The inaugural Arizona Author Book Festival will take place on April 27, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It will feature author talks, book signings, food trucks, live music, giveaways, free make-and-take crafts, children’s story time, and other fun activities for all ages. The Writer’s Scene exhibit tent will have vendors representing a variety of resources and services for aspiring writers.
This free, family-friendly event was created to champion literacy, spotlight Arizona authors, boost local businesses, build community, and foster autism acceptance.
The festival is a fundraising event for SEEDs for Autism, a nonprofit organization that provides a path from “learning to earning” for young adults with autism through education, vocational training, and social development; 100 percent of the money raised in sponsorship, vendor, and author application fees will benefit SEEDs programs.
“This event is a true community undertaking and will benefit so many people on so many levels,” said Jessica McCann, who volunteered to coordinate the event. “It will also be a lot of fun for everyone in attendance, including the authors.”
McCann is an award-winning historical novelist in Phoenix. Her son, an aspiring writer, is a longtime SEEDs participant. Volunteering to spearhead this event is her way of giving back to SEEDs, as well as to the reading community. It’s also a way to support fellow authors.
“The publishing industry is undergoing rapid and significant change,” McCann said. “As a result, authors in all genres – whether they’re independently or traditionally published – do a great deal of the marketing and promotional heaving lifting it takes to sell books. This festival will give Arizona authors an opportunity to be in the spotlight, spend quality time with book lovers, and be treated a bit like literary royalty. It’s going to be quite special.”
