oct 04, 2025, 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM EDTChef and author Belinda Smith-Sullivan stirs up Southern charm with cocktails, mocktails, and tasty bites from her new book "Cocktails, Southern Style: Pours, Drinks, Sips, and Bites."
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