Liz Warren at the Payson Book Festival – Payson

Liz Warren: Liz Warren, a fourth-generation Arizonan, is the director and one of the founders of the South Mountain Community College Storytelling Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. Her textbook, The Oral Tradition Today: An Introduction to the Art of Storytelling is used at colleges around the nation. Her recorded version of The Story of the Grail received a Parents’ Choice Recommended Award and a Storytelling World Award. She serves as storytelling coach for Gannett’s nationwide Storytellers Project. Arizona Humanities recently awarded her the Dan Shilling Award as the 2018 Humanities Public Scholar.

This year’s family-friendly book festival has tons of activities for kids and families. Authors from throughout the state will sign and sell fiction and non-fiction books of many genres. “Buckshot Dot” will share her original western poetry and songs. Other presenters include Liz Warren, fourth-generation Arizonan and nationally known storyteller, who will spin tales, YA author Janette Rallison, Science Fiction author J.L. Doty, author and screenwriter Tom Morrissey and APW author Patricia Brooks. Kids can meet the Cat in the Hat and Story Monster at storytime sessions.

Arizona authors will sign books and visit with readers. Visitors can enjoy a full schedule of presentations and entertainment. Some authors will speak about their books and the writing craft. Children will enjoy a storytime session with the Cat in the Hat and Story Monster who will be available for photos throughout the day. Janette Rallison will present her work to teens. More than 20 authors of young adult (YA) and children’s books are participating at this festival.