Writers in BA Guide to the Book Fair

35^th International Buenos Aires Book Fair

La Feria Internacional del Libro de Buenos Aires is coming up, April 23^rd-May 11^th.  If you’re not familiar with it, it’s a giant exposition of books, authors, readings, workshops, and a variety of random and informative booths from Mormons to anarchists …

This year there will be talks and readings by American authors Junot Díaz (Drown, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao) and Annie Proulx (Brokeback Mountain, The Shipping News).  There will also be Writers in BA members participating at various levels: María Christina Azcona will be signing her book, A Guide to Find Peace; and my writers’ group, Thursdays@Three, will be publishing a compilation, giving readings, and leading workshops on screenwriting and running a writers’ group.  Details are on the schedule below.

The Book Fair is at La Rural exhibition center, by Plaza Italia, Santa Fe & Sarmiento, on the D subte line in Palermo, also served by a gazillion buses.  The book fair is HUGE, so if you’re coming for a specific event, make sure to get there early so you have time to orient yourself and find it. You can get schedules and maps there or on-line. Day entrance passes are $10 pesos Mon-Thurs and $13 pesos Fri-Sun, and it opens at 2 p.m. and stays open until 10 p.m. (Sun-Thurs) and 11 p.m. (Fri & Sat), and until 1 a.m. Thursday, April 30^th (eve of a holiday).

For more info on the Book Fair: www.el-libro.org.ar

How to find it: http://www.el-libro.org.ar/internacional/general/como-llegar.html

Writers in Buenos Aires Book Fair Highlights: 

Friday, April 24^th:

3 & 4 p.m. Presentation and reading by Michael Casey, author of Che's Afterlife: The Legacy of an Image. U.S. Embassy stand, Yellow Pavilion, Calle 35, Stand 2023.

5 p.m. Reading by Donigan Merritt from his novel Possessed by Shadows. (same location)

6 p.m. Presentation by Michael Luongo, author of Frommer’s Buenos Aires: “Buenos Aires through the Eyes of an American Travel Writer.” (same location)

Saturday, April 25^th:

3 p.m. Readings by Maryann Ullmann & Ambi Alexander from Thursdays@Three: Expat Writers in Buenos Aires. U.S. Embassy stand, Yellow Pavilion, Calle 35, Stand 2023.

4-5 p.m. Panel: “How to Write a Screenplay" 

Location: Sala D.F. Sarmiento, White Pavilion  

Participating: Katharine Jones and Tara Sullivan  

Description: Two members of Thursdays@Three, a writing group of English speaking foreigners living in Buenos Aires, will present key points to consider when writing a screenplay.  Topics covered will include:  1. How to turn a "story" into a screenplay; 2. Screenplay structure; 3. Plot v. character driven screenplays; 4. What you want from each scene; 5. What makes dialogue work, and how you know when it doesn't. (panel led in Spanish)

6 p.m. Talk by Annie Proulx, author of “Brokeback Mountain” and The Shipping News: “Anchoring Fiction in Geography.” Sala J.C. (Julio Cortázar), Ochre Pavilion

Sunday, April 26^th:

6 p.m. Readings by Amanda Fernandez, Katharine Jones, and Tara Sullivan from Thursdays@Three: Expat Writers in Buenos Aires. U.S. Embassy stand, Yellow Pavilion, Calle 35, Stand 2023.

Tuesday, April 28^th:

6 p.m. Reading by Donigan Merritt from his novel The Common Bond. U.S. Embassy stand, Yellow Pavilion, Calle 35, Stand 2023.

Thursday, April 30^th:

7 p.m. Book signing of A Guide to Find Peace by Maria Cristina Azcona. Stand Sade, Blue Pavilion, Calle 35, Stand 331.

Friday, May 1^st

5 p.m. Readings by Amanda Fernandez and Maryann Ullmann from Thursdays@Three: Expat Writers in Buenos Aires. U.S. Embassy stand, Yellow Pavilion, Calle 35, Stand 2023.

6 p.m. Reading by Don Ranard from a forthcoming book of travel stories. (same location)

7 p.m. Readings by Tara Sullivan, Katharine Jones, and Ambi Alexander from Thursdays@Three: Expat Writers in Buenos Aires. (same location)

Saturday, May 2^nd

6 p.m. Presentation by Brian Byrnes, author of Fodor’s Argentina and Fodor’s Buenos Aires: “Travel Writing: Describing Argentina to the World.” U.S. Embassy stand, Yellow Pavilion, Calle 35, Stand 2023.

8 p.m. Talk by Junot Díaz, author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao and Drown: “From Santo Domingo to New York: the Experience of Immigrants in the United States.” Sala J.C. (Julio Cortázar), Ochre Pavilion

Tuesday, May 5^th  

4:30-5:30 p.m. Panel: "How to Form and Maintain a Writer’s Group”   

Location: Sala A. Storni, White Pavilion 

Participating: Amanda Fernandez, Katharine Jones, Tara Sullivan, Sharon Haywood, Ambi Alexander, and Maryann Ullmann 

Description: Many writers strengthen their craft by participating in writing groups, which differ in structure from the local "Taller Literario" format. Members of Thursdays@Three, a writing group of seven English-speaking foreigners living in Buenos Aires, will discuss how to form and run a peer-led writing group, including guidelines for critique, group structure, membership, and group goals. (panel led in Spanish)