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Our board contributes their talents to organize, plan and host the festival. Our Board Kelly Ronayne TREASURER Peter Stipe GRANT WRITER Susan Williamson MEMBER AT LARGE Sophia Rossen DIGITAL SPECIALIST Dr. Kathleen P. Decker POETRY LIASON Juanita Graham COMMUNICATIONS Jennie Kelly PRESIDENT Sarah Brandt SECRETARY Bob Archibald VICE PRESIDENT

Our volunteers are essential to our success. Consider helping out! Volunteer The Williamsburg Book Festival is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating authors, books, and the joy of reading. Our festival thrives because of the dedication and generosity of our volunteers, whose time and talents make this event possible each year. From planning and setup to welcoming guests and supporting authors, our volunteers play an essential role in creating a memorable experience for everyone who attends. Please click on the below if you are interested in volunteering with us! Fill out this form

Thank you for applying You will be notified if you are accepted or waitlisted by December 1st 2026. Have Questions? Contact Us.

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 Bill Ayres Nicole Glover A.D. Stone Larry Walsh Patricia Bradby Moore N.M. Opperman Ginny Brock Michael Eging Laura C.Rader Elizabeth Duncan-Hawker Jenn Bouchard Sonny Hudson Michael Gryboski Patsy Asuncion Leslie Eva Tayloe Cindy L. Freeman Loralee Clark Teresa Inge Sally Stiles Robert Archibald D. L. Farrar Ron Peterson, Jr Ellen Butler Tim Holland Melissa Face Thomas Guay Thomas M. Wing Chris Register Bradley Harper T.S. Arther Mark Piggott Christy Landers Tallamy John Conlee Luz Schweig William R Hogan Catherine Clark Felts Tabitha Mann Sarah Newland Hugh Lessig Patti Gaustad Procopi Cindy Chisholm Juanita P. Graham Heather Buchanan Jess Renae Sherer Jim Meisner Jr. Heidi Hartwiger Peter Stipe Chris Whitlatch Lesley O'Brien S.J. Lee Tommy Kerper Michael Stephens Nan Carlton L.E. DeLano Leslie Lautenslager Alicia Swain Heather Brown Barrett Jacqueline T. Johnson Aminta Colón Heather Mullaly Randy Ellefson J.S. Furlong S.K. Ehra Elaine Honeycutt

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

Explore our services and get in touch Our Services 01. Digital Marketing Campaigns This service helps clients develop targeted digital marketing strategies to increase their online presence and reach their ideal audience. It includes campaign planning, content creation, and performance tracking. The service is designed to generate leads and convert prospects into customers through effective online advertising. Perfect for businesses seeking to expand their digital footprint. Show more 02. Content Strategy Development This service provides tailored content planning to align with your brand goals and audience interests. It covers content calendar creation, theme identification, and channel optimization. The goal is to attract and engage potential customers, turning visitors into loyal followers. Ideal for enhancing brand visibility and audience engagement. Show more 03. Lead Capture Optimization This service focuses on designing and implementing effective lead capture mechanisms across your website and landing pages. It includes form creation, call-to-action placement, and analytics setup. The purpose is to collect high-quality leads that can be nurtured into customers, supporting your sales funnel growth. Show more

Contact the Williamsburg Book Festival with any questions or concerns. Contact Us Submit Thank you! We will get back to you as soon as possible!

< Back Randy Ellefson Author and world building strategist Randy Ellefson has been world building since the 1980s, having worked on a single world (Llurien) for decades, while also building separate worlds for other projects. Rand has won honorable mention three times in the prestigious Writers of the Future contest and publishes fantasy novels, novellas, and short stories. His series, The Art of World Building, has reached the Top 10 on Amazon's Bestseller lists. He's also host of the Fantasy & Sci-Fi Author Summit. Between selling at conventions, he also appears on podcasts for writers. He holds a Bachelors of Music, Magna cum Laude, in classical guitar, and runs his own record label, which has released five of his albums (three instrumental rock, one instrumental acoustic, and one classical guitar album). His metal band, Black Halo, is releasing its debut album in 2026, with Rand as guitarist, main songwriter/lyricist, and band manager. Rand works as a professional software architect/project manager in the Washington, D.C. area and has worked for the State Department, White House, and NASA among others. When not creating, he's playing with his son and daughter, golfing, skiing, or swimming. Next

Information regarding our 2025 Festival. Find out what to expect and look forward to. What Can I Expect at the Event? Book Fair 70+ Nationally & regionally renowned authors Thriller, Poetry, Self-Help, Children's Books, Romance, Fantasy, Horror, Sci-fi, Mystery & more! Publishers' Alley Virginia publishing companies display their books and host their authors and editors. For the aspiring author, submission guidelines will be available for each publishing house. Poets Laureate of Virginia A special presentation from the Poetry Society of Virginia. Workshops & Presentations Workshops, panels, and presentations take place throughout the day. Focused on both readers and writers, the workshops and presentations illuminate library resources for book clubs, the craft of writing, the music of poetry, and the mechanics of the book industry.

Share your writing and enter for a chance to win a cash prize. Student Writing Contest 2026 Winners: Middle School Poetry 1st - Twanae Simpson - "Childhood" 2nd - Casey Campbell - "Ocean Eyes" 3rd - Ailee Lewis - "The Memory Tree" Non-Fiction 1st - Caitlyn Schoolfield - "Glittering Gemstones" 2nd - Abigail Smart - "A Queen who Changed the World" Fiction 1st - Emilia Yu - "Eden" 2nd - William Lelegren - "There Goes Mathew!" 3rd - Natalee Duplain - "My Snow Filled Heart" High School Poetry 1st - Levi Roggero - "Elegy of the Deep" 2nd - Rhema Erebholo - "Of Passion and Color" 3rd - Ashlie Chamberliss - "In the Mirror" Non-Fiction 1st - Louise Wang - "New Horizons" 2nd - Cailyn Jiao - "Without Silence" 3rd - Ainsley Asbury - "Setbacks to Setups" Fiction 1st - Levi Roggero - "Nightfall" 2nd - Charlotte Gariepy - "Farewell" 3rd - Anna Cook - "Secret Society for Human Salvation" College Poetry 1st - Rex Farr - "Myosotis Blues" 2nd.- Naomi Linde - "Sublime" 3rd - "Sadie Wallander - "Idlewild" Non-Fiction 1st - Lucy Loudon - "Family Recipes" SEND SPONSORED BY

< Back Lesley O'Brien Lesley O’Brien is an English American writer, adventurer, sailor, and ailurophile. An accomplished neuroscientist, Lesley has extensive scientific publications as well as an illustrated children's book series. Lesley was born and raised in England but has spent her last 25 years in North American. When not sailing the Chesapeake Bay, or writing stories inspired by her cat Marco, Lesley is finding new mountains to climb. Lesley is a lover of long horizons and salty air, and a proponent of reinventing oneself whenever the conveyor belt of life is no longer in service. Next