Literature for the Next Gen Conversations for Teens and Young Adults at The Bay Area Book Festival Roxane Gay, Lindy West, Cornelia Funke, Shannon Messenger, Amy Tintera, Kim Culbertson, Sandhya Menon, Alexandra Sirowy, Dale Dougherty, and more! June 3-­4, 2017 A powerful wave of Young Adult 2iction has rocked the literature world in recent years, and earned itself a prominent place at the Bay Area Book Festival. From books about teens, to those aimed at teens, to those simply exploring the human experience, many teenagers 2ind themselves in need of the escape, introspection, and discovery offered by literature, and the Festival aims to re2lect that in the range of Teen and YA programming offered this year. All sessions will take place in venues in downtown Berkeley. Highlights of this year’s programming for Teens and Young Adults include: •
Worlds We Create: Young Adult Fantasy Writers on Creating Alternate Realities and Memorable Characters — Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither were the 2ictional universes of Harry Potter, LOST, or Game of Thrones. Learn the secrets behind creating worlds in the most popular story form there is—fantasy—from four smart, innovative writers in the genre: Traci Chee (the Sea of Ink and Gold series), Lisa Maxwell (Unhooked, Sweet Unrest, Gathering Deep, and The Last Magician), Shannon Messenger (the Keeper of the Lost Cities and the Sky Fall series), and Amy Tintera (the Reboot and Ruined series), moderated by Alex Green. (Saturday, June 3, 3:15pm, at the Hotel Shattuck Plaza -­‐ Boiler Room) •
Reality Bites: Fiction About Teens’ Real Lives — Adolescence is a unique period of change, when you face an onslaught of brand-­‐new experiences and challenges. Reading stories about other teens in realistic situations can help you feel validated—and can often illuminate paths forward. Four authors who write for young adults, Kristin Clark (Freakboy), Kim Culbertson (Catch a Falling Star), Sandhya Menon (When Dimple Met Rishi), and Alexandra Sirowy (The Creeping) share how they capture the unique interior worlds—the joys, the pitfalls, the intimate struggles—of young adults. (Sunday, June 4, 11:45am, at the Hotel Shattuck Plaza -­‐ Boiler Room) •
Race and Resistance in the Trump Era: Fighting Words and Wisdom from The Nation and Black Lives Matter — Some of The Nation’s 2inest current contributors offer a 2ierce, free-­‐ranging discussion of how to advance racial justice in today’s America. Panelists include Walter Mosley, the essayist and novelist; Joan Walsh, The Nation’s national political correspondent; and moderator Mark Hertsgaard, author and investigative editor for The Nation. (Sunday, June 4, 1:30pm, San Francisco Chronicle Stage in the Park, sponsored by The Nation) •
From Every Angle: Women Writing About the Body — In our culture, as in many around the world, women’s bodies are viciously monitored and criticized. And few feel these pressures more acutely than teens. But what do fat women have to say about the body, feminism, health, sexuality, food, consumerism, and community? This panel brings together three women authors, Roxane Gay, Sonya Renee Taylor, and Sarai Walker, across genres of memoir, 2iction, and poetry with a range of experiences and perspectives. (Saturday, June 3, 11:45am, at the Berkeley City College Auditorium) •
Cleve Jones: Rising Up — Mentored by LGBT rights pioneer Harvey Milk, Cleve Jones is an activist and author whose new memoir, When We Rise, inspired an ABC TV mini-­‐
series of the same title. Hear Jones’ personal telling of nearly four decades at the heart of the gay rights movement, and learn about his latest work in activism. (Saturday, June 3, 3:15pm, at the Berkeley City College Auditorium) And programs and events for teen writers include: •
Emerging Voices: Young Authors Writing Competition 2017 Winners — Our Bay Area youth are a diverse and savvy generation. This year we asked these local youth to submit work sharing their experiences on the topic of change. Please join our third annual Young Authors Writing Competition Winners as they share their work addressing how they see change around them, their community, and the world. (Saturday, June 3, 10:30am, at the Berkeley Public Library Community Meeting Room) •
Speak Your Truth: a Youth Speaks Writing & Performance Workshop — Welcoming all teen poets, from beginners to experts and everything in between! Whether you write every day or haven’t penned a poem in your life, Youth Speaks poet mentors will be on hand to help you express yourself in this free writing and performance workshop. Everyone has a story (or ten) to tell, and what better place to get it off your chest than this safe space? (Saturday, June 3, 1:00pm, at the Berkeley Public Library Community Meeting Room, sponsored by Youth Speaks) •
Under 21 Open Mic @ The Bay Area Poetry Festival, Presented by Youth Speaks — Emerging emcees! Flex your skills (perhaps picked up at the Speak Your Truth workshop) at this open mic night—a performance “open-­‐house” for young writers and performers. Come to inspire and be inspired by amazing young artists from across the Bay Area performing spoken word, music, dance, and more. No censorship, all love! Participants must be under 21 years old to get on the mic, but everyone is welcome to attend. Sign-­‐up will take place at the show. (Sunday, June 4, 5pm, at the San Francisco Chronicle Stage in the Park, sponsored by Youth Speaks) Other acclaimed authors include Cornelia Funke, the beloved author of Inkheart, the Reckless series, Lilly and Finn, and more; Dale Dougherty, the original “maker”, MAKE magazine publisher, and Maker Faire Festival creator discussing innovation and wild ideas; Lindy West on having your own opinions in the digital age; and a discussion with Cory Doctorow, Meg Elison, and Zachary Mason on “When Reality Meets Science Fiction.” For other festival sessions, see the full schedule. Festival speakers are available for interviews by credentialed members of the press via email or Skype in advance of the festival, or in person over the weekend event. Outlet must be identi^ied and assignment secured before the interview. The festival logo and other images are available here, and author photos are available by request. Please contact Anna Pulley, [email protected].