Over the week of Sept. 27-Oct. 3, the annual Fall for the Book festival will host nearly 200 authors at George Mason University’s Fairfax, VA, campus, and at locations around VA, MD, and DC. Why should you join in the festivities? Here are five reasons:

1. It’s Fun for the Whole Family. On Saturday, Oct. 3, on George Mason’s main campus, you’ll enjoy free parking, food trucks, and 30 events amid a festive atmosphere. Bring the kids for a reading by 2015 Newbery Award-winner Kwame Alexander; a live taping of the Kitty Felde podcast, “Book Club for Kids”; writing workshops led by stars of the YA genre; and much more. While the kids are busy, Mom and Dad can see Paula McLain, author of Circling the Sun; fantasy author Ken Liu; and Tim O’Brien, who is accepting the prestigious Fairfax Award in celebration of the 25th anniversary of his Vietnam War novel, The Things They Carried.


2. It’s Informative. Who doesn’t love free writing advice? On Monday, Sept. 28, listen to urban-fantasy authors Jenna Black, Chris Farnsworth, and Carrie Vaughn discuss their craft. On Thursday, Oct. 1, pros in academic publishing and grant writing — including Cheryl Ball and Huiling Ding — will talk shop. On Saturday, Oct. 3, head to the Writer-to-Author panel, where the CEO of a small press, an editor, a life coach, and a recently published author will discuss strategies for achieving your writing goals. That same day, join children’s author Jacqueline Jules for “The Joy of Writing,” a lesson on crafting a great book for kids.


3. It’s Sporty. This year, Fall for the Book is hosting five events for the sports fan in all of us. On Tuesday, Sept. 29, see Chris Elzey and David Wiggins, authors of DC Sports: The Nation’s Capital at Play and Colin Gunderson, author of Tommy Lasorda: My Way. On Thursday, Oct. 1, come hear Elisa Gaudet, author of Two Good Rounds Titans: Leaders in Industry & Golf; the following day, see David Hubler, author of The Nats and the Grays: How Baseball in the Nation’s Capital Survived WWII and Changed the Game Forever.


4. It’ll Introduce You to Some Terrific Memoirists. On Monday, Sept. 28, see Elizabeth Nunez, whose Not for Everyday Use is about her experiences as an immigrant in the United States. Later that day, see Lucas Mann, author of Lord Fear, about his brother’s heroin overdose, and Tim Denevi, author of Hyper: A Personal History of ADHD. On Sept. 29, Greg O’Brien talks about On Pluto: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer’s. On Thursday, Oct. 1, Peter Trachtenberg talks about Another Insane Devotion, his memoir about love and, of course, cats. That same day, Harrison Scott Key discusses The World’s Largest Man, the story of a bookish Mississippi boy and his charismatic father.


5. It’ll Reveal Whodunit. On Tuesday, Sept. 29, the Mystery Writers of America hosts a panel discussion with member authors, including Agatha and Macavity Award-winner Art Taylor (On the Road with Del and Louise); LynDee Walker (Devil in the Deadline); Agatha-nominated and Derringer Award-winner B.K. Stevens (Interpretation of Murder and Fighting Chance); Josh Pachter (The Tree of Life); and Sherry Harris (The Longest Yard Sale). That evening, Megan Abbott, author of The Fever, takes the stage to talk about her novel, which the New York Times called “gripping and unsettling.” On Saturday, Oct. 3, Sarah Weinman, editor of the anthologies Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wives and the new Women Crime Writers: Eight Suspense Novels of the 1940s & 50s, wraps things up.

For a more information and a full listing of events, visit fallforthebook.org or download the free app, which is available in the iTunes and GooglePlay stores.

Suzy Rigdon’s debut novel, Into the Night (Spence City Books, 2014), is available at all online retailers. She teaches English composition and is pursuing her M.F.A. at George Mason University.

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