♪

♪

>> Renee: THE 40TH ANNUAL

KENTUCKY BOOK FESTIVAL RETURNS

TO LEXINGTON THIS NOVEMBER WITH

EVENTS SCHEDULED THE FIRST WEEK

AND A SATURDAY EVENT THAT

FEATURES 140 AUTHORS.

WE HAVE GOT THREE OF THEM HERE

WITH US.

SILAS HOUSE, GWENDA BOND, JULIAN

THOMAS.

THAT'S NOW ON "CONNECTIONS"!

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR

"CONNECTIONS" TODAY.

I'M RENEE SHAW.

THE KENTUCKY BOOK FESTIVAL IS A

PROGRAM OF THE KENTUCKY

HUMANITIES THAT CELEBRATES

LITERARY LUMINARYS AND THEIR

WORK AND BRINGS IN TOP-TIER

WRITERS FROM ACROSS THE NATION

TO SECT REARS AND PROVIDE NEW

OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT

WRITING.

IT IS THE FIRST AND LARGEST BOOK

FESTIVAL THAT THIS YEAR, WILL

FEATURE A MIX OF VIRTUAL AND

IN-PERSON EVENTS OVER THE COURSE

OF THE WEEK BEGINNING NOVEMBER

1.

AND WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE WITH US,

THREE KENTUCKY LITERARY GIANT,

SILAS HOUSE, NATIONAL BEST

SELLING AUTHOR WITH SIX BOOKS.

FORMER COMMENTATOR FOR NPR ALL

THINGS CONSIDERED AND MEMBER OF

THE FICTION FACULTY AT THE

SPAULDING SCHOOL OF CREATIVE

WRITING.

GWENDA BOND, SHE WORKED FOR

STATE GOVERNMENT FOR 17 YEARS.

BY DAY, BUT BY NIGHT, SHE

DREAMED OF BECOMING A WRITER AND

AN AUTHOR AND TODAY, GWENDA BOND

IS A BEST-SELLING AUTHOR FROM

ROM-COM TO YOUNG ADULT FICTION

TO THE FIRST OFFICIAL STRANGER

THINGS NOVEL.

SHE WRITES WITH STRONG FEMALE

CHARACTERS AND ONE IS HERSELF.

AND JOINING US BY SKYPE IS

JULIAN THOMAS, AN AUTHOR WHOSE

SPECIALTY IS GRAPHIC NOVELS AND

RECENTLY CREATED HIS OWN

PUBLISHING HOUSE THIS TEACHER

AUTHOR AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR

FROM LEXINGTON GOT HIS START

PRINTING AND PASSING OUT PACKETS

OF POEMS HE AUTHORED TO HIS

FELLOW MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS.

THE FORMER RAPPER GAVE UP THAT

PURSUIT A FEW YEAR AGO TO CREATE

A GRAPHIC NOVEL AND WE'RE SO

GLAD TO HAVE ALL OF YOU WITH US.

SOME OF NEW PERSON AND EVEN

SKYPE.

WE USE THE TECHNOLOGY.

SO, SILAS, I WANT TO START WITH

YOU TALKING ABOUT THE BOOK

FESTIVAL.

WHY IS THIS SO SIGNIFICANT, CAN

IN THE WAY IT BRINGS ALL --

TOGETHER ALL OF THESE GREAT

LITERARY GIANTS?

>> WELL, I THINK THAT WE'RE

REALLY LUCKY IN KENTUCKY TO HAVE

SUCH A GREAT COMMUNITY.

NOT ALL PLACES HAVE THAT.

WE REALLY ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER.

IT IS SUCH A GENEROUS COMMUNITY.

WE REALLY LIKE EACH OTHER, YOU

KNOW.

AND SO IT IS SORT OF LIKE A

FAMILY REUNION EVERY TO SEE EACH

OTHER AT THE BOOK FESTIVAL.

AND ALSO, I HAVE BEEN DOING IT

FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS AND THEY ARE

STILL NOT ONLY THE WRITERS BUT

THE PEOPLE -- THE READERS WHO

HAVE COME, THEY HAVE BEEN COMING

FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND SO YOU

KNOW, YOU GET TO KNOW THEM TOO.

SO I JUST LOVE THAT REUNION FEEL

TO IT.

IT FEELS REALLY DOWN HOME.

IT FEELS VERY KENTUCKY.

AND YOU KNOW, THERE WAS NOTHING

BETTER TO ME THAN BEING IN A

ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE WHO LOVE

BOOKS.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> AND FOR THE READERS TO BE

ABLE TO MEET FOLKS LIKE YOU AND

GWENDA AND JULIAN.

PEOPLE THEY READ AND LEARN FROM

AND INSPIRED BY.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BIG TREAT FOR

THEM AS WELL.

>> WELL, ESPECIALLY AFTER WHAT,

TWO YEARS, OF NOT REALLY BEING

ABLE TO SEE EACH OTHER, READERS

AND WRITERS, AND I MEAN, MOST

WRITERS I KNOW ARE PRETTY INTRO

VERTED EXCEPT WHEN IT COMES TO

OUR READERS.

I THINK MOST OF US REALLY WANT

TO SEE THEM.

AND SO I LOVE THAT ASPECT OF IT.

>> GWENDA, FOR YOU, I MENTIONED

THAT YOU HAD A LONG CAREER IN

STATE GOVERNMENT AND TO MAKE

THIS LEAP AND TO THE LITERARY

WORLD, BUT YOU SEEM OF BE DOING

REALLY WELL, LITERALLY REALLY

WELL.

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> I GET TO DO MY DREAM JOB.

AND I LIKED MY JOB BEFORE.

SO I REALLY HAVE NO COMPLAINTS.

>> YOU WERE A COMMUNICATIONS

SPECIALIST SO THIS WAS KIND OF

YOUR JAM.

YOU RIGHT?

I MEAN, YOU COULD PAR LAY, EVEN

THOUGH YOU CAN'T DO FANTASY WHEN

IT IS WORKING STATE GOVERNMENT

AND COMMUNICATING FACTS.

>> SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY THAT.

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> SO HOW LIKE FREE DO YOU FEEL

NOW, AND DOES THAT REALLY -- DO

YOU CHANNEL THAT INTO YOUR

WRITING?

>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.

AND I DO HAVE THE BLUE HAIR NOW

WHICH I SAY THIS REMINDS ME

EVERY MORNING WHEN I GET UP THAT

I GET TO DO WRITING FOR A LIVING

NOW.

DON'T HAVE TO HAVE LIKE, SERIOUS

STATE GOVERNMENT HAIR.

AND, I DO FEEL VERY FREE.

AND AS SILAS SAYS, WE HAVE THIS

GREAT COMMUNITY HERE AND I'VE

BEEN FREED UP TO HELP TO TRY TO

BUILD ON THAT LITERARY COMMUNITY

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S

REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.

SO, I WANT US ALL TO BE

SUCCESSFUL.

>> YEAH.

>> KENTUCKY IS WHERE IT IS AT.

>> ABSOLUTELY, NO DOUBT ABOUT

IT.

>> AND YOU TWO OFFER -- DO YOU

ALL TALK ABOUT LIKE, YOUR

PERSPECTIVES AND HOW YOU

APPROACH AND TRY TO PRESENT

SERVE CULTURE, AND, YOU KNOW,

ALL OF THAT KIND OF THING?

>> WE'RE FROM NEIGHBORING

COUNTIES.

>> AND COULDN'T WRITE MORE

DIFFERENT THINGS I THINK.

>> THAT'S RIGHT, YEAH.

>> WHICH IS WHAT IS COOL ABOUT

IT.

APPALACHIAN STORY TELLERS CAN

TELL WHATEVER KIND OF STORIES

THEY WANT.

>> WITHOUT THE JUDGMENT, AND I

LOVE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT, YOU

KNOW, COLLABORATION.

LIKE, SOMETIMES YOU THINK PEOPLE

WOULD BE COMPETITIVE, BUT, YOU

REALLY LOOK AT THEM AS JUST LIKE

YOUR KINDRED SPIRITS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THERE IS ONLY -- YOUR CAREER IS

THE ONLY CAREER THAT YOU GET TO

HAVE.

YOU DON'T GET TO HAVE SOMEONE

ELSE'S CAREER SO BEING

COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER WRITERS

IS REALLY DOESN'T MAKE ANY

SENSE.

>> YEA JULIAN THOMAS I WANT TO G

YOU IN.

YOU HAVE THIS NOVEL CALLED

"BLACK HEART."

AND IT IS LIKE, BAM, IN YOUR

FACE!

I MEAN, IT IS SO COLORFUL AND SO

VIVID AND I'M JUST CURIOUS

ABOUT, I KNOW YOU USED TO BE

INTO, ALL CALL AT THIS TIME

PERFORMING ARTS OF RAPPING AND

THAT'S A LOT OF CREATIVITY THERE

TOO.

BUT, THIS IS WHAT YOU TRADED IT

IN ON.

TELL US ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHY

THIS WAS YOUR NEXT STEP, AND,

THE VALUE YOU SEE IN GRAPHIC

NOVELS AND HOW IT REACHES

ANOTHER AUDIENCE?

>> WELL, I HAVE A LONG HISTORY

IN WRITING IN GENERAL.

BUT BEFORE I START DOING THIS,

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT RAP MUSIC.

AND, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS MORE

LIKE RHYTHMIC, IT IS STILL -- IT

IS STILL WRITING.

SO AND BEFORE I DID THAT, I

WROTE SPECULATIVE FICTION AND

SHORT STORIES AND THINGS OF THAT

NATURE SO I WAS TRAVELING THE

COUNTRY AND SEEING THE IMPACT

FIRSTHAND THAT WORDS CAN HAVE ON

PEOPLE ON MY KIND OF REACHED THE

GLASS CEILING WHERE FELT THE

MESSAGE THAT I WANT TO LEAVE,

ONCE I LEFT THIS WORLD, I DID

NOT KNOW IF RAP MUSIC

NECESSARILY WAS THE PROPER

VESSEL FOR THAT MESSAGE.

AND THAT'S NOT AN INDICTMENT OF

RAP MUSIC AT ALL.

IT IS WHERE I WAS WITH THE ART

FORM.

AND, SOMETHING I HAVE NOTICED IS

THERE IS THIS LARGE INTERSECTION

BETWEEN SEVERAL BLACK POP

INCLUDE COLOURS AND THIS GEEK

CULTURE THAT'S OVERLOOKED.

SO NOT ONLY DESTROY AN

INCLINATION TOWARD GRAPHIC

NOVELS AND AMIMAE AND MANGA, I

ALSO HAVE A BACKGROUND ON THE

OTHER SIDE OF THINGS.

SO I REALLY WANTED TO SHOW THAT

INTERSECTION AND DRAW ATTENTION

BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE

OUT THERE LIKE ME WHO GREW UP

LISTENING TO RAP MUSIC, AND,

DRESSING IN A PARTICULAR WAY,

STRAIGHT WEAR, THIS FASHION AND

THAT TYPE OF STUFF.

BUT WE DON'T OFTEN GET

OPPORTUNITIES TO EMBRACE OUR

BLACKNESS.

AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE'RE

EMBRACING OUR GEEKNESS.

SO SINCE I HAVE THE ABILITY TO

WRITE LUCKILY, I DECIDED THAT I

WOULD TRY TO BRING?

ATTENTION THERE.

>> YEAH, AND, YOU ALSO TEACH A

COMIC BOOK CREATION WORKSHOP,

RIGHT?

>> I DO.

I DO.

SO, I TEACH AT A WORKSHOP WITH A

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION CALLED

AMP, AND THE BEP WITH J CPS AT

EASTERN HIGH SCHOOL.

AND WITH SOUTHERN HIGH SCHOOL

STUDENTS OF LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY.

WHOLE THING IS ABOUT TEACHING TO

WORLD BUILD AND OUTLINE A PLOT,

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.

REALLY PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH

THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO MAKE

REACTIONS OF OUR OTHER THAN.

>> WHAT DO YOU SEE THE THEMES

THAT THEY ARE REALLY LASHING ON

TO THAT THEY WANT EXPLORE

THROUGH THIS TYPE OF MEDIUM?

>> I THINK THAT, WHAT THE

STUDENTS REACT THE BEST TO IS,

BEING IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE

THE THINGS THOUGH MAY HAVE

PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED HOBBIES OR

PAST TIMES ARE BEING TREATED AS

LEGITIMATE AVENUES TO SUCCESS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, OF

ALL AGES, REALLY REALLY LOVE

THESE MEDIUMS WITH AMIMAE, MANGA

BUT PEOPLE DON'T FEEL IT IS

SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY

GAIN A LEVEL OF STABLE TOY OR

PROVIDE FOR YOUR FAMILY WITH.

SO, TALK TO THESE STUDENTS AND

TELL THEM ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE,

AND SOME OF MY BOOKS AND

TRAVELING THE COUNTRY AND

AWESOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT I

HAVE GOTTEN, MAKES THE KIDS BE

LIKE, WHOA, I CAN ACTUALLY DO

THIS?

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT DRAWS

THEM IN.

>> SILAS HOUSE WHAT KIND OF

ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO JULIAN

THOMAS?

>> LORD.

[ LAUGHTER ]

MY BEST ADVICE IS HE'S FAR AHEAD

OF THE ADVICE THAT I COULD GIVE

WHICH IS JUST TO TELL GOOD

STORIES AND CREATE CHARACTERS.

THINK THE CHARACTER IS THE

THING.

SO, IT MAKES ME REALLY WANT TO

READ HIS BOOK BECAUSE IT SEEMS

THAT IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF IT.

>> I WANTED TO ASK YOU THAT

BECAUSE I KNOW THAT PEOPLE ASK

YOU, PROBABLY ALL THE TIME.

HOW DO THEY CHANNEL YOU, NOT

THAT.

BUT HOW DO THEY GET TO THE

ESSENCE OF WHAT IT IS THAT THEY

WANT TO SAY, AND TELL OR REVEAL?

>> WHAT I TELL EVERYBODY IS TO

READ VORACIOUSLY AND NOT WORRY

ABOUT PLOT AS MUCH US A WORRY

ABOUT CHARACTER.

MOST BEGINNING WRITERS WERE SO

MUCH ABOUT THE PLOT AND I

CERTAINLY DID THAT I FIGURED OUT

THAT I GREW OUT OF THE CHARACTER

REALLY RELEASED ME I THINK.

>> AND YOU WERE HAPPIER WITH

YOUR PRODUCT?

DID IT FLOW EASIER?

>> I'M NEVER HAPPY AND IT IS

NEVER EASY BUT I GUESS, YES, I

CAME DIFFERENTLY AND SEEMED TO

FLOW.

I DIDN'T HAVE TO WORK AS HARD

FOR IT.

BUT, I ALSO -- THE REASON I SAY

THAT IS BECAUSE I WANT TO TELL

WRITERS ESPECIALLY BEGINNING

WRITER, IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE

DIFFICULT AND HARD AND NEVER

EASIER.

DON'T -- I NEVER THINKING OF

WRITING AS FUN.

I THINK OF IT AS, IF I DON'T DO

IT, I'M REALLY MISERABLE.

>> RIGHT.

>> BUT THEN YOU'RE ALSO

MISERABLE AS YOU'RE TRYING TO

WRITE IT SORT OF.

>> OR IS IT THE DREAD OF THING

IS WORSE THAN THE DRINK YOU

DREAD?

GWENDA?

DO YOU GET CAUGHT UP IN THINKING

ABOUT HOW TO MAKE IT BE AS

PERFECT AS IT SHOULD BE THAT IT

IS ALMOST LIKE, --

>> I ACTUALLY DO HAVE ONE

WRITING.

[ LAUGHTER ]

ESPECIALLY IF I'M TELLING A FUN

STORY.

BUT, AND, HOW YOU WOULD DESCRIBE

WHAT YOU WRITE?

>> WELL SMART AND FUN REALLY

ACROSS DIFFERENT GENERAL AS WITH

STRONG WOMEN AT THE CENTER AS

YOU SAID.

I THINK THAT'S THE COMMONALTY IN

ALL OF MY WORK.

AND REALLY FOR ME, DRAFTING IS

PAINFUL SO I AGREE WITH YOU

THERE, I HATE DRAFTING, BUT I

REALLY LOVE REVISING.

>> I LOVE REVISING.

>> YEAH, AND SO TO ME, IT IS

THAT PAIN OF GETTING SOMETHING

OUT THERE THAT THEN YOU CAN FIX

AND SHAPE.

AND YOU JUST GET BETTER AT THAT

US A LEAN INTO YOUR PROCESS AND

TRUST IT.

AND, THE THING THAT I ALWAYS

TELL PEOPLE IS, TO MAKE SURE

THAT YOU'RE PUTTING ALL OF THE

YOU IN YOUR STUFF THAT YOU CAN.

BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONE THING YOU

HAVE TO OFFER THE WORLD THAT NO

OTHER STORYTELLER HAS.

>> THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

ALL THE YOU THAT YOU CAN.

I'M CURIOUS ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW,

2020 WAS A PRETTY TOUGH YEAR.

AND I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE I

SEE WRITERS AS VERY

INTROSPECTIVE, THOUGHTFUL

DELIBERATE PEOPLE WHO IN THE

INTRO VERSION, THERE IS ALSO A

LOT OF CONTEMPLATION.

>> OVERTHINKING.

>> I'M TRYING TO BE NICE.

[ LAUGHTER ]

I MEAN, SERIOUSLY SO WHAT DOES

THAT DO EITHER TO YOUR

CREATIVITY?

DOES IT ENHANCE IT BECAUSE THERE

IS SO MUCH TO BROOD OVER AND

COMMUNICATE OR, DO YOU GO EVEN

MORE INWARD.

WHAT'S THAT LIKE?

>> FOR ME THE PANDEMIC WAS

REALLY PRODUCTIVE BECAUSE, I

HAVE ALSO RESPONDED TO STRESSFUL

SITUATIONS BY WORKING

AND SO I WRITE THE BEST AT HOME.

A LOT OF PEOPLE GO ON RETREAT OR

GET A CABIN.

AND YOU KNOW, I WAS HOME ALL THE

TIME IN 2020.

SO I GOT A LOT DONE.

I FINISHED A NOVEL THAT I HAD

ALREADY STARTED AT THE BEGINNING

OF THE PANDEMIC AND WROTE

ANOTHER NOVEL DURING THE

PANDEMIC.

>> MY GOODNESS.

>> IT WAS A PRODUCTITY TIME AND

I WAS THANKFUL.

>> THE AT LEAST TIME YOU TALKED

I HAD AN ADVANCE COPY OF

SOUTHERN MOST SO THAT'S -- WAS

THAT --

>> THAT WAS 2018.

>> I CAN'T EVEN DO THE MATH ON

THAT.

I'M CURIOUS, JULIAN, FROM YOUR

PERSPECTIVE WHEN YOU THINK NOT

JUST ABOUT THE PANDEMIC, BUT

THERE WAS A LOT OF SOCIAL AND

RACIAL UNREST, IN 2020 AND HOW

THOSE EVENTS MAY HAVE SPARKED

SOME TYPE OF CREATIVE EXPRESSION

OF YOUR OWN.

THAT YOU PREVIOUSLY HAD NOT

TAPPED INTO.

>> I LOOK AT OUR ART IN GENERAL

NOT JUST WRITING.

BUT ALL ART AS A VESSEL.

THIS IS A VESSEL FOR

ENTERTAINMENT, IT COULD BE A

VESSEL FOR -- A MESSAGE OR

IDEOLOGY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT

SO, THAT'S THE WAY THAT I HAVE

VIEWED IT.

AND DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND

ESPECIALLY AFTER THE MURDER OF

BREONNA TAYLOR AND GEORGE FLOYD

AND THE OTHER THINGS GOING ON IN

THE COUNTRY, I SAW WITHIN MY

SELF AND A LOT OF MY FEARS

ARISING IN POLITICAL

CONSCIOUSNESS AND AWARENESS.

AND SO AS PEOPLE ARE STARTING

THE SAME THING THAT WE'RE JUST

SAYING ABOUT LOOKING INTO

YOURSELF AND LEAN INTO YOUR OWN

PROCESS, WRITING IS A REALLY

CATHARTIC THING THAT WE DO THE

MORE THAT YOU LEARN ABOUT

YOURSELF, I FEEL THE MORE THAT

YOU CAN ADVANCE FORWARD WITH THE

WRITING.

THE STUFF THAT I LEARN AND

STARTED READING ABOUT, THE

REALIZATIONS THAT I HAD ABOUT

THE FABRIC OF SOCIETY BROUGHT

KNOW A POINT WHERE I FELT, OKAY,

I CAN TRY TO GET OTHER PEOPLE TO

BE SAYING POINTS OF REALIZATION

THROUGH ENTERTAINMENT WHICH IS

THIS ART FORM THAT WE'RE ALL

PARTICIPATING IN.

>> IS THERE ANY TIME THAT YOU

CAN BE TOO OVERREVEALING OR TOO

SHARING OR HIDE BEHIND THE

CHARACTER AND HOPE PEOPLE DON'T

QUITE GET THAT IT IS YOU.

>>

>> MY CHARACTERS DON'T REALLY

COME FROM LIFE IN THAT WAY.

I THINK WE TEND TO PUT A LITTLE

OF OURSELVES BUT I SAY PUT

YOURSELF IN A BOOK, WHAT I MEAN

IS THE WAY THAT YOU SEE THE

WORLD.

AND THE QUIRKY IDIOSYNCRASIES

AND THE THING THAT YOU BRING

FROM THE ART THAT YOU HAVE

CONSUMED AND THE THINGS THAT YOU

LOVE AND THE EXPERIENCES THAT

YOU HAVE HAD, AND THOSE ARE THE

THINGS THAT YOU PUT IN YOUR

WORK, AND YOU USE THEM TO TELL A

FICTIONAL STORY.

BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE PEOPLE

WHO OVERSHARE.

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> AND NOT EVEN IN A LITERARY

WAY.

>> SOCIAL MEDIA ET CETERA.

[ LAUGHTER ]

I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHO WRITERS

LOOKS TO FOR THEIR INSPIRATION.

WHO DO YOU READ, SILAS AND WHO

DO YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A

GOOD WRITER RIGHT THERE.

>> WELL, THAT CHANGES ALL TIME

FOR ME.

>> THAT'S CERTAINLY THE FIRST

ONE.

MAMARLIN --

I THINK THE BOOK THAT TRANSFORM

MED THE MOST IS "THE COLOR

PURPLE" BY ALICE WALKER.

>> WHY IS THAT?

>> IT BLEW MY MIND WIDE OPEN TO

EVERYTHING.

NOT ONLY LIKE, RACE AND GENDER

AND ORIENTATION, AND CONCEPT OF

GOD BUT ALSO, WHAT YOU CAN DO

WITH THE NOVEL, EXPERIMENTALLY

AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I JUST THINK THAT'S THE BOOK

THAT JUST CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR

ME AND I LOOKED BACK TO IT AGAIN

AND AGAIN.

>> GWENDA, HOW ABOUT YOU?

>> I HATE THIS KIND OF QUESTION.

[ LAUGHTER ]

SO MANY DIFFERENT BOOKS AND

AUTHORS.

I THINK THAT I LOOK TO MY

CONTEMPORARIES LIKE THE BOOKS

THAT I'M READING THAT ARE -- I'M

ON A JURY RIGHT NOW SO I'M

READING A LOT FOR THE RAY

BRADBURY BOOK PRIZE AND A LOT OF

THE SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY

PUBLISHED ACROSS LITERARY AND IN

THE GENRES AND, JUST THERE IS SO

MUCH AMAZING WORK GOING ON TODAY

AND SO MANY VOICES THAT WE

HAVEN'T HAD IN THE PAST AND

STORIES NEW AND BEING TOLD AND I

THINK IT IS A REALLY EXCITING

TIME TO BE WRITING.

>> JULIAN, HOW ABOUT YOU.

SAME QUESTION.

WHO IS A BIG INSPIRATION TO YOU

OR WHO DO YOU LOOK TO FOR

INSPIRATION IN YOUR CRAFT?

>>

>> WHEN I'M LOOKING FOR INSPA I

OFTEN LOOK TO OTHER MEDIUMS AND

THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE DOING,

WHETHER THEY ARE PAINTERS OR

INDIVIDUAL JOYEDOGRAPHER.

I TRY FIND EXPRESSION IN OTHER

FOR THE PURPOSE.

A LOT OF TIMES STUFF MAY NOT

TRAPS LATE EXACTLY THE SAME BUT

CERTAIN TECHNIQUES OR APPROACHES

CAN BE APPLIED TO OTHER THINGS.

SO I TAKE IT FROM THERE.

AUTHORS SPECIFICALLY THAT HAVE

WON ME INSPIRATION OVER THE

YEAR, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE TO

SAY TOLKIEN, NOT NECESSARILY

BECAUSE OF HIS PROSE, NOT

AGAINST HIS PROSE BUT IT WAS

ABOUT THE LEVEL OF WORLD

BUILDING.

WHAT I'M DOING WITH "BLACK

HEART" I WANTED TO CREATE A

WORLD, ESSENTIALLY HOW SILAS WAS

SAYING EL EARLIER ABOUT

CHARACTER, YOU KNOW, FOCUS ON

THAT MORE SO THAN PLOT.

PLOT IS PROBABLY THE LAST THING

THAT I CAME UP WITH WHEN I FIRST

HAD THIS IDEA.

I SPENT TWO YEARS WORLD BUI

BUILDING, AND A LOT OF CHARACTER

DEVELOPMENT AND I GOT THAT

SPECIFICALLY FROM TOLKIEN.

AS FAR AS SOMEONE LIVING AN

AUTHOR THAT I'M A FAN OF AS FAR

AS THE SCALE OF THE STUFF THEY

WRITE AND THEIR CHOICE OF WORDS

IS AUTHOR NAME PIERCE BROWN.

HE WROTE A SCIENCE FICTION

SERIES, I KNOW WE'RE TALKING

ABOUT OUR OWN STUFF.

[ LAUGHTER ]

BUT TOLKIEN AND PIERCE BROWN MY

BIGGEST AUTHORS AND INFLUENCES.

>> WHEN WE WRAP IT, AND IT IS

NEVER ENOUGH TIME.

YOU CAN MAKE YOUR BIG PEST PITCH

FOR THE VALUE OF THE KENTUCKY

BOOK FESTIVAL, AND KENTUCKY AND

WHAT IT DOES EVEN FOR WRITERS AS

FAR AS EDIFICATION OF YOUR OWN

SPIRIT.

SILAS?

>> I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT WE

CAN UNDERSELL THE WAY IT

VALIDATES AS A WRITER TO BE A

PART OF KENTUCKY WRITING

COMMUNITY, AND, HAVE THE

KENTUCKY HUMANITIES AS DOING SO

MUCH, THE BOOK FESTIVAL IS

ALWAYS JUST CELEBRATES WRITING.

YOU KNOW, AND IN A WAY THAT

LITERATURE DOESN'T OFTEN GET

CELEBRATED THAT WAY, AND AGAIN,

I WANT TO STRESS HOW LUCKY THAT

WE ARE IN KENTUCKY TO HAVE THAT.

BECAUSE, A LOT OF PLACES DON'T

HAVE IT AND PLACES LOOK AT

KENTUCKY AND JUST, SO

ILLITERATE.

WE'RE SO RICH IN OUR LITERATURE.

>> AND I'M GLAD YOU MADE THAT

POINT THAT WE REALLY HAVE A RICH

LITERARY LANDSCAPE HERE AND IT

DEFIES ALL OF THE NEGATIVE

STEREOTYPES AND I LOVE HAVING

YOU HERE REPRESENTING APPALACHIA

AND WE HAVE OUR YOUNG

AFRICAN-AMERICANS TO SHOW THIS

IS KENTUCKY.

YOU KNOW.

WE ARE KENTUCKY.

SO, THANK YOU BOTH IN THE

STUDIO.

JULIAN, JOINING US BY SKYPE CAN.

APPRECIATE IT AND BEST OF LUCK

TO YOU ALL.

AND COMING UP WE'LL GIVE YOU

MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE KENTUCKY

BOOK FESTIVAL COMING UP THE

FIRST WEEK IN NOVEMBER WITH THE

STATE DIRECTOR OF THAT PROGRAM,

WITH THE KENTUCKY HUMANITIES.

STAY WITH US.

SARA, I CAN'T GET THE KENTUCKY

BOOK VEST.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US WITH

KENTUCKY HUMANITIES.

THE A PLEASURE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING

ME.

AND, THE FAIR FESTIVAL THING, IT

IS OKAY.

IT WAS 38 YEARS AS THE FAIR.

SO, IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE.

>> YES, AND WE ALL ARE TWO YEARS

BEHIND ANYWAY IN EVERYTHING.

SO --

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> RIGHT.

>> WE'LL GET GET IT RIGHT NEXT

YEAR RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME AND TO

HAVE THIS BACK IN LEXINGTON, AT

JOSEPH BECK BOOK SELLERS.

140 AUTHORS.

TELL US ABOUT WHAT READERS ARE

IN FOR.

>>

>> YEAH, WE'RE SO EXCITED TO

BRING THE BOOK FESTIVAL TO

JOSEPH BETH.

IT WILL BE THE ONLY EVENT OF ITS

KIND HOSTED AT A BOOK STORE SO

WHEN YOU GO INTO A BOOK STORE

AND YOU VISIT, AND YOU SEE BOOKS

THAT YOU WANT TO READ, MAYBE YOU

HAVE BURNING QUESTIONS THAT YOU

WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO ASK THE

AUTHOR.

OR YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET THE

BOOK SIGNED, WELL, AT THE BOOK

FESTIVAL CAN DO BOTH OF THOSE

THINGS.

WE'LL HAVE 140 AUTHORS.

MANY OF THEM FROM KENTUCKY, THAT

ALSO WILL HAVE AUTHORS FLY IN

FROM ACCESS CALIFORNIA DO TO

TALK ABOUT TEAR BOOK ON STAGE.

WE'LL HAVE TWO DIFFERENT AREAS

FOR PROGRAMS IN THE STORE.

AND, A LOT OF MINGLING AND TIME

FOR GETTING BOOKS SIGNED SO IT

WILL BE A REALLY FUN EVENT.

>> WELL, WE HAD THREE OF THE

AUTHORS WHO I THINK WILL BE

THERE ON THAT SATURDAY, NOVEMBER

6.

SILAS HOUSE, GWENDA BOND WHO

TALK ABOUT THEIR WORK AND

PASSION AND APPRECIATION FOR

THIS BOOK FESTIVAL THAT'S LIKE

NONE OTHER ANYWHERE ELSE, AND

YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, A LOT

OF KENTUCKY LITERARY LUMINARYS

WILL BE THERE.

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER NAMES THAT

WE MIGHT SEE EVEN OUTSIDE OF

STATE.

>> SURE.

FROM STATING SILAS, BOBBY ANNE

MASON, FRANK WALKER, KRISTA

WILKINSON WILL BE THERE.

WE'LL HAVE HW BRANDS WHO IS AN

HISTORIAN WHO LIVES IN TEXAS.

HE HAS BEEN TO THE EVENT BEFORE

AND HE'S A BIG FAVORITE SO HE

HAS TWO NEW BOOK OUT AND WE HAVE

THE EXCLUSIVE PERMISSION FROM

THE PUBLISHER TO SELL HIS BOOK

EARLY FOR A ONE DAY ONLY AT

JOSEPH BETH.

AND HE'LL BE TALKING WITH PETER

WHO IS JOURNALIST FROM POLITICO

AND WILL HAVE MAR WHO LIVES HERE

IN LEXINGTON AS WELL.

WE'LL HAVE ONE VIRTUAL PROGRAM

WITH AN AUTHOR ILLUSTRATOR

ORIGINALLY FROM VIRGINIA AND NOW

SHE LIVES IN BROOKLYN.

AND, WE'LL HAVE BOOKS FOR

EVERYONE -- EVERYONE FROM LITTLE

KIDS TO ADULTS.

SO, BRUCE CAMERON IS COMING AND

HE WRITE THESE REALLY CUTE

BOOKS, A DOG'S PURPOSE IS ONE OF

THEM, AND THEY HAVE BEEN.

YOU CAN TALK ABOUT WRITING FROM

THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE ON THE

GROUND AND HOW TO PULL THAT OFF.

>>

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> IT IS GREAT THAT YOU HAVE

SUCH WELL-KNOWN NAMES AND THOSE

RISING AS WELL.

AND I WANT YOU TO TALK ABOUT THE

FACT THAT EVEN THOUGH IT IS AT

JOSEPH BETH BOOK SELLER, THERE

IS A VIRTUAL COMPONENT SO YOU'RE

IN THIS HYBRID FORMAT.

TELL US HOW THAT WORKS.

>> YES.

IN ORDERS TO MAKE EVERYONE AS

COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE IF THEY

WANT TO PARTICIPATE, YOU CAN

CERTAINLY COME THE STORE AND BE

PART OF THE AUDIENCE.

IF YOU WOULD RATHER WATCH AT

HOME, WE'LL LIVE STREAM THE

SESSION FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER

TO T, THE WEBSITE ON THE DAY OF

THE EVENT, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO

CLICK ON WEBSITE AND SEE THESE

WATCH NOW BUTTONS FROM THE

EVENTS PAGE.

AND CLICK ON THOSE AND WATCH THE

EVENTS STREAM LIVE.

SO, THERE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT

OF A LAG TIME JUST BECAUSE

TECHNOLOGY IS NOT PERFECT.

BUT, WE'LL ARCHIVE THOSE VIDEOS

ON OUR WEBSITE AFTER THE FACT.

AND ONE AUTHOR THAT WE'RE REALLY

EXCITED TO BRING IN IS ELLEN

HELD BRANDT WHOSE BOOK GOLDEN

GIRL WAS REALLY POPULAR, AND

STILL IS.

BUT, SHE HAS THREE NEW BOOKS

COMING OUT BETWEEN NOW AND

CHRISTMAS.

AND SO SHE'LL TALK ABOUT GOLDEN

GIRL AND TALK ABOUT HER NEW

BOOK.

I THINK SHE'S WRITTEN 28 BOOKS

NOW WHICH IS MIND BLOWING.

>> YEAH.

AND THAT'S AMAZING.

AND SO, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF

WORK THAT GOES INTO THIS.

I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS AT THE

LAST BOOK FAIR, BOOK FESTIVAL,

SCOTT PELLEY WAS THERE AND I GOT

A CHANCE TO INTERVIEW HIM ABOUT

TRUTH WORTH TELLING WHICH IS A

FANTASTIC BOOK WHETHER OR NOT

YOU'RE IN THE JOURNALISM

INDUSTRY OR NOT.

IT IS REALLY GOOD READ AND WE

SHARED A FEW MINUTES ON STAGE

AND REALLY GOT TO SEE A

DIFFERENT SIDE OF THIS NEWS MAN

IN THAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT.

IT WAS AN INTIMATE SETTING AND I

KNOW YOU'RE DOING EVENTS LEADING

UP TO THE BIG BOOK FESTIVAL,

CONVERSATIONS AND COCKTAILS IS

WHAT IT IS CALLED.

YOU'VE GOT SEVERAL THINGS THAT

ARE KIND OF PRECURSORS OR MAYBE

EVEN COME AFTERWARDS.

>> RIGHT.

YES.

SO NOVEMBER 1 WE'RE KICKING

THINGS OFF WITH JAYSON REYNOLDS.

HE'S THE NATIONAL AMBASSADOR FOR

CHILDREN LITERATURE AND HE IS

SERVING A VERY RARE THIRD TERM.

I THINK THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED

BEFORE.

BUT, JAYSON HAS A NEW BOOK

COMING OUT CALLED "STUNT BOY IN

THE MEANTIME "AND HE'LL BE

TALKING ABOUT THAT IT IS A

GRAPHIC NOVEL, GREAT FOR

RELUCTANT READERS.

MAYBE KIDS HAVE TROUBLE FINDING

BOOK THOSE HOLD THEIR ATTENTION

AND GRAPHIC NOVELS ARE A GOOD

STEP INTO FALLING IN LOVE WITH

READING.

AND, JAYSON IS ALSO A VERY

INSTIRRATIONAL GUY.

HE IS JUST WONDERFUL, SO, WE'LL

KICK THINGS OFF NOVEMBER 1 WITH

HIM.

WE'LL HAVE A LITERARY LUNCHEON

WITH GWEDA MIKE A SHE'S

WONDERFUL.

>> SHE HAS A BOOK.

IT IS GREAT.

>> YES.

>> SO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE KIND

OF A BOXED LUNCH PICNIC STYLE.

DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, WE'VE HAD

TO BE PRETTY CREATIVE WITH HOW

WE'RE HOSTING IN-PERSON EVENTS

ESPECIALLY RELATED TO FOOD.

SO, WE HAVE FOUND A WAY TO DO IT

ALL SAFELY.

AND, ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT, WE'RE

GOING HAVE ANOTHER EVENT AT

JOSEPH BETH WITH MARGARET TO

CELEBRATE HER BOOK THAT JUST

CAME OUT OCTOBER 12.

WE'LL HAVE TRIVIA AT GOOD WOOD

OF LEXINGTON WHICH I BELIEVE

OPENED DURING THE PANDEMIC BUT

IT IS ALSO REALLY CLOSE TO

JOSEPH BETH SO THAT'S FUN.

AND THURSDAY NIGHT AND THAT'S

FREE.

AND RALLY YOUR FRIENDS WHO LOVE

BOOKS TO COME OUT FOR BOOK

THEMED TRIVIA.

AND THEN WITH COMMERCE

LEXINGTON, WE'LL HAVE A

SPOTLIGHT BREAKFAST ON FRIDAY

MORNING WITH JAMES HARDYMAN AND

TERRY BIRDWHISTLE DISCUSSING THE

MEMOIR ABOUT BECOMING A

SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN AND,

SATURDAY, OF COURSE, IT IS THE

BIG BOOK FESTIVAL AT JOSEPH

BETH.

>> WELL, IT IS A GREAT LINEUP

AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL

AND MY FORMER COLLEAGUE, BILL

GOODMAN WHO RUNS THE KENTUCKY

HUMANITYS.

SARA WORDS, THANK YOU.

I KNOW YOU PUT A LOT OF EFFORT

INTO THIS BOOK FESTIVAL AND

THANK YOU FOR MAKING SO IT

SUCCESSFUL AS WE KNOW IT WILL BE

THE FIRST WEEK IN NOVEMBER.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH

US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US

FOR THIS EDITION OF

"CONNECTIONS."

YOU CAN LOG ON TO OUR WEBSITE TO

SEE PROGRAMS FROM THE PAST, AT

KET.ORG/CONNECTIONS.

LISTEN TO PODCASTS AND FOLLOW ME

ON TWITTER AND OTHER SPACES AND

I'M THERE.