Book lovers rejoice. Yesterday kicked off the 40th annual Kentucky Book Festival (KBF) which brings to Lexington a mix of in-person events + a host of free virtual opportunities — celebrating reading, writing, and publishing.

While Lexington isn’t often thought of for its contributions to American literature, many local authors have published some page-turners that are helping our city get recognized in the literary world.

The KBF features writers from all over the country but today we’re highlighting four with Kentucky ties. Don't miss your chance to mix + mingle with these writers making waves.

Crystal Wilkinson | “Perfect Black” | Crystal is Kentucky’s 2021-2022 poet laureate + an Associate Professor of English in the Creative Writing MFA Program at UK. She is also a founding member of Affrilachian Poets — whose goal is to showcase the work of African-American writers from the Appalachian region.

Margaret Verble | “When Two Feathers Fell From the Sky” | Margaret is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma but currently lives in Lexington. Her book "Cherokee America" was on the New York Times list of 100 Notable Books of the Year in 2019.

Silas House | “Clay’s Quilt” | Silas is a Laurel County native, a bestselling author of six novels + has many awards such as the 2021 Governor's Award from Gov. Andy Beshear.

Jayne Moore Waldrop | “Drowned Town” | Jayne is a native of Western Kentucky, but currently lives in Lexington. Her book “Retracing My Steps” was a finalist for the New Women’s Voices Chapbook Competition.

The Kentucky Book Festival is all about connecting readers with authors, sparking conversation + providing guests with access to new books. The event closes out with a daylong celebration at Joseph-Beth Booksellers on Sat., Nov. 6.

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