Who’s coming to the Great American Book Festival? Meet Author Joanna Jones

Joanna Jones is a recognized author, educator and consultant. Her zest for reading and life made her a remarkable teacher of history, particularly through the children’s literature she authored. Joanna taught in the Southwest before she returned to the Black Hills. She has presented on a variety of literacy topics across the United States as well as in Portugal, Scotland, New Zealand, and China.

Meet Joanna 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 Jan Cerney

After early retirement sixteen years ago from teaching, Jan began writing nonfiction books. Arcadia Publishing has published nine of her Images of America Series concentrating on South Dakota history. Even though she has not tried her hand at quilting for some time, Jan has written two novel series with quilting as the theme paired with mystery and adventure. She collects antique quilts and displays them throughout her home. Jan loves antiques and re-purposing old things! She lives on a ranch near Badlands National Park in South Dakota with her husband Bob. They have three children and six grandchildren


Meet Jan Cerney
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 Jorie Jertson

Small town mid America. That's me. Except for a few short forays into the exciting world of travel, I've lived my entire life in the Midwest. That is not to say life has been pastoral, quiet, or sweet. Far from it. I don't have to venture any distance at all it seems to find the unusual. The unusual manages to find me regularly. The wonderful world of fiction intrigues me to be sure, and a good read whets my appetite to write stories of my own invention; however, the very meaty material in my personal life's story will keep me busy for some time to come. Untold episodes crowd my mind, struggling to get out.

Meet Jorie Jertson
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 Christina M Pagés, Ph.D

Christina M Pagés, Ph.D, recipient of the 2017 Eloquent Quill Award, is a native of Kent, England, where she spent her childhood roaming the fields with her three older sisters. Lucy, her main character in Lucy in her Secret Wood, depicts the author's happiness when she was in nature. She won a publication award for her 1st poetry collection Shadow Words, and several poems in her second collection, Remember Not to Forget, were nominated for the Pushcart prize. She was the winner of California Poetry Society's 19th annual contest in 2005. Lucy in her Secret Wood is her first children's novel (August 2016) and has won 5 awards already. Her Lucy 2 -- The Woodland Adventures of Lucy and Will will be published in 2018.

Meet Christina M Pagés, Ph.D
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 Katy Newton Naas

Katy Newton Naas spends much of her free time chasing her two young boys, three dogs, four cats, and eight ducks. She is blessed to serve as youth leader in her church and teach middle school reading and language arts.

Katy is the author of many books for children and young adults, including Gold Literary Classics International Award-winner, Guardian, and Young Adult Book of the Year Award-winner, Healing Rain.

Meet Katy Newton Naas
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 BJ Sheldon

Award winning author, BJ Sheldon, lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her best friend and husband, Steven, a veteran of the US Army. She is represented by agent, Italia Gandolfo. Her hobbies include cuticle care, fighting off zombies, and traveling through space and time with a mad man in a blue box.

Meet BJ Sheldon
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 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 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

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

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