The Marblehead Festival of Arts Literary Festival promises an eclectic lineup of events and opportunities for literature enthusiasts of all ages. The festivities, organized by Abbot Public Library Executive Director Kim Grad and a team of volunteers, kick off on the Fourth of July and continue through July 7, featuring a diverse array of authors, workshops and interactive sessions.
“I had worked with the Literary Festival last year, but joined late in the process and I wanted to see the project through from start to finish this year,” Grad told the Current. “I also saw this as a great opportunity to introduce the community to the newly renovated Abbot Public Library.”
The festival begins with a special celebration honoring the winners of the Literary Contest at 28 Mugford St. at 1 p.m. Attendees can expect readings from winning works across adult and student categories in fiction, nonfiction and poetry.
From July 5 to 7, the Abbot Public Library, 235 Pleasant St. will host an array of literary talent.
“Our first priority was to engage with local authors,” Grad explained. Notable exceptions include New York Times bestselling author and Marblehead resident Hank Phillippi Ryan, winner of five Agatha Awards, and Kristy Woodson Harvey, author of Southern fiction. They were introduced through Grad’s husband, literary agent Doug Grad.
Throughout the festival, authors will share their works and personal journeys through book talks, readings, workshops, conversations, interviews, demonstrations, storytime and crafts. Highlights include poets Enzo Surin, an award-winning, Haitian-born poet, author and social advocate, and January O’Neil, a former Massachusetts Poetry Festival director and an acclaimed author of several poetry collections.
Author talks and conversations feature National Book Award winner Julia Glass and New York Times bestselling historian and novelist Katherine Howe — both Marblehead residents — and moderated by journalism veteran Susan Walker. Picture book author and Marblehead resident Cynthia Platt will lead a storytime.
Aspiring writers can hone their craft through workshop experiences. Young adult author Laurie Stolarz, known for her bestselling “Blue is for Nightmares” series, will discuss how to begin a novel. Creative writing professor and poet Kevin Carey will talk about crafting first-person narratives in middle-grade fiction. Picture book author and Khan Academy contributor Cynthia Platt will lead an interactive read-aloud and craft session.
David Roper, a best-selling author from Marblehead, will share his publishing journey and expertise. Marblehead resident Phyllis Karas, co-author of “Brutal: The Untold Story of My Life Inside Whitey Bulger’s Irish Mob,” will discuss collaboration with literary agent Doug Grad. Poet, professor and Marblehead resident Claire Keyes will lead interviews on nonfiction writing trends and memoirs.
Grad highlighted the festival’s diversity across topics, genres and participants.
“A diverse range of voices and perspectives offers the opportunity to provide ‘mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors’ for readers, a concept attributed to children’s literature researcher Rudine Sims Bishop,” she said. “Books are mirrors when readers see their own lives reflected in the pages. Books are windows when they allow readers a view of lives and stories that are different from their own. Books become sliding glass doors when readers feel transported into the world of the story and when they feel empathy for the characters.”
While most featured authors have ties to Marblehead or the North Shore, the festival will welcome writers from across the country. Acclaimed young adult and adult author Carolyn Mackler, known for her award-winning novels like “The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things,” will discuss the art of intergenerational storytelling.
“Carolyn adeptly writes for a wide range of readers,” said Grad. “I recently read ‘The Wife App’ and was instantly charmed.”
Picture book illustrator E.B. Goodale will lead a workshop on the creative process. New York Times bestselling author and Marblehead resident Eric Jay Dolin will share a gripping tale of shipwreck and survival featured in his narrative nonfiction book “Rebels at Sea.”
Organizing the festival presented challenges, but Grad expressed gratitude for the smooth online submission process for the literary contest, made possible by Roj Cowles and the technical support team. She also thanked committee members for their assistance in managing contest entries and coordinating with authors.
Judges for the 2024 Marblehead Festival of Arts Literary Contest — which Grad said received approximately 125 entries —include:
— Bianca Hezekiah, teen librarian at Abbot Public Library, who judged all youth entries.
— Rachael Meneades, head of technical services at Abbot Public Library, who judged all adult fiction entries.
— Regina Robbins Flynn, who judged all adult nonfiction entries.
— Jennifer Martelli, who judged all adult poetry entries.
“The Literary Festival relies heavily on volunteers, and I’m especially grateful for Literary Committee members and Marblehead residents Joanne McElhenney, Claire Keyes and Kate Anslinger, who came together to help me make the arrangements for the festival,” Grad said.
She added, “I hope that attendees find inspiration through attending the author talks, workshops, and interviews, and that they discover some new favorite books in the process.”
To learn more, visit: marbleheadfestival.org/literary-events.
