Featured authors Julian Winters, I Think They Love You: A Novel, and Kelly Quindlen, This Must Be the Place, will sit down with Cam Argotsinger, Director of Public Engagement at The Center, to share their personal experiences and perspectives on writing in a time of increasing challenges to free expression. 

This engaging session will include an audience Q&A, offering attendees the opportunity to explore the real-world impact of censorship on young adult literature and the authors behind it. 

Books by both Kelly Quindlen and Julian Winters will be available for purchase at the event, or online through Brave + Kind Books via this link.

About the moderator

Cam Argotsinger is the Director of Public Engagement at The National Center for Civil and Human Rights. As Director of Public Engagement, Cam creates programs Cup of Truth, Reel Truth and Truth on the Rocks to engage audiences through a variety of experiences.

Cam graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a degree in History. He has served as a Museum Interpreter, Educational Outreach Coordinator, and Director of Membership for the Atlanta History Center, a Museum Educator at the White House Historical Association, and a Park Ranger for the National Park Service on the National Mall.

The post Julian Winters & Kelly Quindlen: Cup of Truth – Navigating Free Speech appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

Award-winning creators Derrick Barnes, Ryan Allen, and Patrice Gopo share stories that remind young readers how family helps us grow into our best selves.

Following the panel, authors will proceed to signing tables to autograph books.

Purchase your book from Little Shop of Stories using this link, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the festival.

About the Moderator

Shelly Anand is the author of acclaimed picture books Laxmi’s Mooch (Kokila/PRH/2021), which was featured on the Today show, NBC News, and in Glamour magazine, and I Love My Body Because (Simon & Schuster/2022), a 2023 Rise Honoree. Shelly’s third picture book, entitled In This Family from Simon & Schuster, came out  May 2024 and has been celebrated as ” a rich and inviting portrait of a loving multiracial family” by Kirkus Reviews. Shelly is also a human rights attorney and the co-founder of Sur Legal Collaborative, an immigrant and worker rights legal nonprofit based in Georgia. She received her BA from Wellesley College and her JD from the University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill. She lives in Georgia with her husband and two children.

The post Derrick Barnes, Ryan Allen & Patrice Gopo: Family Matters appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

Join author Andrew Greer and moderator Kim Carter Fuller, Executive Director of the Friends of Jimmy Carter and the President’s niece, as they reflect on Carter’s enduring faith, quiet wisdom, and the transformative power of humble leadership. More Than a President offers an intimate look at the spiritual legacy of one of the world’s most beloved humanitarians.

Following the panel, authors will proceed to signing tables to autograph books.

Support the festival by purchasing Andrew Greer’s book through Eagle Eye Book Shop using this link. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the festival. To explore all featured titles available from Eagle Eye, click here.

About the moderator

Kim Carter Fuller grew up in Plains, Georgia, where she still lives and works. She taught English and Speech to high school students for 31 years in Sumter and surrounding counties. Now Executive Director of the Friends of Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, she helps share the Carters’ story with the public and supports education programs in the Park.

Kim also helps manage the downtown historic district, including the Plains Historic Inn, Antique Mall, Buffalo Café, and Community Center. A fan of theater and all things southern, she writes plays like Southern Ways and Means and If These Sidewalks Could Talk. She’s active with the SAM Short Line Train, Sumter Players, and Maranatha Baptist Church, where she teaches Sunday School.

The post “More Than a President” brings Jimmy Carter’s legacy to the Decatur Book Festival appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

Join Chef Kevin Mitchell and food historian David Shields for a captivating exploration of Georgia’s distinctive foods and culinary history. Their upcoming book, Taste the State Georgia: Distinctive Foods and Stories from Where Eating Local Began, highlights regional ingredients, traditional recipes, and the vibrant culture behind the state’s celebrated cuisine. From peaches to Vidalia onions and Brunswick stew, this session reveals the deep roots and evolving creativity of Southern foodways.

Purchase your book from Eagle Eye Book Shop using this link, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the festival. To browse all featured titles available from Eagle Eye, click here.

About the moderator

Ligaya Figueras is the senior editor for Food & Dining at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Prior to joining the AJC in 2015, she was the executive editor for St. Louis-based culinary magazine Sauce. She has worked in the publishing industry since 1999 and holds degrees from St. Louis University and the University of Michigan.

The post Taste the State Georgia: Distinctive Foods and Stories from Where Eating Local Began appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.

In People Like Us, National Book Award winner Jason Mott weaves two storylines into a brilliant, genre-defying novel about grief, joy, absurdity, and love in a country haunted by violence. Join Mott and moderator Joe Barry Carroll for a conversation that’s as sharp and soulful as the unforgettable characters who fill this extraordinary book.

Purchase your book from Charis Books using this link, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the festival.

About the moderator

Joe Barry Carroll, a former NBA All-Star and founder of The Carroll Group, is also an author, artist, interviewer, and philanthropist. His books and visual art explore themes of culture, identity, and personal history, and have been featured in festivals and museums across the country. Through the Joe Barry Carroll Family Foundation, a Decatur Book Festival Literary Luminary sponsor, he supports numerous nonprofits and donates all book and art proceeds to charity. Carroll has moderated conversations with figures such as Kenny Leon and Carl Ware. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

The post Jason Mott: People Like Us appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.