(TIML FOOD 4 THOUGHT) Beginning June 8, literary supporters will be able to indulge in a series of diverse panels that’ll highlight books and passages essential to everyday life. The Bronx Book Festival‘s series of events, scheduled to take place at Fordham Plaza & Fordham University, features authors from different genres gathering in one area to discuss publishing, mental health in writing, and young adult novels.

Take a look at the festival’s schedule below and register for the free event here.

FORDHAM PLAZA MAIN STAGE SCHEDULE
REGISTRATION 8:30 AM – 9: 30 AM

Panel: Publishing Debunked
Time: 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
Location: Fordham Plaza Main Stage
Panelists: Norma Perez-Hernandez (Assistant Editor at Kensington), Joshunda Sanders (I Can Write The World), Queressa Robinson (Literary Agent at Nelson Literary Agency), Alexis Daria (Take the Lead)
Moderator: Saraciea J. Fennell, founder of The Bronx is Reading
Description: Join editors, agents, and authors from the Bronx as they debunk the publishing industry for Bronxites.
Signing: 11:45 AM – 12:15 PM

Panel: Indie Power Hour
Time: 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
Location: Fordham Plaza Main Stage
Description: Join three Bronx-based indie authors as they read from their current works. Readers include Joshunda Sanders (I Can Write The World), Josue Caceres (Bronx Stories & Heartbreak), Yajaira Eduardo (If at First You Don’t Succeed)

Panel: Seeds & Roots: Community (re)Building in Fiction
Time: 1:00 PM – 1:45 PM
Location: Fordham Plaza Main Stage
Panelists: Wayétu Moore (She Would Be King), K Arsenault Rivera (The Phoenix Empress), Darnell L. Moore (No Ashes in the Fire)
Moderator: Stephanie Jimenez (They Could Have Named Her Anything)
Description: How do we reconcile the injustices of our world with our fears, hopes, and dreams? The notion of planting seeds and putting down roots constantly emerges in fiction but which themes require a new perspective and which themes are everlasting? Writers will come together to talk about how their work exposes the ways that we build community – whether through heartbreak and healing in relationships, spiritual awakening, or retelling the births of our nations.
Signing: 1:45 PM – 2:15 PM

Panel: Monsters and Transformation in SFF
Time: 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM
Location: Fordham Plaza Main Stage
Panelists: Wayétu Moore (She Would Be King), Tochi Onyebuchi (Riot Baby), Katharine Duckett (Miranda in Milan), K Arsenault Rivera (The Phoenix Empress)
Moderator: Ruoxi Chen, Assistant Editor at Tor.com Publishing
Description: From the creature from the Black Lagoon to Dracula, monsters have been a core part of science fiction & fantasy since the inception of the genre. But what makes a monster? Is it magic, science-gone-wrong, or something else entirely? What transforms something—or someone—into a terrifying entity? Is it possible that one person’s monster is another person’s miracle? Join authors Tochi Onyebuchi (Riot Baby and War Girls), Katharine Duckett (Miranda in Milan), K. Arsenault Rivera (The Tiger’s Daughter), and Wayétu Moore (She Who Would Be King) as they discuss all things monstrous—and geek out over their favorite monsters from SFF literature. Moderated by Ruoxi Chen, part of Tor.com Publishing editorial staff.
Signing: 2:45 PM – 3:15 PM

Panel: Romance 101
Time: 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Location: Fordham Plaza Main Stage
Panelists: Adriana Herrera (American Dreamer), Alexis Daria (Take the Lead), Tia Williams (The Perfect Find)
Moderator: Norma Perez-Hernandez, Assistant Editor at Kensington
Description: Why love? Writers discuss why they’re drawn to stories of love and romance, particularly in a political climate of hate and violence. How do writers let their guards down so that their characters and their readers experience the ups and downs of love?
Signing: 3:45 PM – 4:15 PM

Panel: Your Block, My Block: Setting the Stage in Literature
Time: 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM
Location: Fordham Plaza Main Stage
Panelists: Richie Narvarro (Hipster Death Rattle), Sarina Prabasi (The Coffeehouse Resistance: Brewing Hope in Desperate Times), Lisa Ko (The Leavers)
Moderator: Angie Cruz (Dominicana)
Description: The “city” is often synonymous with Manhattan, 42nd Street, Herald Square. But what other spaces in NYC open up new conceptions of what it means to survive and thrive in “the city that never sleeps.” Writers will convene to discuss the significance of essential city moments in their works. What are some of the joys and challenges of writing about NYC? What do authors fear they may get wrong? What are the payoffs of getting it right? How does setting connect readers to the works’ fictional characters?
Signing: 5:45 AM – 6:15 PM

2. FORDHAM PLAZA YOUNG READERS STAGE SCHEDULE
REGISTRATION 8:30 AM – 9: 30 AM

Time: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Location: Young Readers Stage
Activity Hour / Scholastic Giveaways & Photo Op w/ Dog Man

Time: 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Location: Young Readers Stage
Author/Illustrator: Alvin Arby (Gross Greg)
Description: Join Alvin Arby, founder and Chief Reading Inspirer of Barbershop Books, and winner of the National Book Foundation Innovations in Reading Prize as he reads from his picture book Gross Greg.
Signing: 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM

Time: 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Location: Young Readers Stage
Author/Illustrator: Sulma Arzu-Brown (Bad Hair Does Not Exist/Pelo Malo No Existe)
Description: Join Bronx-based Garifuna author, Sulma Arzu-Brown as she reads from her picture book Bad Hair Does Not Exist/Pelo Malo No Existe in English and in Spanish.
Signing: 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Time: 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Location: Young Readers Stage
Author/Illustrator: Anika Aldamuy Denise (Planting Stories / Sembrando Historias)
Description: Join Anika Aldamuy Denise as she reads from her picture book Planting Stories in English and in Spanish.
Signing: 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Panel: Battle of the Cartoonist
Time: 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM
Location: Young Readers Stage
Panelists: Booki Vivat (Frazzled #3), Kristen Gudsnuk (Making Friends), Jerry Craft (New Kid), Mike Cavallaro (Nico Bravo and the Hound of Hades)
Description: Join illustrators and cartoonists as they team up and battle it out to see which cartoonist is the best.
Signing: 12:15 PM – 12:45 PM

Time: 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM
Location: Young Readers Stage
Activity Hour / Scholastic Giveaways & Photo Op w/ Dog Man

Panel: Las Musas Presents: Expanding The Face of Latinx Kid Lit
Time: 1:00 PM – 1:45 PM
Location: Fordham Plaza Young Readers Stage
Panelists: Emma Otheguy (Silver Meadows), Sulma Arzu-Brown (Bad Hair Does Not Exist/Pelo Malo No Existe), Mia Garcia (The Resolutions)
Moderator: Torrey Maldonado (Tight)
Description: The Latinx community spans over 52 million people in the US alone, but in 2017 only 5.8% of the children’s books published featured Latinx characters. Las Musas was formed as a way to uplift debut Latinx voices writing in the fields of picture book, middle grade and YA. Join these authors as they discuss their voice, Latinx literature, and what’s next.
Signing: 1:45 PM – 2:15 PM

Panel: I Got This: Believing in Yourself and Overcoming Adversity
Time: 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM
Location: Fordham Plaza Young Readers Stage
Panelists: Kristen Gudsnuk (Making Friends), Booki Vivat (Frazzled#3: Minor Incidents and Absolute Uncertainties), Jerry Craft (New Kid), Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich (Two Naomis and Hero Next Door)
Moderator: Ellen Oh (Founder, We Need Diverse Books)
Description: Standing up for yourself, navigating new friends, and never giving up hope in yourself and others are all important aspects of growing up. The struggles of these characters are both written and illustrated for readers. Join as these authors discuss the importance of bravery, self-confidence, friendships, and more.
Signing: 2:45 PM – 3: 15 PM

Panel: Sketch, Draw, Ink, Repeat.
Time: 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Location: Fordham Plaza Young Readers Stage
Panelists: Mike Cavallaro (Nico Bravo and the Hound of Hades), George O’Connor (Hephaistos), Kristen Gudsnuk (Making Friends), Booki Vivat (Frazzled#3: Minor Incidents and Absolute Uncertainties)
Moderator: Alex Rivera, The Bronxer
Description: Join graphic novelists and illustrators as they discuss the ins and outs of graphic novel publishing, sketch techniques, and what it’s really like being an artist.
Signing: 3:45 PM – 4:15 PM

Panel: Journeys That Change Us
Time: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
Location: Fordham Plaza Young Readers Stage
Panelists: Kheryn Callender (Hurricane Child), Torrey Maldonado (Tight), Carlos Hernandez (Sal & Gabi Break The Universe), Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich (Two Naomis)
Moderator: Natasha Diaz (Color Me In)
Description: The characters in these middle-grade books are embarking on journeys filled with new challenges, tough choices, and even harder obstacles whether fantastical or realistic. Join as as these authors discuss their latest books and their own journeys.
Signing: 4:45 PM – 5:15 PM

3. FORDHAM UNIVERSITY YOUNG ADULT STAGE SCHEDULE
REGISTRATION 8:30 AM – 9: 30 AM

MORNING KEYNOTE
Time: 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM
Location: Fordham University Young Adult Stage
Speaker: To Be Announced
Signing: 10:45 AM – 11:15 AM

Panel: Swoon Reads Presents: Finding Your Voice in Contemporary YA
Time: 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
Location: Fordham University Young Adult Stage
Panelists: Kristina Forest (I Wanna Be Where You Are), Claire Kann (If It Makes You Happy), Colleen AF Venable (Kiss Number 8), Sandy Hall (A Prom to Remember)
Moderator: Ashley Woodfolk
Description: Sometimes the hardest part of writing is nailing the many facets of a novel’s voice. In this panel, four contemporary YA authors discuss the best ways to discover and create a realistic teen experience through dialogue, narration, and a character’s most intimate thoughts. From small town stardom, to a series of messy kisses, to teen milestones (like prom and unforgettable road trips), these authors are experts at bringing their characters to life on the page.
Signing: 11:45 AM – 12:15 PM

Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Location: Fordham University Young Adult Stage
Activity Hour / NIKE Sponsored event

AFTERNOON KEYNOTE
Time: 1:00 PM – 1:45 PM
Location: Fordham University Young Adult Stage
Speaker: Lilliam Rivera (Dealing in Dreams)
Description: Lilliam Rivera will be in conversation with Founder, Saraciea J. Fennell
Signing: 1:45 PM – 2:20 PM

Panel: #SquadGoals: Radical Friendships, Love and Belonging
Time: 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM
Location: Fordham University Young Adult Stage
Panelists: Mia Garcia (The Resolutions), Nic Stone (Odd One Out), Justin A. Reynolds (Opposite of Always), Kheryn Callender (This Kind of an Epic Love Story), Claire Kann (If It Makes You Happy)
Moderator: Mark Oshiro (Anger is a Gift)
Description: In these YA novels, writing and reading about intimacy and friendship for marginalized communities is a radical act. Join as the authors, discuss how love, friendship, and belonging are so clearly intertwined during some of the most tumultuous years of teens’ lives.
Signing: 2:45 PM – 3: 15 PM

Panel: Reclaiming Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Imagining New Worlds
Time: 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Location: Fordham University Young Adult Stage
Panelists: Tochi Onyebuchi (Crown of Thunder), Ellen Oh (A Thousand Beginnings and Endings), K Arsenault Rivera (The Phoenix Empress)
Moderator: Kat Cho (Wicked Fox)
Description: While the space of young adult fantasy and science-fiction has long been dominated by predominantly white authors, there has been an incredible shift thanks to diverse voices being lifted up. In this panel, you’ll meet some of the amazing authors who are reclaiming the genres and infusing them with their own cultures that create new, exciting, and magical worlds.
Signing: 3:45 PM – 4:15 PM

Panel: Mapping Mental Health
Time: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
Location: Fordham University Young Adult Stage
Panelists: Mark Oshiro (Anger is a Gift), Emily X. R. Pan (The Astonishing Color of After), Erika Sanchez (I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter), Ashley Woodfolk (The Beauty that Remains),
Moderator: Alex Villasante (The Grief Keeper)
Description: Grief and trauma affect us all in ways we might never have imagined, appearing in ways that can be confusing to pin down. So what does it mean to put it on the page? From depression and anxiety to panic attacks and suicide, these writers pen characters that work their way through, and live with, experiences still shrouded in stigma. Join them as they discuss how their approach to writing about mental health and honoring their characters’ journeys with it confronts that stigma.
Signing: 4:45 PM – 5:15 PM

Panel: #ItsComplicated: Tackling Social & Family Issues in YA
Time: 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM
Location: Fordham University Young Adult Stage
Panelists: Sara Farizan (Here I Stay), Alex Villasante (The Grief Keeper), Tiffany D. Jackson (Monday’s Not Coming, Let Me Hear a Rhyme), Nic Stone (Dear Martin, Odd One Out)
Moderator: Kay Blake, Founder of Bookish Brown Girls
Description: These young adult novels tackle the complexities of social and familial issues of diverse teens. From the quickly-evolving gentrification of neighborhoods, to the lack of attention to missing Black girls, and Islamophobia. Join as these three authors discuss the teen protagonists in their novels and the issues they, and real teens of color, face.
Signing: 5:45 PM – 6:15 PM

Time: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Location: Fordham University Young Adult Stage
Activity Hour / NIKE Sponsored event