The Williamsburg Book Festival's mission is to promote and support the art of literary composition in the Williamsburg area and expose writers to the reading public. Our free event includes authors from various genres, speakers, illustrators, and publishers from Virginia and beyond. Join us on March 7th, 2026! Our annual family-friendly event brings together a dynamic mix of authors, poets, speakers, illustrators, and publishers from Virginia and beyond. The 2026 festival will be held from 10 am to 4 pm at the William & Mary School of Education, offering a full day of literary discovery and connection. At the Williamsburg Book Festival, our mission is to celebrate and support the art of literary composition while connecting authors with the reading public. Exhibit Share your stories in a vibrant literary community Experience Connect with passionate readers and uncover exciting new creative voices Support Empower authors and readers: contribute to help support the love of reading Bookmark this! The Williamsburg Book Festival has been one of my favorite events for many years. It’s the place real book-people go to mingle, learn, and read from the best Williamsburg has to offer. Perhaps what makes this festival one of the greatest is that the community comes out to support the authors and festival with warmth and energy that brings me back year after year. —Tj O’Connor, award winning author of The Hemingway Deception and The Dead Detective Casefiles Festival Flashbacks 1/1 We Ar e authors readers publishers writers dreamers creatives book lovers poets students ... Williamsburg is more than just our home. Williamsburg is where history and literature intersect. The town’s charming colonial ambiance provides the perfect backdrop for the Festival. Experience an energizing event in a place that inspires creativity and honors tradition. Up

Read more about the 70+ authors who will be exhibiting at the festival Exhibiting Authors T.J. O'Connor Caroline Crocker Sandy Hope Stewart George WB Scott Allison Gunn Taylor Hartley Karen Marginot Caterina Novelliere L.E. DeLano Leslie Lautenslager Alicia Swain Heather Brown Barrett Jacqueline T. Johnson Jenn Bouchard Sonny Hudson Michael Gryboski Patsy Asuncion Leslie Eva Tayloe Cindy L. Freeman Loralee Clark Kathryn Louise Wood Bill Ayres Nicole Glover A.D. Stone Larry Walsh Patricia Bradby Moore Bradley Harper T.S. Arther Mark Piggott Christy Landers Tallamy John Conlee Luz Schweig William R Hogan Teresa Inge Sally Stiles Robert Archibald D. L. Farrar Ron Peterson, Jr Peter Stipe Chris Whitlatch Lesley O'Brien S.J. Lee Tommy Kerper Michael Stephens Nan Carlton Catherine Clark Felts Tabitha Mann Sarah Newland Hugh Lessig Patti Gaustad Procopi

Featured Speakers Yasmin Angoe Plot Twists and Persistence: A Thriller Author’s Journey and Lessons Learned Read More Erika Howsare Stitching a Wild Story: How The Age of Deer Was Made Read More Catherine Baab Dead Broke, Deeply Weird, and Still Iconic: Why Poe Endures Read More Marni Graff Judge This Book: The Psychology and Craft of Irresistible Covers Read More

2026 Sponsors We proudly recognize our 2026 sponsors. Their generous support helps make the Williamsburg Book Festival possible.

< Back Tabitha Mann Tabitha “Tabbie” Mann, also known by her pen name Dorcas Renee, is a licensed clinical social worker, author, playwright, and local television personality. She wrote her first book, Dinosaur Brains, after studying how fear functions as the brain’s safety system. Written for children ages 6–10, the book is also used as a therapeutic tool with readers of all ages. Bitten by the writing bug, Tabbie has since written and produced ten plays and two novels exploring displacement, family, and the quest for safety: Y’all Chose This: The Diaries of Trina Pardo and Wait! What? The Decimation of Lady Liberty. She is a well-known storyteller in the DC metro area and co-hosts The Loveys Entertainment Review Show on Comcast Channel 2. Next

< Back Nicole Glover Nicole Glover is the author of the acclaimed historical fantasy series, Murder and Magic, which includes The Starseekers. Her books have received rave starred reviews for their unique blend of mystery, history, and fantasy and have been featured in NPR and local media, En Forme and the Virginian-Pilot. She's been a Library Reads pick, made the Locus bestseller list, and most recently won The Webster Award. She lives and works in Virginia plotting her next fictional murder. Next

< Back Nan Carlton Nan Carlton is an award-winning writer and illustrator of children’s books. Originally from western North Carolina, today, she and her husband divide their time between Richmond, Va. and Cape Charles, Va. Nan holds degrees in music education from Lenoir-Rhyne University and Appalachian State University. In 2024, her first two picture books, Huck, Chuck, & Bruce: At the Shore and You Can’t Judge a Bee by Its Color, were published. Next

< Back Michael Gryboski Michael Gryboski was born and raised in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. He graduated from George Mason University with a bachelor of arts and then a master's, both in history. In addition to writing fiction, Michael also writes news articles for a living. Michael would rather be correct than widely accepted. Next

< Back Tommy Kerper Once upon a time, a bored lawyer and avid reader searched for a particular book. Tired of his favorite characters becoming background noise to the heroes of the story, he took it upon himself to write something different. A few books later, Tommy has dropped the lawyer gig and decided writing full-time is worth giving a chance. He lives in Virginia with his perfect wife, their dog with endless energy, and two boys that wear even the dog out. You can find Tommy writing, sipping another cup of coffee, or reading anything he can get his hands on. Next

< Back Bradley Harper Bradley Harper MD is a retired US Army pathologist who began writing after retirement at age 63. His debut novel, A Knife in the Fog, placed a young Dr Conan Doyle on the hunt for Jack the Ripper. It was a 2019 Edgar Award Finalist and has been translated into three languages. His fourth and most recent novel, Maiden Voyage, features an art heist by a trio of female thieves... aboard the Titanic. He attended Napier University 2021-22 for a Masters in Creative Wriiing, and this was his thesis project. Next

< Back Alicia Swain Alicia Swain (she/her) is the author of Steel Slides and Yellow Walls, a feminist poetry collection published by Belle Isle Books. Her work appears in several literary magazines and journals, including Roanoke Review, Vast Chasm, The Anti-Misogyny Club, and The Closed Eye Open. Her poem “Return Me to the Womb,” published in FLARE Magazine’s first issue, has been nominated for Best of the Net 2026. Swain studied English at Penn State University and Eastern Illinois University. She can be found on her website at aliciaswain.com and on most social media platforms as @aliciamswain. Next

< Back William R Hogan William R. Hogan is a fourth-generation US Army officer with a deep and personal interest in World War II history. He is the youngest son of Samuel M. Hogan, one of the Third Armored Division’s most charismatic and successful tactical-level combat commanders in the European Theater. His worldwide service in armored, special operations, and airborne units lends a personal touch of soldierly experience to his writings. He retired from the Army after 22 years of service in the summer of 2024 after serving as the US Army representative to the French Army Staff in Paris. He is currently on the faculty at the Joint Military Attaché School in Washington DC. Next