New England publishers join Burlington Book Festival

The Independent Book Publishers of New England (IPNE) will play a larger role this year in the Burlington Book Festival, the annual event that attracts book lovers from throughout the Northeast.

This year's event takes place September 12 - 14 in Vermont's queen city. Listings of the attractions, visiting authors, and schedule of events are being posted on the book-festival site at burlingtonbookfestival.com.

This year, IPNE will host a booth that will remain open all day Saturday, September 13 (the main day of festival activities) at Fletcher Free Library, one of the festival's major venues. More than 20 independent publishers will participate by displaying some of their new and featured titles, with copies for sale to the public. A number of authors will appear at the booth at scheduled times for informal readings and signings,

In addition, IPNE will host a panel discussion at the library, focusing on the importance of the thousands of small independent presses that publish important books which would be overlooked by the major corporate publishers. The panel will consist of several publishers and a few of their better-known authors. Some of these authors have also published with the major publishing houses, and will talk about why they have also found it important to work with small independent presses. This year's panel will be made up of the following:

• Steve Carlson, publisher, Upper Access, Inc., Book Publishers, Hinesburg, Vermont (moderator)
  
• Tom Slayton, author, Searching for Thoreau, published by Images from the Past, Bennington, Vermont
  
• Tim Brookes, author of numerous books including Signs of Life, published by Upper Access
  
• Tordis Ilg Isselhardt, publisher, Images from the Past
• Sandra Phillips, author and co-publisher, TravelSmart Books, Montreal, Quebec
  
• Dick Mansfield, publisher, Vitesse Press, Montpelier, Vermont
• Pam Fenner, author and publisher, Michaelmas Press, Amesbury, Massachusetts
  
• Jack Crowl, publisher, Thistle Hill Publications, North Pomfret, Vermont
  
• Jean Boggio, author and publisher, Colerith Press, Belmont, Maine

The schedule of author appearances at the IPNE booth is as follows:

10:30 A.M. - Tom Slayton signing Searching for Thoreau: On the Trails and Shores of Wild New England
12:30 P.M. - Tim Brookes signing his classic book, Signs of Life: A Memoir of Dying and Discovery
1:00 P.M. - Heidi Hill signing Fit Family: The Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Years
1:30 P.M. - Sandra Phillips & Stan Posner signing Drive I-95 and Smart Shopping Montreal
2:00 P.M. - Matthys Levy signing Why the Wind Blows: A History of Weather and Global Warming
2:30 P.M. - Jean Boggio signing Stolen Fields: A Story of Eminent Domain and the Death of the American Dream
3:00 P.M. - Nora Caron signing Journey to the Heart
3:30 P.M. - Margaret Jones signing Not of My Making: Bullying, Scapegoating, and Misconduct in Churches
4:00 P.M. - Erica Ferencik signing her novel Cracks in the Foundation
4:30 P.M. - Henri de Marne signing About the House with Henri de Marne

Last year's panel drew a large audience, including prospective authors, critics, and book lovers interested in the small-press movement. We expect a similar draw this year, as we will again have a terrific panel of authors and publishers.

Although the bestseller lists are dominated by books from a handful of huge corporations, America also has a thriving independent publishing industry. More than 83,000 U.S. publishers create over 400,000 new titles each year. Small independent presses play a crucial role in the marketplace of ideas, information, and literature. They launch the careers of new authors, explore new ideas, and call attention to new social concerns. They publish books they believe in, not just those expected to sell in large numbers. Many independent publishers are dedicated to specific niches—publishing books that are extremely important to specific cultures, beliefs, pastimes, and professions. If you are interested in the vibrant small-press movement, we hope you'll visit our booth, meet some of our authors, and attend the panel discussion.

Additional information is posted on the IPNE site. Information about the book festival as a whole can be found at the Burlington Book Festival site.