The Decatur Book Festival (DBF) has announced that Joyce Carol Oates will be headlining a lineup of nationally and critically recognized authors Oct. 4-5.
DBF will take place across several different locations in Decatur, including the First Baptist Church of Decatur, DeKalb County Public Library, Marriott Courtyard Hotel, The Reading Room, The Task Force for Global Healt,h and Decatur Square.
Oates has published more than 80 works of fiction, short stories, numerous plays, poetry, and nonfiction including her latest re-issue of Broke Heart Blues, Joyce Carol Oates: Letters to a Biographer, and her most recent novel, Butcher. Oates is a recipient of the National Book Award, PEN America’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Humanities Medal, and a World Fantasy Award for Short Fiction.
A keynote conversation between Oates and former Joe Barry Carroll – former NBA All-Star, artist, author, and philanthropist – will take place on Friday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Decatur.
“There’s a special joy that comes from connecting today’s authors with the thousands of readers who attend our beloved event. It’s a celebration of all things literary that sparks social, creative and intellectual engagement,” says Denise Auger, DBF’s Program Director. “Our 2022 lineup highlighted so many brilliant local and regional authors. This year’s expanded program includes a diverse array of writers from all around the country, including a spectrum of voices and talents from across the South.”
The full 2024 Festival lineup and program schedule will be revealed later this month to include more than 100 literary talents including authors, poets, student emerging writers, journalists, artists, chefs and thought-leaders. Partnering booksellers include Brave and Kind Bookshop, Charis Books and More, Eagle Eye Book Shop and Little Shop of Stories.
This year’s festival will also feature longtime Georgia lawmaker, New York Times bestselling author and voting rights activist Stacey Abrams. Abrams will open Saturday’s events as the “Kidnote” speaker and share the third installment of her children’s book series, Stacey Speaks Up.
The Task Force for Global Health is celebrating 40 years of service through a sponsorship of the Decatur Book Festival, which will include an open house and family-friendly science activities during the day at their Decatur headquarters on Ponce de Leon Avenue.
Other sponsors include DeKalb County, Joe Barry Carroll Family Foundation, City of Decatur, City of Decatur Tourism Bureau, City of Decatur Development Authorities, Emory University, LuluMa Foundation, Rough Draft Atlanta, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Atlanta Writers Club, DeKalb County Public Library, DeKalb Library Foundation, Georgia Center for the Book, First Baptist Church of Decatur, Georgia Humanities and Agnes Scott College.
For more information on the Decatur Book Festival, visit decaturbookfestival.com.