James Dashner / Courtesy photo
The fifth annual True Lit festival is coming up later this month in Fayetteville.
The event, featuring author talks, writing workshops, pitch sessions, and more, will be headlined by speakers James Dashner, Jennifer Holm, and Kaveh Akbar this year.
Dasher is the author of fiction for children and young adults. He’s best known for his Maze Runner books, a fiction series set in a dystopian future in which humanity has been devastated by a mysterious plague. He has won the ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults Award, and a Young REader’s Choice Award.
Holm is known for her children’s books, including Babymouse, a series of graphic novelsthat follows the misadventures of an imaginative mouse. She is the recipient of three Newbery Honor medals and an Eisner Award.
Kaveh Akbar / Photo: Paige Lewis
Dasher and Holm will participate in a public talk at Fayetteville Public Library beginning at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 25, moderated by Ozarks at Large host Kyle Kellams.
Holm will also address students at Fayetteville public Schools as part of the Fayetteville Public Education Foundation’s Young Author Series, and Dasher will speak with ninth graders at Fayetteville High School as part of the foundation’s Blair Author and Lecture Series.
On Sunday, Oct. 22, Iranian-American poet Kaveh Akbar will appear at the Fayetteville Public Library at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 22. Akbar, who has published work in The New Yorker, Ploughshares, PBS Newshour and Poetry, and other well known publications, is set to appear as part of a sponsorship by the University of Arkansas Program in Creative Writing and Translation.
Also during the festival, Grammy award-winning kids’ hip hop artist Secret Agent 23 Skidoo will perform at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 27 at Walton Arts Center.
Writing workshops, panel discussions, and other events are scheduled throughout the week.
For more information, including a complete list of events associated with the festival, visit truelitfest.com.
