On Saturday and Sunday, May 15-16, noon to 6:00 p.m., LitFest Pasadena live streams panel discussions, readings, and conversations on a range of current topics and genres. Our 2021 event is the ninth presentation of the event, which has attracted hundreds of well-known writers, poets, journalists, and essayists along with thousands of literary enthusiasts. Unlike a commercial, book-selling event, LitFest has established a growing reputation as being writer-centric, conversational, and issue oriented. This year’s virtual festival will be the first time audience members can participate from coast-to-coast and beyond.
Panel discussions will include The Twists and Turns of True Crime with bestselling author and podcaster Rabia Chaudry, Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, and Pasadena’s own Chip Jacobs; Don’t Hit Repeat with Jinghuan Liu Tervalon and John Powers (film critic, NPR and Vogue) in conversation with Myles Matsuno and a screening of his First to Go: Story of the Kataoka Family documentary; Graphic Novels and Inclusivity with BOOM! Studios’s Shannon Watters, Josh Trujillo, co-writer of the new Marvel Captain America teen gay superhero, Amanda Meadows, senior editor at Oni Press, and Pamela Ribon, creator of the original comic series SLAM! and screenwriter for the feature film Moana, along with Carly Usdin, Mariah-Rose Marie, and Gary Phillips; Writing Ourselves with Jervey Tervalon, Donnell Alexander, Rachel Harper, Keenan Norris, Lisa Teasley, and Kia Penso; Untangling the Family Story with bestselling author J. Ryan Stradal, Steph Cha, Amy Meyerson, and Sergio Troncoso; Speculative Los Angeles with Denise Hamilton, Lynell George, Kathleen Kaufman, and Duane Swierczynksi; Our Culinary Table with Elisa Callow (The Urban Forager), Bill Esparza, and Val Zavala; Authors and Airwaves with Tony DuShane, Meghan Daum (The Unspeakable Podcast), and Zibby Owens (Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books); Modern Kid Lit: Writing from the Heart with Tracy Holczer, Rajani LaRocca, Dana Middleton, and Mae Respicio; Stories of the New Unionism with Mia McIver (UC-AFT), Arlene Inouye (UTLA), Carolina Miranda (Los Angeles Times Guild);Christine O’Connell (Union of Rutgers Administrators-AFT Teachers), Todd Wolfson (Rutgers AAUP-AFT), and Lindsay Zafir (Editor, The Forge); Our SoCal DNA with Ryka Aoki, Aimee Bender, Natashia Deón, Deborah Lott, Luis Rodriguez., and Michael Torres; and Publishers’ Roundtable with Rare Bird, Red Hen Press, Unnamed Press, and TSEHAI Publishing.
“Writers’ Bootcamp” sessions will provide important industry information and career-building tools for aspiring authors.
Other highlights include a reading by LA Poet Laureate Lynne Thompson, the East Pasadena Poets reading in traditional LitFest locations, the Pasadena Rose Poets reading in unusual places, Poets in Distress, Zephyr Poets, Omega Sci Fi Awards and Locavore Lit LA readers; a screening of 6th Grade Cannibals; journalist Rainesford Stauffer reading from her upcoming release An Ordinary Age: Finding Your Way in a World that Expects Exceptional; and you certainly don’t want to miss the Dark Pasadena segment coming to you from Mountain View Cemetery.
PUBLIC VIEWING: The virtual LitFest Pasadena is accessible for viewing on Saturday and Sunday, May 15-16, 2021, noon to 6 p.m. via the LitFest Pasadena Facebook page, the Light Bringer Project YouTube channel, and at www.litfestpasadena.org.
LitFest Pasadena is presented by Light Bringer Project, the Pasadena-based arts and education nonprofit, and Locavore Lit LA, the literary journal and resource for educators.
Organizers would like to thank our partners Vroman’s Bookstore, Red Hen Press and Rare Bird Press for their ongoing and loyal support.
LitFest Pasadena is made possible by the support of the City of Pasadena and the Pasadena Village Association.
