UntitledTown Book and Author Festival

Featuring essays by multiple writers’ perspectives on coping through Trump’s America, “Nasty Women” includes inspiring essays from a diverse group of talented women writers who seek to provide a broad look at how we got here and what we need to do to move forward. Join authors Samhita Mukhopadhyay and Kate Harding in a long discussion of how feminism and solidarity are not just changing the discussion but creating the narrative of this tremendous cultural shift.

Racial identity has always been a part of our narrative as authors -- and representation in the literary world is more important now than ever. This panel will explore how our cultural and ethnic heritage interweaves into our art and will attempt to answer the question "Am I allowed to write characters of color if I'm white?" Moderated by UWGB Christina Ortiz.

What do children of color and disabilities think as they read books rarely containing a face that mirrors their own? In this presentation, Lora Hyler discusses the importance of children of color seeing themselves reflected in the pages of a book, the vital role of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), and the #We Need Diverse Books movement in the publishing industry.

The famed Wisconsin conservative author from Milwaukee reads from his latest non-fiction political commentary book.

Reserve your free tickets here!

Author Tom McAllister will read from his latest release "How to Be Safe", with signing to follow.

This book received a starred review from Kirkus Review.


A brilliant, tragically timely second novel from the author of The Young Widower’s Handbook (2017).
FORMER TEACHER HAD MOTIVE. When this chyron rolls across the bottom of a cable news segment, Anna Crawford becomes complicit in a high school shooting. Never mind that she had nothing to do with the crime; once she’s part of the story, she’s guilty of...something. This novel is an indictment of gun culture, hot-take journalism, and social media, and if that sounds like a miserable premise for a novel, fear not: McAllister is a brave and stylish writer, and Anna is a singular creation. At first, she seems like a classic unreliable narrator, but it quickly becomes hard to decide which is crazier: Anna or the world she’s describing. As a one-time teacher and a thoroughgoing misfit—she was fired for being “unpredictable” just before the shooting—Anna is perfectly positioned to understand the shooter even as she recognizes that both his teen angst and his deadly rage are hackneyed. Once she achieves secondhand fame, she notes that the strangers who want to kill her, those who want to rape her, and those who want to do both—in that order—share the same fantasies of dominance. “In America,” she says, “we send children to school to get shot and to learn algebra and physics and history and biology and literature. Less civilized nations don’t have such an organized system for murdering their children. Mass murders in undeveloped countries occur because they are savages.” Anna doesn’t just worry about guns; she sees how misogyny, racism, xenophobia, and classism shape a society in which assault weapons are fetish objects. The horror is offset—or maybe thrown into sharp relief—by moments of mordant humor. When an evangelizing acquaintance tries to frighten Anna with images of darkness and demons and a final battle between good and evil, Anna says, “You might want to make this sound less exciting…I kind of want to not repent just so I can see the whole scene.” Then she adds, “People don’t want to be bored.”
Intensely smart. Sharply written.

In Zen Buddhism, the concept of shoshin, also known as "beginner's mind," refers to the lack of preconceptions and an attitude of openness that come with learning a new skill or subject for the first time. We're not here to talk about Buddhism, but we are here to talk about what happens when two writers expand their artistic mediums to include working with film, sound, comedy, and the visual arts. In this dialogue, writers Patricia Killelea and Monica McFawn share how moving beyond page-based writing re-introduces "beginner's mind," invigorating approaches to writing, storytelling, and lyricism.

Hear from Debbie, an American Red Cross Volunteer, and get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at why and what it took for her to write her memoir, as well as what it is really like being an American Red Cross volunteer during 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and Hurricane Sandy. In addition to these insights, you will also get to hear the story of Debbie’s close call with being in violation with the NFL and the Geneva Convention, as well as her disagreement and conversation with Mike Wallace from 60 minutes. During this session, you will have fun, learn, and be informed.

Three emerging talented writers offer a unique perspective on the power of the written word to change the status quo and bring forward camaraderie in the grace of endurance.

Information to get tickets for this event will be posted on March 20th.

Reserved seating with priority access to the author signing line are available with a $30 donation to UntitledTown per seat. To make a donation and secure your reserved seat, go here.

General Admission free seating tickets must be reserved through this link.

FAQs
Are there ID or minimum age requirements to enter the event?
We recommend that all audience members are ages 12 and over. There will be a concessions area with alcoholic beverages available to those of legal drinking age.
What are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event?
Parking is available on the street and at the Main Street parking ramp. Additional parking is available in nearby lots and at the Hyatt Regency lot for guests of the hotel.
Will I be able to have my book signed?
The author is able to sign a small number of books for approximately 45 minutes after the reading. The author will at most be able to sign 300 books during that time. This venue seats 1250 people, so we will be prioritizing the book signings to the people who have made a donation to UntitledTown for a reserved seat in the front of the venue. The author will sign as many books as she can during her singing time, but obviously will not be able to sign a book for all 1250 people in 45 minutes -- if an autograph is important to you, we highly recommend reserving a seat at the very budget friendly price of $30 per person.
What can I bring into the event?
You may bring your own books to be signed, as well as snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. There will be a concessions stand offering a variety of beverages including alcoholic cocktails, beer and wine. Additionally there will be a small number of books available for purchase from The Reader's Loft on premises but you are not required to buy a book.
Flash photography and recording is not permitted.
How can I contact the organizer with any questions?
We will be happy to answer questions through our website -- check there for answers first!
What's the refund policy?
Your full refund will be honored until 7 days prior to the event.

Society evolves through its stories -- and storytellers have long been the greatest teachers of empathy. This panel will look at ways that they incorporate and weave their work to try to make the world a better place. Moderated by UWGB's chair of women's studies Christine Smith.

By age 18, Katie Eder had founded her own nonprofit devoted children's writing. In this presentation, the Founder and Executive Director of Kids Tales describes how her organization brings creative writing workshops to 8 to 12 year old kids around the globe who do not have access to writing experiences outside of school. Katie is the youngest person on the International Literacy Association’s 2015 global 30 under 30 list of people under age 30 who are changing global literacy.

Poets are the conscience of society. In this session, learn how to connect your passion with a cause or issue to ignite empathy, compassion and understanding with the reader or listener using the creative tools of poetry. We'll discuss why fresh images create “lightning in the soul that goes beyond the brain” (to quote Susan Cheever in American Bloomsbury). We'll also discuss the marketing of your message and the audience you intend to reach.

Tickets for this event are available here at 10 am on March 20th.

One of the most vibrant poetic voices in our time, Smith takes on the big questions with verve, power, and beauty: race and identity, our bloody history and its unrelenting legacy, the erotic as liberation and muse.

Watch Danez take the stage in this vibrant video!