For the second year in a row, the Small Press Expo (SPX) is a sponsor of the National Book Festival, presented by the Library of Congress. As a part of this sponsorship, SPX is bringing Gene Luen Yang, Liza Donnelly and Bryan Lee O’Malley to the National Book Festival.
The primary goal of this sponsorship is to bring creators from the indie comics community to the National Book Festival to provide greater exposure for them and their works to the diverse audience that attends this prestigious festival. As a partner with the Library’s Center for the Book, Small Press Expo looks forward to help promoting their various literacy initiatives and events.
Gene Luen Yang is a writer of both graphic novels and comics. His book, “American Born Chinese,” was the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award and the first to win the American Library Association’s Printz Award; it also won an Eisner Award in 2007. “Boxers & Saints”, a two-volume project set during the Boxer Rebellion, was a National Book Award finalist, noted on Booklist’s Top 10 Religious Books for Youth, awarded Library Journal’s Best Book of the Year and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His latest work, The Shadow Hero, “explores the immigrant experience through the genre of superheroes.”
Gene was selected to be the first graphic novelist to be one of four authors to give a presentation at the gala event for the National Book Festival, whose attendees include National Book Festival authors, members of Congress, the Librarian of Congress Dr.James Billington, as well as other Library of Congress senior staff.
Author and cartoonist Liza Donnelly is best known for her cartoons in The New Yorker, but her work has been featured in several notable publications, such as The New York Times, The Harvard Business Review and The Nation, Forbes.com and Women’s Enews. In her newest book, “Women on Men,” a collection of cartoons and writing, she uses wit and sly humor to depict the changing relations of women and men in these modern times.
Award-winning cartoonist, writer and artist Bryan Lee O’Malley is best known for his best-selling, six-book Scott Pilgrim series which was adapted into the major motion picture “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” in 2010. O’Malley has received many accolades including the Doug Wright, Harvey, Joe Shuster and Eisner awards. In his latest graphic novel, “Seconds,” O’Malley tells the story of Katie and her magical mushrooms, a tale of existential angst, everyday obstacles, young love and ancient spirits.
The National Book Festival takes place Saturday, August 30, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C.
Gene Luen Yang will be at the Teen pavilion, signing books from 3:30- 4:30PM and presenting from 4:40-5:10PM.
Bryan Lee O’Malley will be presenting at the Graphic Novel, Science Fiction and Fantasy pavilion from 6:45-7:20 PM and signing books from 8:00-9:00PM.
Liza Donnelly will be presenting at the Graphic Novel, Science Fiction and Fantasy pavilion from 8:15-8:50 PM and signing books from 9:00-10:00PM.
