If you attended the UCLA Extension Writers Faire last month, you might have noticed the plucky young woman at the West Hollywood Book Fair booth on the mall, eagerly telling attendees that this year’s fair is “going to be awesome!” And she’s not kidding. What’s more fabulous than West Hollywood? How about West Hollywood with books? Don’t miss the 9th Annual West Hollywood Book Fair coming up Sunday, September 26, 2010 from 10am – 6pm, at the West Hollywood Park at 647 N. San Vicente Blvd.

Haunted houses, a ghost storytelling tent, interactive activities throughout the day, readings, 300+ special guest authors and performers; that’s just a preview of what will be offered at this year’s Fair. What’s extra cool this year? How about an H.P Lovecraft live action role playing game? According to that plucky girl at the booth, fair organizer Roz Helfand, there will be fire involved. A lot. And a ghost story about a succubus only beat back by reggae music? I don’t know about you, but I’m intrigued. Do you defy driving in LA and believe in the sanctity of your bike? The Bicycle Kitchen’s “Library Ride” to the Fair gives you a reason to bust out the bike and spend your Sunday getting involved. Even my cousin has a booth at the fair. C’mon, now you have to go.

Fifteen stages, 150 exhibitors, 300 authors and artists, and over 30,000 attendees make up the West Hollywood Book Fair. This year, many Writers’ Program instructors past and present are prominently featured. To name a few; instructor Gayle Brandeis will be reading from her new young adult novel My Life with the Lincolns from 11:00 – 11:10am at the Teen Stage, followed by a signing at the Once Upon a Time Teen Booth. Instructor Eduardo Santiago will moderate the panel “Risky Biz-ness: Fiction that Celebrates and Satirizes the Entertainment Industry” at the Fiction Pavilion from 10:30 – 11:30am. Francesca Lia Block, instructor and author of the Weetzie Bat Series, will speak at the “Other Worlds, Other Realms: Why YA Fantasy Has a Grip on us All!” panel from 10:50 – 11:50am at the Fantasy/Scifi/Horror Pavilion.

Be sure to come by and say Hi to advisors at our booth # E38! We’ll be in good company as other exhibitors include the Bodhi Tree Bookstore; Book Soup; The Comic Bug; Dark Delicacies Books; 826LA; The Groundlings; Independent Writers of Southern California (IWOSC); Mystery Writers of America, Southern California Chapter; Pen Center USA; Sisters in Crime, LA; West Hollywood Library; Write Girl and more!

For the full schedule and more information, please check out westhollywoodbookfair.org/ You can also view the fun little West Hollywood Book Fair PSA 2010 (with a fuzzy puppet!) here.

Sara Bond is the Program Assistant for Creative Writing (Online) and Events.

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