GBF 2026 Rewind: Author Talks
Now Streaming On-Demand
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The 17th Annual Gaithersburg Book Festival delivered another powerhouse year—packed with literary heavyweights and breakout voices. And now the best of it is yours to revisit.
Whether you were racing between competing author talks, deep in a workshop or couldn’t make it this year, we’ve pulled together the moments that defined GBF 2026.
From exciting panels to intimate author conversations, these recordings reveal the stories behind the stories. Watch them anytime on the C‑SPAN Book TV, the GBF YouTube Channel or Montgomery Community Media.
Here's are the links to author talks you can watch on-demand.
Adult Authors
- Rabih Alameddine, "The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother)"
- Stefan Merrill Block, "Homeschooled"
- Chanel Cleeton, "The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes" and Sharon Kurtzman, "The Lost Baker of Vienna"
- Peter Cozzens, "Deadwood," and Megan Kate Nelson, "The Westerners"
- Aaron Davis, "Injustice - How Politics & Fear Vanquished America's Justice Department"
- Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson, "Claire McCardell: The Designer Who Set Women Free," and Mary Lisa Gavenas, "Selling Opportunity: The Story of Mary Kay"
- Stephanie Dray, "A Founding Mother"
- Stefan Fatsis, "Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat to) the Modern Dictionary"
- Gretchen Powell Fox, "Smoke and Scar" and Jenn Lyons, "Green & Deadly Things"
- Laurie Frankel, "Enormous Wings"
- Christopher C. Gorham, "Matisse at War," and Victoria Johnson, "Glorious Country"
- Reyna Grande, "Migrant Heart - Essays About Things I Can't Forget"
- Ayana Gray, "I, Medusa"
- Sadeqa Johnson, "Keeper of Lost Children"
- Keith O’Brien, "Heartland: A Forgotten Place, an Impossible Dream, and the Miracle of Larry Bird"
- Susan Page, "The Queen and Her Presidents"
- Lois Romano, "An Inconvenient Widow"
- Steve Vogel, "A Task Force Called Faith"
- Patrick Wohl, "Something Big: The True Story of the Brown's Chicken Massacre"
Middle-Grade and Young Adult Authors
- Sarah Dessen, "Change of Plans"
- Tony Keith Jr., "How the Boogeyman Became a Poet" and Alexandra Villasante, "Fireblooms"
- Amanda McCrina, "Beyond Seven Forests," Darlene P. Campos "The Center of the Earth" and Carolyn Mackler, "Right Back at You"
- Nicole Melleby, "Brady Mason's Perfect Fit," and Barbara Carroll Roberts, "The Metamorphosis of Bunny Baxter
- Steve Sheinkin, "Diamond Fever!: A True Crime Story in the Wild West," and Gareth Hinds, "The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel: Deluxe Edition"
- SJ Sindu, "Tall Water," and Alyssa Colman, "Where Only Storms Grow"
- Charlene Thomas, "It's You Every Time," and Jenni Howell, "Boys With Sharp Teeth"
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Coronado-Mercer is Two-Time
H.S. Poetry Contest Winner
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 Natalia Coronado-Mercer, a junior at Appomattox Regional Governor’s School and a Richmond, Va., resident, was awarded first prize in the Gaithersburg Book Festival poetry contest for the second consecutive year. Her winning poem was "Sapien."
Second prize went to Annapolis, Md., resident Rachel Hanauer, a sophomore at Annapolis High School, for "David’s Secret Chord.” Eve Browne, a Potomac, Md., resident and freshman at Thomas S. Wootton High School, received third prize for "My Sister’s Dog." Sophomore Hargun Malhotra, a Clarksburg, Md., resident attending Poolesville High School, was voted the fan favorite for their poem, “Kintsugi.”
First-, second- and third-place winners were awarded $250, $100 and $50, respectively. The fan favorite winner received $25.
Majda Gama, a local poet and recipient of the Graybeal Gowen Prize for Virginia poets and judge of this year’s contest, announced the winners at the Festival on May 16.
“The winners of the Gaithersburg Book Festival High School Poetry Contest each addressed the theme ‘What Is Humanity’ in formally and rhetorically captivating ways,” Gama said. “Spanning the length of deep time and spiritual time, I felt my belief in humanity restored by the poems as they grappled with our shared struggle to achieve an understanding of our place in the universe, and with our mutual responsibilities as stewards of our precious planet.”
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Congratulations to Amy and Bobby of Gaithersburg who won the $100 GBF Gift card for completing the survey this year! They are dedicated regulars at the book festival. This year, Amy changed her vacation because she didn’t want to miss out on the festival, and last year, Bobby had a heart attack one week before the festival and still came! Amy loved seeing Matthew Norman, Sara Goodman Confino and Sarah Adler this year. Bobby enjoyed visiting the exhibiting authors, including Randy Ellefson. They plan to use their gift card to buy more books and cannot wait for next year’s festival.
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Book Donations Grow in 2026
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 The Gaithersburg Book Festival would like to thank all of the generous attendees who donated 115 books to Montgomery County Public Schools when making purchases at the Politics and Prose festival store during the festival. The books were delivered to 12 elementary schools and five middle schools.
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Mark Your Calendars for
2027 Application Deadlines
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This year's festival may already be in the rear-view mirror, but we're already looking ahead to 2027. If you're interested in being part of the festival — whether as a featured author or poet, workshop presenter, exhibitor or food vendor — here's a list of important dates to make sure you apply in time.
The GBF will be accepting application during the following dates:
- Adult, Children’s, YA Featured Authors: September 1-November 1
- Featured Poets: September 1-January 31
- Workshop Presenters: November 1-March 1
- Exhibiting Authors: February 1-February 28
- Literary Vendors: February 1-February 28
- Food Vendors: February 1-February 28
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Official Bookseller
& Partner
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~ Partners ~
~ Premiere Sponsor ~
~ Festival Sponsors ~
~ Literary Sponsor ~
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Subscribe to the GBF Newsletter
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