No matter what season, there is often no pastime more pleasant than curling up with a good book. However, this fall, readers will have the chance to not only read their favorite authors, but also to meet them as well. The eleventh annual Fox Cities Book Festival is happening from October 8 to 14 at venues all across the Fox Cities and continues in its mission to connect readers and writers. This year’s festival has something for everyone, including panel discussions, craft presentations, workshops, and author events in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. There are even special events for the kids or for the entire family to enjoy together. There will be some familiar faces at the festival, including Carolyn Porter, author of Marcel’s Letters: A Font and the Search for One Man’s Fate, who will be there to talk about her award-winning book recounting her obsessive quest for answers about Marcel Heuzé, the World War II forced laborer whose handwriting inspired the font. She’ll be speaking on October 8 at 1:30 pm and 6:30 pm, at the Kaukauna Public Library and Gerard H. Van Hoof Memorial Library, respectively. Larry Scheckel will also be presenting at Fox Cities Book Festival. Author of four books, his most recent title, I Wondered About That, Too: 111 Questions and Answers about Science and Other Stuff, is a sequel to his widely popular book I Always Wondered About That and releases on November 1. During the Fox Cities Book Festival, Larry will be presenting his live Sensational Science…

As the chilly air of winter continues to give way to spring sunshine, readers and writers from far and wide are gearing up for UntitledTown Book and Author Festival in Green Bay this April. A celebration of reading, writing, and the literary arts in general, the Festival occurs over the course of four days from April 19-22, and it has something for everyone, featuring “120 authors, 150 events, and 14 locations.” Though some of UntitledTown’s events require pre-registration or tickets due to anticipated crowds and space limitations, UntitledTown is free and open to the public. This is an experience that you won’t want to miss. Last year, UntitledTown brought in writing legends Margaret Atwood and Sherman Alexie, who came to speak at the KI Convention Center and provided an unforgettable evening. This year, the Festival’s author roster is just as exciting, featuring authors such as R.L. Stine, Roxane Gay, Christopher Moore, Lynda Barry, BJ Hollars, Dan Chaon, Michael Perry, and many more, including several from right here in Wisconsin. In order to see some of these amazing authors in person, you’ll need to register for tickets, a good number of which are free. Get your tickets now, though, as seats are filling fast! Larry Scheckel, author of I Always Wondered About That, will also be at the festival speaking. Check out the full schedule and see the featured presenters on the UntitledTown website for details. Bring the whole family, as the festival includes activities for people of all ages. There are…

As we go through our everyday lives, science is at work all around us, though many of us take little notice. Teacher, author, and presenter Larry Scheckel has made it his mission “to show that science is valuable, a worthy human pursuit, and just plain fun.” And that’s exactly what he does in his latest book I Wondered About That, Too: 111 Questions and Answers About Science and Other Stuff, which is being released on November 1 from Tumblehome Learning, Inc. The sequel to his widely popular book I Always Wondered About That, Larry’s newest book will captivate readers of all ages with answers to questions about things we’ve always pondered. In light of this upcoming release, I am excited to share my interview with Larry Scheckel for Swenson Book Development. Swenson Book Development: What is different about I Wondered About That, Too compared to your previous book? Can you give us an example of what readers can look forward to in some of the new questions or subject areas? Larry Scheckel: I Wondered About That Too: 111 Questions and Answers About Science and Other Stuff is the second in a series of three books in the Q & A format that answers questions and queries from kids and adults. Many of the questions come from students in school classrooms and the teachers pass those questions on to me. Other inquiries are sent to me by adults, either by email or contacts in social situations. I Wondered About That Too…