LITERARY WOMEN

Celebrating Women Authors Since 1982

Meet the Authors for the March 9, 2024 Festival

The Light Pilot, by author Lily Brooks-Dalton
Lily Brooks-Dalton, author of The Light Pilot

Lily Brooks-Dalton

Richly described and devastatingly more fact than fiction, The Light Pirate illustrates a world where the earth has taken control in order to either heal or implode. It is here we meet Wanda, a girl “born at exactly the wrong time, under exactly the wrong circumstances, given exactly the wrong name” whose resilience in the face of environmental and personal tragedy is inspiring. Her actions provide a snapshot of a lifestyle we may be forced to reckon with—soon.

Visit Lily Brooks-Dalton’s website ›
Black Candle Women, by author Diane Marie Brown
Diane Marie Brown, author of Black Candle Women

Diane Marie Brown

In a spellbinding debut, local author Diane Marie Brown explores generational trauma and the beautiful, conflicted relationship between mothers and daughters. Victoria wants to protect her family but must decide how far to go and how much to reveal. Spanning four generations, 1,900 miles, and dozens of secrets, Black Candle Women keeps the reader guessing as it explores the line between magic and manifestation.

Visit Diane Marie Brown’s website ›
Lesser-Known Monsters of the 21st Century, by author Kim Fu
Kim Fu, author of Lesser-Known Monsters of the 21st Century

Kim Fu

This wildly imaginative story collection, Lesser-Known Monsters of the 21st Century, mesmerizes readers with original worlds that blur the boundaries of real and fantastic, and confirms Kim Fu as one of the most exciting short story writers in contemporary literature. The twelve unforgettable tales offer surprising insights into human nature while unmasking contradictions that make the strange seem familiar and the familiar feel strange.

Visit Kim Fu’s website ›
I Have Some Questions for You, by author Rebecca Makkai
Rebecca Makkai, author of I Have Some Questions for You

Rebecca Makkai

I Have Some Questions for You— The latest novel from award-winning author Rebecca Makkai, is a page-turning murder mystery. Unsettling and riveting, the story revolves around successful film professor and podcaster Bodie Kane who is unable to let go of the past, particularly the drowning death of her high school roommate. It is a literary whodunit that begs important questions about what is right, what is wrong, and what is truth.

Visit Rebecca Makkai’s website ›
Hello Beautiful, by author Ann Napolitano
Ann Napolitano, author of Hello Beautiful

Ann Napolitano

The brilliantly crafted Hello Beautiful, by New York Times bestselling author Ann Napolitano, is a profoundly moving portrait of the Padavano sisters and the young man who marries into the family. When the darkness from his past surfaces, it results in a family rift that changes their lives. Selected as Oprah Winfrey’s 100th book club pick, Hello Beautiful vibrates with tenderness as it explores family, ambition, expectation, love and forgiveness.

Visit Ann Napolitano’s website ›
Go As A River, by author Shelley Read
Shelley Read, author of Go As A River

Shelley Read

Inspired by true events surrounding the destruction of the Colorado town of Iola in the 1960s, Go as a River is a story of deeply held love in the face of hardship and loss. It is also a story of finding courage, resilience, friendship, and , finally, home―where least expected. With a lyrical voice, Shelley Read’s stunning debut explores what it means to lead your life as if it were a river―gathering and flowing, finding a way forward even when a river is dammed.

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Remarkably Bright Creatures, by author Shelby Van Pelt
Shelby Van Pelt, author of Remarkably Bright Creatures

Shelby Van Pelt

With wit and charm, Shelby Van Pelt’s luminous debut novel, Remarkably Bright Creatures, explores the unlikely friendship of a widow and a giant Pacific Octopus. After her husband dies, Tova begins working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium where she encounters curmudgeonly Marcellus. In the midst of this remarkable friendship the mysterious past of two young men begins to unfold, untangle, and ultimately offer a future that once seemed impossible.

Visit Shelby Van Pelt’s website ›

HARRIET WILLIAMS EMERGING WRITER PROGRAM

In honor of our co-founder, Harriet Williams, Literary Women Committee created the EMERGING WRITER PROGRAM to focus on our mission to support and encourage new writers of talent and promise. We are proud of the outstanding young women who have participated over the years and invite you to view this year’s selection.

View this year’s writers ›
Harriet Williams