The 2026 Sacramento Book Festival will run from 10 AM to 5 PM on Sunday, April 19th. All times and details are subject to change – please check back as we get closer to the festival date.
General Schedule:
- 10:00 AM: SBF26 Opens, Panels Begin (see below), Kids Zone Opens
- 11:00 AM: Food Trucks Open
- 11:15 AM: Keynote Address – Kim Stanley Robinson (Harrison-Shepard Hall)
- 2:00 PM: YA Keynote Address – Wendelin Van Draanen (Children’s Stage in the Bruno Room)
- 3:00 PM: Food Trucks Close
- 5:00 PM: SBF26 Ends
Panels
| Harrison-Shepard Hall (Off the Main Lobby) | |
|---|---|
| 10:15-11:00 | Title: Meet Cute: Romance Moderator: Jessica Cline 1. Anna J. Stewart, The McKenna Code Series, Hawaiian Reunions Series and more 2. Brenda Novak, The Summer That Changed Everything and more 3. Sheryl Lister, No Reservations and more 4. Chance Christopher, One Step Over the Line with Bella Liddell and more |
| 11:15-12:00 | Keynote Speaker Kim Stanley Robinson The Power of Literature In General and Science Fiction in Particular Mars Trilogy, The Ministry for the Future, and more |
| 12:15-1:00 | Title: Yes, Chef? Moderator: Luci Petlack, Editor of Luci’s Morsels 1. Rogelio Garcia, Convivir 2. Georgeanne Brennan, Pistachio: Savory & Sweet Recipes Inspired by World Cuisines and more 3. Marisa Churchill, Top Chef contestant, Secrets, Spells, and Chocolate |
| 1:15-2:00 | Title:They’ll be there for you: Writing characters that readers want as friends What makes a fictional character feel like someone you’d actually want to hang out with? Join Gail Carriger and Gigi Pandian for a lively, craft-focused conversation about writing human and fantasy characters that feel like real companions. From humor and kindness to flaws and found family, these two beloved genre authors will explore how warmth, voice, and emotional trust turn protagonists into friends that readers miss long after the final page. Interviewer: Michelle Chouinard, Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco mysteries 1. Gail Carriger, The Parasol Protectorate series, Tinkered Stars series, and more 2. Gigi Pandian, The Secret Staircase mysteries, The Accidental Alchemist mysteries, and more |
| 2:15-3:00 | Title: Thrill Ride Moderator: Robin Burcell, Sam and Remi Fargo Adventures with Clive Cussler and more 1. Allison Brennan, Make It Out Alive and more 2. James Rollins, Trust No One and more 3. Faye Snowden, A Killing Rain and more 4. Elle Marr, The Lie She Wears and more |
| 3:15-4:00 | Title: Other Worlds: Fantasy & SciFi Moderator: Michele Drier, The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles and more 1. Andrea Stewart, The Hollow Covenant Trilogy and The Drowning Empire Trilogy 2. Michael R. Johnston, The Remembrance War series3. Jason Denzel, The Mystic Trilogy 4. M.D. Neu, A New World series, Haunted Hearts series, and more |
| 4:15-5:00 | Title: “I see London, I see France”: Traveling the World Through Historical Fiction Moderator: Vanitha Sankaran, Watermark: A Novel of the Middle Ages 1. Edie Cay, The Ladies’ Alpine Society series and more 2. C.V. Lee, The De Carteret Chronicles, Legacy of Rebels series 3. Anne M. Beggs, The Dahlquin series 4. Linda Ulleseit, The River Remembers and more |
| Freedom Lounge (Down the hall, past the Main Hall) | |
|---|---|
| 10:30-11:15 | Title: Things That Go Bump in Your Book: Horror Moderator: Mark Steensland, The Black Magic Murders, Behind the Bookcase, The Special, Jakob’s Wife 1. Collin Armstrong, Polybius 2. Joshua Millican, Dopefoot, Teleportasm, Chopping Mall: The Novelization 3. G. Allen Wilbanks, Dead Town series, On Dangerous Grounds series, and more 4. Bitter Karella, Moonflow, Midnight Pals |
| 11:30-12:15 | Title: Making the Personal Universal Discussion leader: Akemi Johnson, Night in the American Village: Women in the Shadow of the U.S. Military Bases in Okinawa 1. Meredith May, My Hive, The Honey Bus, and more 2. Eirinie Carson, The Dead Are Gods, Bloodfire, Baby 3. KathyLynne Marshall, Finding Grammie’s Secrets and more 4. Joan Griffin, Force of Nature |
| 12:30-1:15 | Title: Home Grown: SacTown Authors Moderator: Beth Ruyak, TV and Radio Journalist 1. Brianna Heath, Robbie McNeil’s Hit List 2. Rachel L. Ertassi, Turn of the Tide 3. Archana Maniar, Dry Spells 4. Sharon Fujimoto-Johnson, Shell Song |
| 1:30-2:15 | Title: Not in My Backyard: Sac Murder Mysteries Discussion Leader: Simon Wood, Saving Grace and more 1. James L’Etoile, Illusion of Truth, Sins of the Father, and more 2. Cindy Sample, Laurel McKay Mysteries and Spindrift Cove Mysteries 3. Karen Phillips, Rocky Nelson Boxing Mysteries 4. Kathleen Asay, Curiosity Kills and Flint House |
| 2:30-3:15 | Title: Historical Fiction: Strong Women Throughout Time Discussion Leader: Shelley Blanton-Stroud, An Unlikely Prospect and more 1. Jasmin ‘Iolani Hakes, The Pohaku 2. Claire M. Johnson, Fog City Noir Mysteries and more 3. Vanitha Sankaran, Watermark: A Novel of the Middle Ages and more |
| 3:30-4:15 | Title: It’s My Job: How Different Professions Make Great Detectives Discussion Leader:Jennifer K. Morita, Ghosts of Waikiki 1. Claire Booth, Sheriff Hank Worth Mysteries 2. Terry Shames, Samuel Craddock Mysteries, Jessie Madison Thrillers and more 3. Cindy Fazzi, Domingo the Bounty Hunter series and more 4. Richard Meredith, Maskirovka, The Crow’s Nest, and more |
| 4:30-5:00 | Title: Caplit Performance |
| Children’s Stage (Bruno Room, at the back of the venue) | |
|---|---|
| 10:20-10:50 | Children’s book author: JaNay Brown-Wood, Imani’s Moon Children’s book author: Erin Dealey, Squirrel Draws Big Feelings |
| 11:00-11:30 | Children’s book author: Theresa Saechao Rother, Three Sister and the Black Snake Children’s book author: Sharon Fujimoto-Johnson, The Mochi Makers |
| 11:40-12:10 | Children’s book author: Crystel Patterson, One Flip, Two Flip, Three Flip, Four Children’s book author: Kimberly Gordon Biddle, As You Are: A Hope for Black Sons |
| 12:20-12:50 | Children’s book author: Courtney Cino, Arlo Needs Your Help Children’s book author: Joanna Rowland, The Memory Box: A Book about Grief |
| 1:00-1:45 | Title: Fiction for Young (and not so young) Adults Moderator: Wendelin Van Draanen, The Peach Rebellion and more 1. Alex Brown, Rest in Peaches and more 2. Ambika Vohra, The Sticky Note Manifesto of Aisha Agarwal 3. Lio Min, The L.O.V.E. Club, Beating Heart Baby and more 4. V.S. Lawrence, Chalupacabra Y2K and more |
| 2:00-2:45 | YA Keynote Speaker Wendelin Van Draanen What the Peach Can Teach! How Nature, Nurture, and Knowledge Can Sweeten Our World In this engaging keynote, international award-winning and best-selling author Wendelin Van Draanen shares the fascinating research and takeaways that went into creating her Beatty award-winning novel THE PEACH REBELLION. Set in the Central Valley of California in 1947, the story brings together three young women from vastly different backgrounds who must learn to understand each other and work together to save a family. Full of heart and humor, this talk centers on the healing power of compassion and community. |
| 3:00-3:45 | Title: Finding Your Place: Middle Grade Fiction Moderator: Crystel Patterson, Inspired To Be… Series 1. Laura Atkins & Stan Yogi, Bringing the Beach Home and more 2. Lisa Moor Ramée, A Good Kind of Trouble and more 3. Lisa Frenkel Riddiough, Elvis and the World As It Stands and more 4. Lisa Schmid, Ollie Oxley and the Ghost and Hart & Souls |
| 4:00-4:45 | Title: Mysteries of Middle Grade Moderator: Wendelin Van Draanen, Sammy Keyes Mysteries and more 1. Penny Warner, The Code Busters Club Mysteries and more 2. Karen McCoy, The Etiquette of Voles 3. Linda Joy Singleton, The Curious Cat Spy Club Mysteries and more |
Street Reads
For the second year running, we’re welcoming our local authors in our Street Reads canopy, just outside at the front of the building. Stop by and catch these 5 minute reads from the thrilling variety of writers here in the greater Sacramento region – mystery, fantasy, memoirs, romance, sci-fi, literary fiction, historical, poetry, and much more.