Texas Book Festival

Texas Book Festival Connecting authors and readers since 1995. November 14–15, 2026
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Announcing Dallas-based multidisciplinary artist Temi Coker (.coker) as the 2026 Texas Book Festival poster artist! His ...
06/10/2026

Announcing Dallas-based multidisciplinary artist Temi Coker (.coker) as the 2026 Texas Book Festival poster artist! His artwork, “Between Here and There,” is the official 2026 Festival poster image.

Every year, selects an artist with a strong Texas affiliation whose work reflects the spirit of the Festival, an annual celebration of imagination, creativity, community, and diverse artistic expression. Past artists include Sarah Wilson, Zeke Peña, Jon Flaming, Clemente Guzman, Julie Speed, Keith Carter, and many others throughout the Festival’s 30-year history.

Merchandise featuring the 2026 Festival poster image will be available for purchase at the Festival, November 14–15, 2026, and online. TBF Chief Operations Officer Dalia Azim () interviewed Coker about his work and what it means to be the 2026 Festival poster artist.

🔗 Read the interview at the link in our bio.

Announcing Patrick Radden Keefe as the final speaker headlining the 2026 Texas Book Festival First Edition Literary Gala...
06/09/2026

Announcing Patrick Radden Keefe as the final speaker headlining the 2026 Texas Book Festival First Edition Literary Gala!

This news rounds out our incredible cast of gala headliners, including Kate DiCamillo and Colson Whitehead.

Keefe joins us with his latest harrowing tale of crime and deceit, London Falling: “A spellbinding account of a family devastated by the sudden death of their nineteen-year-old son, only to discover that he had created a secret life which drew him into the dangerous criminal underworld that lies beneath London’s glittering surface.” - Penguin Random House

Patrick Radden Keefe is a staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of The New York Times bestsellers “Empire of Pain” (winner of the 2021 Baillie Gifford Prize), “Rogues”, and “Say Nothing,” which received the National Book Critics Circle Award and was named one of the Twenty Best Books of the 21st Century by The New York Times Book Review. His work has been recognized by a Guggenheim Fellowship, the National Magazine Award for Feature Writing and the Orwell Prize for Political Writing. He served as an Executive Producer on the award-winning FX series “Say Nothing,” based on his book. He is also the creator and host of the eight-part podcast “Wind of Change,” about the strange convergence of Cold War espionage and heavy metal music, which The Guardian and Entertainment Weekly named the #1 podcast of 2020.

With our full Gala author lineup now announced, we hope you will join us for what promises to be an unforgettable evening celebrating books, ideas, and community.

🔗 Purchase tickets, tables, and sponsorships at the link in our bio.

Thanks to your generosity, proceeds from the Gala support:
🆓 Free access to the Festival for 45,000+ attendees
🧒 Visits from award-winning children’s authors to Title I schools statewide
📚 Free books in the hands of more than 16,000 Texas students
💸 $150,000 in grants to Texas public libraries
🖊️ Free year-round literary programming

P.S. Not attending the Gala? Don’t worry, you can see Keefe at the 2026 Texas Book Festival to be held in downtown Austin on November 14–15.

🎉 Announcing the 2026 Texas Writer Awardee: David Bowles ()! 🖊️Each year, Texas Book Festival presents the prestigious T...
06/03/2026

🎉 Announcing the 2026 Texas Writer Awardee: David Bowles ()! 🖊️

Each year, Texas Book Festival presents the prestigious Texas Writer Award to a Texas writer who has profoundly contributed to the state’s literary canon. Nominees are evaluated on originality, literary achievement, and the impact of their body of work.

Bowles will be honored with a pair of custom-made boots, crafted by the El Paso-based artisans , during a special ceremony at the 2026 Texas Book Festival (Nov. 14–15) in downtown Austin. Festival attendees can also see Bowles during a separate Festival session for his new book, “The Hero Twins in the Realm of Fright.”

TBF Director of Youth Programs Michelle Hernandez and Literary Director Hannah Gabel interviewed Bowles about his work, relationship to Texas and the Festival, and what it means to be the 2026 Texas Writer Award recipient.

🔗 Read the interview: https://texasbookfestival.org/announcing-the-2026-texas-writer-awardee/

What’s on the other side of winning the Pulitzer Prize for fiction twice, an accolade held by just four writers? Apparen...
06/02/2026

What’s on the other side of winning the Pulitzer Prize for fiction twice, an accolade held by just four writers? Apparently, a cool machine with no intent of letting up.

Announcing acclaimed novelist Colson Whitehead as the second-revealed First Edition Literary Gala headliner and featured author at the 2026 Texas Book Festival!

🔗 Purchase tickets, tables, and sponsorships at the link in our bio.

Colson Whitehead is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twelve works of fiction and nonfiction, and is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize, for “The Nickel Boys” and “The Underground Railroad,” which also won the National Book Award. A recipient of MacArthur and Guggenheim fellowships, he lives in New York City.

He joins us with “Cool Machine,” “an exuberantly entertaining novel that brings to life 1980s New York in the magnificent final volume of his Harlem Trilogy.” - Penguin Random House

“Cool Machine” has been named a most anticipated book by The New York Times, The New Yorker, TIME, Vulture, Today.com, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, LitHub, and Bookriot.

The First Edition Literary Gala brings together readers, writers, and book lovers from across Texas for an unforgettable evening of conversation, connection, and community in support of the Texas Book Festival’s mission to connect authors and readers through the power of books.

Thanks to your generosity, proceeds from the Gala fund:
🆓 Free access to the Festival for 45,000+ attendees
🧒 Visits from award-winning children’s authors to Title I schools statewide
📚 Free books in the hands of more than 16,000 Texas students
💸 $150,000 in grants to Texas public libraries
🖊️ Free year-round literary programming

The books and stories we share thanks to your generous support spark imagination and help keep access to literature in Texas free for all. Secure your spot at this can’t-miss event and join us in our efforts to build a strong and sustainable literary community today.

🔗 Purchase tickets, tables, and sponsorships at the link in our bio.

We’re back with another game of Guess the Gala Headliner! Think you can guess today’s speaker? 🤔

He’s a two-time winner...
06/02/2026

We’re back with another game of Guess the Gala Headliner! Think you can guess today’s speaker? 🤔

He’s a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, a winner of the National Book Award, and got his start writing for “The Village Voice.”

Stick around. We’ll unveil the author at 4 PM! 🕜

Dear friends,B***o Libro Press, a new imprint from  and , is open for submissions!📚Debut writers of literary fiction who...
06/01/2026

Dear friends,

B***o Libro Press, a new imprint from and , is open for submissions!

📚Debut writers of literary fiction who have not published a book and have Texas ties should submit their manuscripts of lengths between 40,000 and 110,000 words anonymously through the link between June 1 and June 30, 2026, 11:59 PM CST.

🔗 https://texasbookfestival.org/burrolibropress/

📚Please note that we received such a wonderful response to the public announcement and press release about the imprint launch that we will cap manuscript submissions at the first 500.

📚 At Texas Book Festival 2026 on November 14th and 15th, a small team from Texas Book Festival, Deep Vellum Publishing, Letterpress PLAY, and Tejemos Foundation will announce the five finalists live during the Festival. In addition, the Texas Book Festival team will send an email to all authors who have submitted their manuscripts on November 15th announcing the five finalists.

📚 Finally, before January 31, 2027 those five finalists will be narrowed down to one author whose book will be published as the inaugural B***o Libro Press title.

📚Public announcement and the printing process begin on February 1, 2027 and the book will be released at the 2027 Texas Book Festival.

We look forward to reading your stories!

 and  invite you to a special in-person edition of the Texas Book Club featuring “We Burn Daylight” author Bret Anthony ...
05/27/2026

and invite you to a special in-person edition of the Texas Book Club featuring “We Burn Daylight” author Bret Anthony Johnston and “Texas Monthly” Editor-in-Chief Ross McCammon.

Readers can join us on Tuesday, June 16, at 6 p.m. at The Frances Modern Inn (1123 E. 11th Street, Austin, TX). Books will be for sale thanks to . will present a special cocktail and menu. Plus, stick around after the conversation, when Bret will sign books. See you there!

🔗 RSVP at the link in our bio. 

“We Burn Daylight” is a harrowing and heartfelt historical fiction novel about a fictional cult inspired by the 1993 Waco siege.

Announcing Kate DiCamillo as the first-to-be-announced Gala speaker and 2026 Texas Book Festival featured author!Kate Di...
05/26/2026

Announcing Kate DiCamillo as the first-to-be-announced Gala speaker and 2026 Texas Book Festival featured author!

Kate DiCamillo is the author of many award-winning books, including the 2000 children’s novel “Because of Winn-Dixie,” and a two-time Newbery Medal winner, as well as a National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Emerita. She has written popular chapter books about a pig named Mercy Watson, and unlikely friends, Orris & Timble. “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane”, which will be featured at TBF in November, is celebrating its 20th anniversary, was an instant “New York Times” bestseller, and was the winner of the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award. Kate lives and writes in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but she spent much of her childhood in Florida.

The First Edition Literary Gala brings together the creative and eclectic Texas literary community for a celebration of books and reading in support of Texas Book Festival’s mission – connecting authors and readers through experiences that celebrate the culture of literacy, ideas, and imagination.

🔗 Purchase tickets, tables, and sponsorships at the link in our bio.

Thanks to your generosity, proceeds from the Gala fund:
🆓 Free access to the Festival for 45,000+ attendees
🧒 Visits from award-winning children’s authors to Title I schools statewide
📚 Free books in the hands of more than 16,000 Texas students
💸 $150,000 in grants to Texas public libraries
🖊️ Free year-round literary programming

Because of you, wonderful books and stories are shared, imaginations are sparked, and access to literature remains free and open to all! Secure your spot at this can’t-miss event and join us in our efforts to build a strong and sustainable literary community today.

Announcing Kate DiCamillo as the first-to-be-announced Gala speaker and 2026 Texas Book Festival featured author!Kate Di...
05/26/2026

Announcing Kate DiCamillo as the first-to-be-announced Gala speaker and 2026 Texas Book Festival featured author!

Kate DiCamillo is the author of many award-winning books, including the 2000 children’s novel “Because of Winn-Dixie,” and a two-time Newbery Medal winner, as well as a National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Emerita. She has written popular chapter books about a pig named Mercy Watson, and unlikely friends, Orris & Timble. “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane,” which will be featured at TBF in November, is celebrating its 20th anniversary, was an instant “New York Times” bestseller, and was the winner of the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award. Kate lives and writes in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but she spent much of her childhood in Florida.

The First Edition Literary Gala, to be held on Friday, November 13 at the Fairmont Austin, brings together the creative and eclectic Texas literary community for a celebration of books and reading in support of Texas Book Festival’s mission – connecting authors and readers through experiences that celebrate the culture of literacy, ideas, and imagination.

🔗 Purchase tickets, tables, and sponsorships at the link in our bio.

Thanks to your generosity, proceeds from the Gala fund:
🆓 Free access to the Festival for 45,000+ attendees
🧒 Visits from award-winning children’s authors to Title I schools statewide
📚 Free books in the hands of more than 16,000 Texas students
💸 $150,000 in grants to Texas public libraries
🖊️ Free year-round literary programming

Because of you, wonderful books and stories are shared, imaginations are sparked, and access to literature remains free and open to all! Secure your spot at this can’t-miss event and join us in our efforts to build a strong and sustainable literary community today.

Guess who? 🤔Over the next three weeks, we’re announcing the three incredible, award-winning speakers headlining the Texa...
05/26/2026

Guess who? 🤔

Over the next three weeks, we’re announcing the three incredible, award-winning speakers headlining the Texas Book Festival First Edition Literary Gala, to be held on Friday, November 13 at the Fairmont Austin.

And guess what? These names DOUBLE as the first slate of 2026 Texas Book Festival featured author announcements! It’s a double whammy. 💥

Think you can guess today’s speaker? She’s a two-time Newbery Medal Award winner, a national ambassador for young people’s literature emerita, and the author of the popular children’s book “Because of Winn-Dixie.”

Stick around. We’ll unveil our first headliner at 4 p.m.! 🕜

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Austin, TX

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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