Up and down the east coast, the coming year promises an incredible lineup of magnificent novels and memorable celebrations of authors with their beloved books. What better way to start fall than with a curated list of bookstores and book-centered events where you can catch a book talk with your favorite author or pick up a new fall read?
New England
The East Hampton Library Authors Night on August 12 will bring together award-winning writers and hundreds of readers from throughout the country. The cocktail party will be an exciting and educating gathering followed by dinners in various private homes hosting authors who will speak to the inspiration of their writing.
The Ocean House Author Series hosted by award-winning author Deborah Goodrich Royce at the beautiful Ocean House Hotel in Westerly, Rhode Island, provides a picturesque backdrop for memorable interviews of authors each Wednesday night, with the series running through December 6.
Another favorite bookstore, Nantucket, Massachusetts’ Mitchell’s Book Corner, has a jam-packed calendar with book signings almost every day up until October, with promises of more exciting author visits throughout the end of the year.
An Unlikely Story in Plainville, Massachusetts, hosts book talks with your favorite authors as well as trivia nights and music and dance classes for the children almost every night, so you’ll never run out of literary activities for the whole family.
Of a similar name, A Likely Story in Sykesville, Maryland, has a full book talk calendar through December, with events such as Battle of the Books and their Morning and Evening book clubs.
Titcombs, a charming bookstore in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, hosts unique and fun book celebrations in addition to writing workshops. If you’re in the area August 23, join Titcomb’s for USA Today bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan’s writing workshop, which is featured as part of her book tour for The House Guest.
Festivals throughout New England you won’t want to miss include:
- The Boston Book Festival in Boston: Saturday, October 14
- The Nantucket Book Festival in Nantucket, Massachusetts: August 2024
- The Connecticut Book Festival in West Hartford, Connecticut: October 7
The South
M Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina, hosts an author luncheon each month in addition to a FUN Books Over Drinks book talk event on most weeknights with various authors passing through town. M Judson also hosts various food-and-drink related events, such as Teacher Happy Hour and The Great Greenville Baking Class.
The Bookmark in Neptune Beach, Florida, offers tickets to exciting author events, and the Jacksonville Public Library System also has many book talks and book clubs lined up for the rest of the year.
Roswell Library in Roswell, Georgia, hosts Roswell Reads, which celebrates Southern books and authors on tour throughout the year and hosts writing workshops and author talks in February and March.
Festivals throughout the South that you won’t want to miss include:
- The Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, Tennessee: October 20-22
- The Miami Book Fair in Miami, Florida: Saturdays, September 23 to November 4
- The Amelia Island Book Festival in Amelia Island, Florida: Events until May 2024, starting September 24
- The Savannah Book Festival in Savannah, Georgia: February 15-18, 2024
- Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville, Virginia: March 23-26, 2024
- Dahlonega Literary Festival in Dahlonega, Georgia: March 4, 2024
- Carrolton Book Fest in Carrollton, Georgia: TBD
The Charleston Literary Festival in Charleston, South Carolina: November 3-12