Monday, July 31, 2017

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Paul Haddad



Born in Hollywood, California, Paul Haddad was drawn to books at an early age—not just reading them, but writing them. From age 5 to 16, he penned more than one hundred—story books, comic books, maze books, even a world atlas featuring countries that existed only in his head. "Skinny White Freak" is his second Young Adult novel, a semiautobiographical tale of a boy working up the courage to confront, and empathize with, a camp bully. Haddad’s most recent book, a nonfiction adventure guide to Los Angeles, has spent time on local Best Seller lists. His website is www.paulhaddadbooks.com


Meet Paul Haddad
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Saturday September 2, 2017
Main Street Square
Rapid City, South Dakota

For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Sheila Wall Slavich



Sheila Wall Slavich, author of “Jumpin’ the Rails!”, is the recipient of the 2017 Literary Classics Gold Award for Middle Grade Science Fiction/ Dystopia, Silver Award for Preteen Historical Fiction and the Best Cover Award. Prior to writing her novel, she worked as a journalist and later as the speechwriter and spokesperson for the Alabama Supreme Court and as the public information officer for the judicial system. She is an alumna of Auburn University where she studied literature and journalism and completed her degree with a study abroad at Oxford.

Sheila is currently writing her sequel to “Jumpin’ the Rails!”.
Meet Sheila Wall Slavich
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Saturday September 2, 2017
Main Street Square
Rapid City, South Dakota

For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Danielle A. Vann



Danielle A. Vann started her career as a television news writer at the tender age of 18. With a passion for writing, Vann committed to learning every aspect of the newsroom. After graduating, she took an anchor position in Louisiana. Her career as a reporter and anchor earned her an Associate Press Award. Her book genres span a wide-range from children’s books with two highly reviewed series, award-winning YA fiction, and five star non-fiction title. Her debut YA series has been awarded nine prestigious awards both in the U.S. and internationally. Danielle lives in Texas with her husband and three children.

Meet Danielle A. Vann
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Saturday September 2, 2017
Main Street Square
Rapid City, South Dakota

For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Hiba Masood



Hiba Masood is a Canadian-Pakistani writer, storyteller, and speaker. She runs Happy Place, an enrichment center for women and kids, where she holds story, art, and yoga sessions centered around her primary passion, children’s literature. Hiba is the author of Aiza and Alina, a story of friendship and Down Syndrome, which she wrote for use in inclusive education programs across Pakistan.


Meet Hiba Masood
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Saturday September 2, 2017
Main Street Square
Rapid City, South Dakota

For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Monday, July 10, 2017

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author C F Crawford


C F Crawford lives with her illustrator daughter, her trademark-designer daughter, and her husband near a magical wood that inspires them daily. When not playing with the many animals that live in and around their house, they enjoy exploring nearby historical sites. They are currently working on the fourth book in the series, Tales of Mr. Snuggywhiskers: The Summer Tales, and recording audio versions of all volumes in the series.


Meet C F Crawford
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Saturday September 2, 2017
Main Street Square
Rapid City, South Dakota


For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info



Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Mukuka Chipanta

Mukuka Chipanta is an Aerospace Engineer and Author living in Maryland with his wife Sandra. Born in Zambia, he grew up near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mukuka played an integral role in designing the Boeing 787 Dreamliner airplane. He published his debut novel A Casualty of Power in October 2016 with Weaver Press. The novel won prizes for ‘Best First Book’ and ‘Gold for General College Level Book’ at the 2017 Classic Literary Awards. Mukuka can be found on Facebook @ChipantaMukuka, on Twitter @chipanta and on his website www.mukukachipanta.com


Meet Mukuka Chipanta
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Saturday September 2, 2017
Main Street Square
Rapid City, South Dakota


For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Great American Book Festival - Now Accepting Author & Vendor Applications - Labor Day Weekend - Rapid City, SD


Have you reserved your space yet?

Authors from around the globe will be in attendance at this year's festival. All conference events will be held in downtown Rapid City, South Dakota with the book festival taking place in Rapid City's Main Street Square. Final dates, times and locations may be viewed at GABfest.info. The Book Festival and conference events, are FREE and open to the public.  Now accepting online reservations for book festival author space and conference registration.

The Black Hills region is known for its love of culture and the arts and is home to a vibrant and thriving community.

Rapid City, the second largest city in South Dakota, is close to Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Monuments. A major world-wide destination for tourism, the Black Hills Region receives over THREE MILLION tourists annually, with Labor Day Weekend receiving a significant number of visitors from around the world.


FREE Writers' Conference - Social Media Strategies for the Working Author



Know Thyself... & Thy Audience
Social Media Strategies
for the Working Author


Presented by K.B. Hoyle
Multiple award-winning author, professional
public speaker, and writing instructor

Friday September 1, 2017
2:45 PM to 3:45 PM
Rapid City Public Library
Rapid City, South Dakota
FREE Event - Register Online Today at GABfest.info

Have you reserved your space? GABfest FREE writers' conference - Register Online Today!


Ignorance is NOT bliss

Know your limitations & rights when it comes to
using quotes, lyrics and more in your writing.

Presented by Patricia Reding
When she's not wearing her award-winning-author hat
Patricia practices trademark and copyright law.

1:15PM to 2:15PM
Friday, September 1, 2017
Rapid City Public Library
Register online at GABfest.info

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Stephan von Clinkerhoffen



Award winning author, Stephan von Clinkerhoffen, is a Peter Pan character. That’s why his books suit younger readers. Stephan’s writing, conceived from his love of mechanics, nature and art is tempered by humanity and fun.

An Engineering background allows him to develop new ideas, learning from success and failure. He enjoys tinkering with classic cars and motorbikes, and even built his own kit car. Through art he embraces the challenge of painting intricately-detailed land and cityscapes.

Following years spent volunteering with the NZ Red Cross after Christchurch’s earthquakes, Stephan feels lucky to call the Cotswold countryside in England his home.

Meet Stephan von Clinkerhoffen
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Saturday September 2, 2017
Main Street Square
Rapid City, South Dakota



For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Sandra C. López



Born and raised in Hawaiian Gardens, CA, Sandra C. López is one of today's influential Latina authors in Young Adult literature. Her first novel, Esperanza: A Latina Story, was published in March 2008 WHILE she was still in college. Since then she has published several other books, including the Single Chicas series. She was named as one of "2011 Top Ten New Latino Authors to Watch" by Latino Stories, and her book, Beyond the Gardens, was a Silver Medal winner of the 2016 Global Ebook Awards in Multicultural Fiction and won first place in the Int'l Latino Book Awards. Art, literature, and travel are her passions, and she aims to keep doing them as long as she can.

Meet Sandra C. López
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Saturday September 2, 2017
Main Street Square
Rapid City, South Dakota


For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author M.J. Evans


M.J. Evans is the Award-Winning author of numerous middle-grade and YA fantasies and novels. As a life-long equestrian, most of her books center around horse or horse-based fantasy creatures. Ms. Evans lives in Colorado and is the mother of five and grandmother of almost 11!

Meet M.J. Evans
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Saturday September 2, 2017
Main Street Square
Rapid City, South Dakota


For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author K.S. Jones




Multi-award winning author, Karen (K.S.) Jones, has written two novels: Shadow of the Hawk and Black Lightning. She was the first place winner in the 2014 Short Story Contest for Southern Writers Magazine, the recipient of the 2015 Literary Classics International Book Award, the 2015 Chaucer Award, the 2016 RONE Award, the 2016 WILLA Literary Award, the 2017 Literary Classics International Book Award, as well as a Readers' Favorite. She writes from her home in the beautiful Texas Hill Country where she lives with her husband, Richard, and their three dogs.

Meet K.S. Jones
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Saturday September 2, 2017
Main Street Square
Rapid City, South Dakota

For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author K. B. Hoyle



K. B. Hoyle is a multiple award-winning Young Adult author, a public speaker, and a creative writing instructor. When she's not writing or traveling, she stays busy at her home in Alabama with her husband and their four young sons. She is represented by Ben Grange of the New York-based L. Perkins Agency.

Meet K. B. Hoyle
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Saturday September 2, 2017
Main Street Square
Rapid City, South Dakota


For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Kenny Chumbley






Author Kenny Chumbley, is the recipient of the 2017 Enchanted Page Book Award. He was born and raised on a farm in east central Illinois, where he still lives. He is a minister, author, and publisher. Most importantly, he is the father of Gary, Kelly, and Steve, and the grandfather of Maddie, Mia, Aniyah, Honor, and Millie.


Meet Kenny Chumbley
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Saturday September 2, 2017
Main Street Square
Rapid City, South Dakota


For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Jacqui Letran





Jacqui Letran is a passionate and energetic leader who is truly gifted at helping teens transform into confident, happy and successful young adults. Jacqui teaches teens that success and happiness are possible, regardless of their current struggles or circumstances.

Jacqui is an Award-Winning Author, International Speaker, and Founder of Teen Confidence Academy. She has 17 years of experience in Adolescent Health as a Nurse Practitioner, Success Coach and Teen Confidence Expert. Jacqui is passionate and committed to guiding teens to achieve remarkable success in their academic and personal lives.

Meet Jacqui Letran
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Saturday September 2
Main Street Square
Rapid City, South Dakota
Labor Day Weekend, 2017


For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author John Hanc


The co-writer of the Lumen Award-winner for Literary Excellence, Walter’s Way, John Hanc has authored or co-authored 16 books. His previous books include the award-winning memoirs The Coolest Race on Earth, about his experience running the Antarctica Marathon; Not Dead Yet, which he co-authored with Type 1 bike racer Phil Southerland and The Ultra Mindset, a memoir/prescriptive nonfiction book written with ultra-distance running champion Travis Macy. His other books include the popular self-help title, Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life—written with Margaret Moore and Dr. Paul Hammerness—and The B.A.A. at 125, a history of the organization that created the Boston Marathon. A long-time contributing writer for Newsday, a contributing writer to Smithsonian.com, and a frequent contributor to the New York Times, Hanc is an associate professor of communication arts at New York Institute of Technology. He also teaches memoir writing at Harvard Medical School’s annual Writing, Publishing and Social Media class.

Meet John Hanc
and other authors at 
Great American Book Festival 
Rapid City, South Dakota 
Labor Day Weekend, 2017

For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Gary Schwartz


Gary Schwartz is an actor, director, and master improvisational acting coach.
He has appeared in numerous film and television projects, including the Oscar-winning feature film Quest for Fire. Schwartz has written for two children's television series in which he co-starred: Zoobilee Zoo as Bravo Fox and the Disney Channel's You and Me, Kid. As a voice-over artist, he's lent his voice to hundreds of film and television projects and is the voice of several well-known video game characters, including Heavy Weapons Guy and Demoman in Team Fortress 2.

The King of Average is his first novel. Learn more at gary-schwartz.com

Meet Gary Schwartz 
and other authors at 
Great American Book Festival 
Rapid City, South Dakota 
Labor Day Weekend, 2017

For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info



Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Authors Molly & Gary Whitney





Molly grew up in Auburn, Alabama. She is a graduate of Auburn University. She was a teacher, a real estate agent and in Human Resources before she followed her calling as an artist, taking classes at Houston's Glassell School, an arm of the Museum of Fine Arts. She has exhibited her watercolors in solo and group exhibitions.

Gary, born in Denver, Colorado, received a BFA in Interior Design and an MS in Interior Architecture from Pratt Institute. His award-winning architecture and design portfolio includes projects for Disney World, the American Club of Hong Kong and the Dubai Hyatt Regency.

Their common interest in art and architecture came together when they built a miniature twig house, perfectly sized for fairies and trolls. As the house evolved, and at the urging of their friends, the Whitneys started creating and illustrating the story the house inspired in them.

Meet Molly & Gary Whitney
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Rapid City, South Dakota
Labor Day Weekend, 2017



For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Friday, July 7, 2017

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Debi Nelson





Debra’s (Debi) writing career began with articles on importance of cooperation between disciplines in healthcare. Her goal was to encourage and inspire colleagues. After leaving healthcare in 2011, she started writing and photographing wildlife for nature magazines to encourage and inspire others to enjoy nature. Her cabin in the Turtle Mountains of ND gave her the perfect setting for her first educational nature book, “A Cabin by the Lake” set in a heartwarming story.

Debi is married with two grown children and five precious grandchildren and currently works for FEMA when she is not writing and photographing wildlife.


Meet Debi Nelson
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Rapid City, South Dakota
Labor Day Weekend, 2017



For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info



Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author C. M. Huddleston



C. M. Huddleston loved history and dreamed of writing a book even as a child. Instead, she became an Army wife, mother, elementary school teacher, archaeologist, and historic preservation consultant, before publishing her first book! In 2016, she published her seventh and eighth volumes, all dealing with her first love, our nation’s past. While three are written for children, her other works are histories for adults on a variety of subjects.


Connie resides in a log cabin in Kentucky, with her husband Charlie and their Australian Shepherd Katie. They all enjoy the quiet of rural Kentucky.


Meet C. M. Huddleston
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Rapid City, South Dakota
Labor Day Weekend, 2017



For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info



Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Carmela Dutra




Carmela Dutra is an award-winning author, storyteller, illustrator, wife, mother, and photographer. She is currently residing with her family in the California Bay Area, along with her four cats. She is best known for her frequent visits to classrooms in her community, where she shares her books and encourages children to set free their creativity through writing, and drawing.

Meet Carmela Dutra
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Rapid City, South Dakota
Labor Day Weekend, 2017


For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Caytlyn Brooke



Caytlyn Brooke lives in a small town in the Southern Tier of New York. From a young age, she has crafted stories about fairies and monsters in the woods with the hope that someday she could share her imagination with readers all over the world. Caytlyn lives with her husband, son, and orange tabby cat who is only slightly overweight. Caytlyn is also a huge movie buff and enjoys trivia and is always ready for a challenge.

Meet Caytlyn Brooke
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Rapid City, South Dakota
Labor Day Weekend, 2017

For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Patricia Reding


Multi-award winning author Patricia Reding leads a double life. By day, she practices law. By night, she writes fantasy. She lives on an island on the Mississippi with her husband and youngest daughter (her son and oldest daughter having already flown the nest), and Flynn Rider (an English Cream Golden Retriever). From there she seeks to create a world in which she can be in two places at once.

Meet Patricia Reding and other authors at Great American Book Festival

Rapid City, South Dakota Labor Day Weekend, 2017

For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Hayley Rose

Meet Hayley Rose and other authors at Great American Book Festival Rapid City, South Dakota Labor Day Weekend, 2017





Hayley Rose is a diehard chocoholic and when not promoting her award-winning, #1 best-selling children’s books, she is out in search of the best indie coffee houses to feed her vanilla brevé addiction. To find out more visit HayleyRose.com

For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Natalie Allison

Meet Natalie Allison
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Rapid City, South Dakota
Labor Day Weekend, 2017




Natalie Allison grew up in a house full of books. Her world—and her imagination—became infused with the wonder and mystery of places like Middle Earth, Narnia, Valdemar, and Pern. An early love of reading led to an early love of writing, and she wrote her very first novel at the tender age of eight. She's been building worlds with words ever since, and her stories have entertained readers from all over the globe. Now she lives with her adoring husband, a son who's a genius, and a dog who's determined to save the world from mushrooms, kittens, frogs, and other nefarious creatures.

Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Pamela Hartley


Meet Pamela Hartley
and other authors at
Great American Book Festival
Rapid City, South Dakota
Labor Day Weekend, 2017

For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info

Pamela began writing at the age of 5 constructing her first book from cardboard and crayons. Although her masterpiece never made the NY Times, her love for captivating stories continued into her 30+ years as an educator. In addition to The Seasons of a Giant, she’s authored two books, Dough For It (recipes for slime, gook, and glop), and The Dirty Thirty: 30 Science Experiments to Try in the Tub.

Pamela is a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching which afforded her a visit to the White House to meet the First Lady, Laura Bush, and to scratch the First Dog, Barney!

Who's Coming? Meet Author Dorothea Jensen at Great American Book Festival!

Meet Dorothea Jensen and other authors at the Great American Book Festival 

in Rapid City, South Dakota over the Labor Day Weekend, 2017!


For Event Schedule & More Information Visit GABfest.info




Dorothea Jensen majored in English (Carleton College), mastered in Education (UNM), mothered 3, and is grandmothering 6 boys. She has written two award-winning MG historical novels, THE RIDDLE OF PENNCROFT FARM (Harcourt), and A BUSS FROM LAFAYETTE (BQB). With another former teacher, she has authored a BUSS teacher's guide (BQB) Her other works include illustrated modern Christmas stories in verse about some of Santa's high tech elves. These have all won various honors and awards. Besides being a writer, Dorothea is an experienced actress/singer who played many G&S contralto and mezzo roles etc. (She usually lost the hero to the soprano.)