THANK YOU. WE’LL SEE YOU IN JUST UNDER A MINUTE OR SO. OKAY.
DO YOU HAVE WEEKEND PLANS?
CALENDARS FILL UP SO FAST.
THIS TIME OF YEAR. SO THERE
WAS A DAY WE WANT TO MAKE YOU
AWARE OF MAY 21ST. THAT IS NEXT
SATURDAY. THAT’S THE DAY OF
THE SAN ANTONIO BOOK FESTIVAL.
IT’S A KSAT COMMUNITY EVENT
AS WELL. BEFORE WE BRING IN OUR
Q AND A GUEST TO TALK ALL ABOUT
THAT. HERE’S A SNEAK PEEK.
>> THE SAN ANTONIO BOOK
FESTIVAL IS A FREE EVENT IS
OPEN IT’S EASY TO GET TO IT AT
THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AND ALSO AT
THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTHWEST SCHOOL
OF ART.
THIS IS THE CONVERGENCE, A
FANTASTIC AUTHORS. EXCITING
LITERARY ACTIVITIES.
>> YOU CLOSED OFF A BIG CHUNK
OF DOWNTOWN. IT’S ALMOST LIKE
A CONCERT EXPERIENCE FOR FOLKS
THAT ARE REALLY INTO MULTIMEDIA
WAYS OF LEARNING. I HAVE A
PASSIONATE BELIEF ABOUT OUR
BOOK FESTIVAL THAT PEOPLE
SHOULD GO IN STATE OF THE DAY.
DO NOT CUT YOURSELF SHORT ON
THE TIME HE SPENT THERE.
>> TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SO MUCH
FUN AND SO MUCH EDUCATION
COMPLETELY FOR FREE. WHAT A
GIFT TO OUR CITY IS GIVING US.
>> ALL RIGHT. NOW THAT WE HAVE
SET THE STAGE, WE’D LIKE TO
WELCOME REALLY GONZALES, THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SAN
ANTONIO BOOK FESTIVAL. LILLY,
THANKS FOR BEING HERE. I KNOW
IT IS A BUSY TIME FOR YOU GUYS
ABOUT A WEEK OUT FROM THIS
EVENT. SO LET’S JUST TALK ABOUT
WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT BOOKS.
YES, OF COURSE. BUT WHAT CAN
PEOPLE EXPECT WHEN THEY HEAD
OUT TO THE BOOK FESTIVAL?
>> WELL, WE LIKE TO CALL IT
FIESTA FOR THE MIND BECAUSE
THAT’S REALLY WHAT YOU’RE
GETTING. IF YOU’RE A FAN OF
BOOKS AND EVEN IF YOU AREN’T,
YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE A GREAT
TIME AT THE FESTIVAL BECAUSE WE
HAVE BOOKS FOR ALL AGES OF
READERS AND WE HAVE ACTIVITIES
FOR ALL AGES. SO I LIKE TO SAY
THAT IT’S TRULY A FAMILY
FRIENDLY EVENT, ESPECIALLY AS
WE HEAD INTO SUMMER. I THINK
THAT PARENTS SHOULD BE, YOU
KNOW, THINKING ABOUT GETTING
THEIR KIDS INSPIRED TO READ
WE’LL DO THAT FOR YOU. WE’LL DO
THAT FOR YOUR KIDS. BRING THEM
TO THE FESTIVAL. AND WE’VE GOT
ROCK STAR AUTHORS READY TO GET
THEM EXCITED ABOUT READING
BOOKS OVER THE SUMMER.
>> AND YOU MENTIONED THOSE
OFFERS. SO THIS IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO HEAR
FROM SOME OF THE AUTHORS OF
THESE BOOKS. IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YEAH, THAT’S THE BEAUTY
ABOUT A BOOK FESTIVAL. YOU
KNOW, READERS, WE DO THAT IN
ISOLATION WRITERS. THEY DO THAT
IN ISOLATION. BUT AT BOOK
FESTIVALS, THOSE TO COME
TOGETHER AND THEY’RE
CELEBRATING WHAT THEY BOTH
LOVE, THE PASSION OF WRITING
AND READING A BOOK. AND SO
YOU’RE GOING TO HEAR AUTHORS
TALK EITHER, YOU KNOW, IN
CONVERSATION WITH THE MODERATOR
OR ON A CANDLE WITH OTHER
AUTHORS AND THEY’LL BE TALKING
ABOUT THEIR BOOKS. YOU CAN ASK
QUESTIONS AND THEN AFTERWARDS
YOU CAN HEAD OVER TO OUR
OFFICIAL BOOKSELLER, NOWHERE
BOOKSHOP AND YOU CAN BUY THE
BOOK AND GET SIGNED BY THE
AUTHOR. SO THERE’S LOTS OF
INTERACTION AND ENGAGEMENT IT’S
REALLY YOU KNOW, IT’S THE BEST
DAY OF THE YEAR FOR FOR
READERS. WE’RE SHOWING SOME
VIDEO OF SOME OF THE OFFERS
THAT WILL BE PART OF THE BOOK
FESTIVAL THAT WE’VE BEEN
HIGHLIGHTING.
>> IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS
LEADING UP TO THAT. SO WHAT IF
SOMEBODY SEES THIS AND SAYS WHY
ENJOY READING? BUT I I DON’T
REALLY KNOW A LOT OF NEW
AUTHORS. MAYBE I DON’T KNOW
SOME OF THE AUTHORS THAT ARE
GOING TO BE THERE. I FEEL KIND
OF NOT OFFICE IS STILL IN A BIT
FOR THEM.
>> OF COURSE, THAT’S WHAT I
ALWAYS SAY ABOUT THE BOOK
FESTIVAL. I SAY YOU DON’T HAVE
TO HAVE READ ANY OF THE BOOKS.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO RECOGNIZE
THE NAMES ON THE LINE YOU CAN
JUST COME ON DOWN. YOU CAN
ENTER ONE OF OUR 9 VENUES AND
YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION. YOU WANT TO HEAR
A CONVERSATION FROM, YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY
PASSIONATE ABOUT THE SUBJECTS
BEHIND THEIR BOOK. IT’S GOING
TO INTRIGUE. YOU GET YOUR BRAIN
THINKING. IT’S GOING TO GIVE
YOU SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT FOR
THE REST OF YOUR WEEK. YOUR
MONTH WITH PEOPLE IN YOUR YEAH,
IT’S IT’S JUST GOING TO BE A
GREAT TIME. DON’T WORRY ABOUT
READING THE BOOKS. PLUS WHERE
THE LIBRARY YOU HAVE LIBRARIAN
AT YOUR DISPOSAL. YOU CAN ASK
THEM FOR SOME HELP AND HELP
ME PUT. THIS IS WHAT I LIKE.
HELP ME PICK A SESSION TO GO
TO.
>> AND HOW DO YOU ALL PICK WHO
THE OFFERS ARE? WHO WILL BE
PART OF THIS EVENT AND WHAT
KINDS OF AUTHORS ARE KINDS OF
BOOKS. WILL THERE BE THERE?
>> THAT’S A REALLY GOOD
QUESTION. I THINK A LOT OF THE
GENERAL WONDERS THAT, TOO.
SO WE HAVE A LITERARY DIRECTOR
AND WE HAVE A COMMITTEE OF, YOU
KNOW, WRITERLY PEOPLE HERE,
LOCAL AND REGIONAL AND THEY
HELP ASSEMBLE THE LINE THAT
WE TEND TO, YOU KNOW, PUT SOME
PARAMETERS OF BOOKS HAVE TO BE
PUBLISHED WITHIN A CERTAIN
TIMEFRAME. BUT OTHER THAN THAT,
YOU KNOW, WE’RE LOOKING FOR NOT
JUST, YOU KNOW, BOOKS ON THE
BEST-SELLER LIST THAT WE’RE
LOOKING FOR. DEBUT WRITERS WERE
LOOKING TO YOU TO HIGHLIGHT
LOCAL AUTHORS LIKE OUR GREAT
FRIENDS. IT PACE THAT COMMUNITY
TO FOR US. IT’S REALLY JUST A
NICE BLEND SO THAT YOU HAVE
A MIX WHERE YOU’RE CELEBRATING
BOTH ESTABLISHED WRITERS, BUT
ALSO THOSE THAT ARE UP AND
COMING.
HOW ABOUT SOME NEW READERS?
I KNOW I’VE GOT ONE OF THOSE AT
MY
>> MAYBE FOR THE YOUNGER KIDS
WHO ARE JUST GETTING INTO
READING OR JUST KIND OF
DEVELOPING THAT LOVE WHAT’S
THERE FOR THE
SMALLER KIDS.
>> YEAH. SO ASIDE FROM THE
AUTHOR’S WHICH IT’S A STACKED
DAY FULL OF STORY, TIME
READINGS AND SOME OF THOSE ARE
BILINGUAL STORY TIME READINGS,
WHICH IS EXCELLENT. SO YOU CAN
COME TO THE FESTIVAL AND ALL
DAY LONG. THERE WILL BE AUTHORS
DOING STORY TIME OTHER THAN
THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR OUR
WONDERFUL SPONSOR OF THE
CHILDREN’S AREA, A TV THAT’S
GOING TO BE DOING A WHOLE BUNCH
OF ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS. AND
THEN WE PARTNER WITH A HANDFUL
OF NONPROFITS THROUGHOUT THE
CITY THAT ALSO COME OUT AND DO
ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS. THAT’S WHY
WE TRULY CALL IT FAMILY
FRIENDLY BECAUSE THERE’S THIS
GREAT, YOU KNOW, EDUCATIONAL
COMPONENT. BUT THEN THERE’S
ALSO THIS ENTERTAINMENT COME
IT’S EDGY. TEAM AND
ENTERTAINMENT. OKAY.
>> SO WE HAVE PUT UP THE
GRAPHIC HERE THAT SHOWS WHEN
AND WHERE THIS IS HAPPENING AT
THE SOUTHWEST SCHOOL OF ART.
THE CENTRAL LIBRARY RIGHT HERE
DOWNTOWN. BUT LET’S TALK ABOUT
IF YOU’RE PLANNING TO COME AND
IF YOU’RE FAMILIAR AT ALL WITH
THAT AREA, THERE’S A LOT
HAPPENING THERE IN TERMS OF
CONSTRUCTION. SOME NEW
DEVELOPMENT. SO PARKING WHAT
SHOULD PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THAT?
>> GLAD YOU MENTIONED THIS
BECAUSE YES, THERE ARE BOND
PROJECTS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY
AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY. AND
SO THERE’S CONSTRUCTION ALL
AROUND AND INSIDE AS WELL.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE’RE PUTTING
TOGETHER ON OUR WEBSITE, A
BEAUTIFUL LIST OF PARKING.
A LOT OF IT IS FREE. SOME OF IT
IS METERED AROUND THE PERIMETER
OF THE LIBRARY PEOPLE DRIVING
THE LIBRARY HAS ITS GARAGE.
IT’S ONLY ACCESSIBLE BE A
NORTHBOUND SO THAT ALL OF THAT
INFORMATION WILL BE ON OUR
WEBSITE AND WILL ALSO SHARE A
PR NEWS LETTER. PEOPLE WANT TO
SUBSCRIBE. THAT’S HOW YOU GET
ALL THE LATEST AND GREATEST
RIGHT IN YOUR INBOX. AND YOU
ALSO HAVE AN EVENT COMING UP
PRIOR TO THAT ON A LUNCH.
AND THAT’S A BIG FUNDRAISER
FOR YOU GUYS. THE WEBSITE HAS
INFORMATION.
>> ABOUT THAT EVENT TO CORRECT?
>> YEAH, I’M GLAD YOU BROUGHT
THAT UP BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE
FESTIVAL IS FREE AND OPEN TO
ALL AND WE LOVE IT. WE WANT TO
KEEP IT THAT WAY. WE FEEL THAT
IT’S IMPORTANT THAT THE PEOPLE
OF SAN ANTONIO AND BEYOND HAVE
THIS EVENT FOR FREE, BUT WE
NEED TO RAISE MONEY FOR IT.
SO WE HAVE SUSAN ORLEAN SHE’S
THE WRITER OF THIS BOOK, AN
ANIMAL AND THAT WILL BE ON
THURSDAY. MAY 19TH AT THE WITTY
AND INDIVIDUAL TICKETS ARE ON
SALE. NOW WE HAVE ALL THIS
INFORMATION AND SO MUCH MORE
ABOUT THE EVENTS SCHEDULED
DURING THAT DAY FROM MAY.
21ST THE DAY OF THE ACTUAL BOOK
FESTIVAL. YOU CAN FIND IT ALL
AT KSAT COMMUNITY DOT COM.
THERE’S A LINK TO THE BOOK
FESTIVAL WEBSITE AS WELL.
>> GO CHECK IT OUT. LILY
GONZALEZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
THE SAN ANTONIO BOOK FESTIVAL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING