Cops & Authors Ban Together for Bar Harbor Book Festival

Here's the news article about the Bar Harbor Book Festival I'll be participating in the weekend of September 12-13.
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With high illiteracy rates linked to high crime rates, police on Mount Desert Island and writers have joined forces to create a literacy effort that will promote reading among local children.


“We want to create an annual event that will help us help kids read,” says Sgt. Shaun Farrar of the Bar Harbor Police Department.

Police officers already visit schools on community reading days, but they’d like to expand that program and presence, he says. Officers interacting with children helps both the officers and the kids.

“We’d like to not just visit, but also provide them with age appropriate books,” Farrar says. “We want to help teachers and parents instill a love of reading in kids.”

Approximately 30 authors from across the country will be at the first annual Bar Harbor Book Festival on Sept. 12-13. The Festival will be held at the Bar Harbor Municipal Building on Cottage Street and run from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

“We got the idea for this program from a similar one in Kentucky that was created by Mark Kearney, an officer down there,” says Carrie Jones, local author and organizer. “It seemed like a great idea. I put out a call to authors on my personal blog and within a day, I had 50 interested authors from across the country. After a week that number whittled itself down to around 28. The young adult fiction category is really well represented.”

According to Jones, some juvenile court justices in other states require offenders to advance their literacy skills. Keaney’s organization states that adult male inmates have an average reading level that is less than a sixth grader’s.

“The hope is that by increasing kids’ reading skills and interaction with local officers, we will reduce the possibility of them beginning a life of crime,” Jones says.

Award-winning authors who will be available to sign and sell books from 10:30 a.m. onwards are Rachel Raye, Ellen Booraem, Jack Speight, Bethany Reynolds, Shawn Stout and Gail Paige. They will read excerpts, and present panels and workshops about the writing life from 11:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Law enforcement officers will also be there reading excerpts from their favorite books and providing services to the public. Admission is free. Donations and proceeds will help support literacy initiatives in Hancock County.

For more information about authors attending or specific workshops call 266-1259 or visit http://www.carriejonesbooks.com/bar-harbor-book-festival. 

Saturday

11:30 a.m.

How Did You Think of That? workshop: Authors discuss the genesis of their ideas, with Carol Bender, Gail Page, Kelly McClymer.

Readings by Megan Fraser, Erin Dion and Deva Fagan.

12:30 p.m.

Quilting demo workshop: Bethany Reynolds, shares one of her many original quilting techniques.

Maine Authors Writing Maine Stories workshop with Michelle Libby, Meg Fraser, Susan Vaughan.

Readings by Local Law enforcement officers

1:30 p.m.

Chocolate and Coolness workshop with Deva Fagan, Erin Dionne and Megan Fraser.

Readings by Ellen Booraem, Kelly McClymer and Jack Speight.

2:30 p.m.

Building Your Own World workshop with Ellen Booraem.

How to Start Writing workshop with Erin Dion, Catherine Schmitt, Sarah Smiley.

Readings by Carrie Jones, Shawn Stout and Robin MacCready.



SUNDAY

11:30 a.m.

Why Writing Rocks workshop with Bethany Hegederus, Lauren Barnholt, Kekla Magoon.

Readings by local law enforcement officers.

12:30 p.m.

Cops are Cool workshop: How using real life makes your fiction better, especially when police are involved, with Carrie Jones, Michelle Libby.

Readings by Crissa Jean Chappel, Carol Bender.

1:30 p.m.

Why Write For Kids workshop with Shawn Stout, Deva Fagan, Bethany Hegerus and Robin MacCready.

Nervous Energy Can Equal Art workshop.

T-shirt workshop with Crissa Jean Chappel.

Readings by Michelle Libby, Sarah Smiley and Susan Vaughan.

2:30 p.m.

Writing Romance Romantically workshop with Susan Vaughan, Michelle Libby and Kelly McClymer.

Readings by Bethany Hegederus, Kekla Magoon and Ammi Joan Paquette.