Tennessee's largest literary event is underway. The 33rd annual Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word was originally scheduled Oct. 9-10 at Nashville's War Memorial Plaza, but was changed to a virtual setting due to public health concerns as COVID-19 cases soared in September.
"With COVID-19 at its worst in Tennessee than at any other point during the pandemic, causing severe stress to the Davidson County health-care system, we felt it was necessary to transition this year's festival to an online event to preserve the health and safety of our attendees, participating authors and staff," Tim Henderson, executive director of Humanities Tennessee, said in a news release at the time.
The virtual events will be streaming live at various times through Oct. 8, and all-day programming will take place Oct. 9-10. Sessions are available through HumanitiesTennessee.org and on the Southern Festival of Books Facebook page and YouTube channel.
This year's lineup features authors across a spectrum of genres, including fiction, poetry, mystery and nonfiction.
Here are some of the highlights of the virtual programming, as chosen by organizers. Note that all times are Central.
> Former Gov. Bill Haslam, author of "Faithful Presence: The Promise and Peril of Faith in the Public Square," presenting at 1:15 p.m. Oct. 10.
> Daniel de Visé, author of "King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King," presenting at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 5. This livestream will originate from the author's live appearance at the National Museum of African American Music.
> Paula McLain, author of "When the Stars Go Dark: A Novel," at noon Oct. 10.
> Rickie Lee Jones, author of "Last Chance Texaco: Chronicles of an American Troubadour," at 2:15 p.m. Oct. 9. National Public Radio music critic Ann Powers will interview the two-time Grammy award winner about this memoir, which covers Jones' life and five-decade music career.
> Nichole Perkins, author of "Sometimes I Trip on How Happy We Could Be," 4:15 p.m. Oct. 9.
> Brian Broome, author of "Punch Me Up to the Gods: A Memoir," 4:15 p.m. Oct. 9.
> Jason Reynolds, "Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism and You," 7 p.m. Oct. 7.
> Gayle Forman, author of "Frankie and Bug," 11 a.m. Oct. 6.
For a complete list of all authors and the festival schedule, visit sofestofbooks.org.