Lister to speak at Tallahassee Festival of Books and Writers Conference

Michael Lister is one of over 30 authors and agents slated to speak at the Tallahassee Festival of Books and Writers Conference in the Turnbull Conference Center on Pensacola St. March 19-20.

Lister of Wewahitchka will speak on how to keep a series character fresh. He is the author of the “Blood” series, featuring prison chaplain/detective John Jordan (“Blood of the Lamb,” “Blood Money,” “The Body and the Blood”). His second series features Jimmy “Soldier” Riley, a PI in Panama City during World War II. In addition to fiction, Lister writes two columns, “River Reading” and “Of Font and Film,” reviews of film and fiction.

His latest, Double Exposure, is a literary thriller set in the North Florida pine flats and river swamps along the Apalachicola River. His new novel, which comes out in April, is Thunder Beach, a thriller set in Panama City during the big spring bike rally. When he isn’t writing, he teaches college and operates a charity and community theater.

Other conference presenters include a Pulitzer Prize winner, a Time magazine senior correspondent, two additional New York Times best-selling authors, and a New York editor and agent.

Writers will find three different sessions to choose from throughout the day Saturday. National best-selling author Julianna Baggott will give the keynote address, and Time magazine senior correspondent Michael Grunwald will talk about the front lines of journalism today. Other speakers include Doug Alderson, Cynthia Barnett, Jessica Burkhart, Robert Olen Butler, Barbara Hamby, Claudia Hunter Johnson, Rodney Hurst, Lisa Rector-Maass, Lucia Robson, Jeff Shaara, Ginny Stibolt, Lee Williams, and Don Yaeger. 

“Writing the Breakout Novel” workshop with top New York agent Donald Maass  (an additional $125) takes place Sunday, March 21.

           A book festival, which is free and open to the public, runs concurrently with the writers conference. Burkhart will speak to young people at the festival. Magicians, a puppet show, food and craft vendors, panel discussions, and author talks are highlights.

           A complete schedule, author biographies, and conference registration forms may be found at www.tallahasseewriters.net.  Book festival events don’t require registration.