Author Credits Festival for Book Publication

June Weltman, who came to the festival in 2001 as a participant and returns this year as a Featured Author, won Mayhaven Publishing's 2002 Award for children's fiction, mystery/adventure category, with her book Mystery of the Missing Candlestick. The award included publication of the book, which has just been released.

June Weltman, who came to the festival in 2001 as a participant and returns this year as a Featured Author, won Mayhaven Publishing's 2002 Award for children's fiction, mystery/adventure category, with her book Mystery of the Missing Candlestick. The award included publication of the book, which has just been released.

"If I hadn't attended the 2001 Book Island Festival, I might never have known about Mayhaven's contest.... Susan McBride [one of the mystery authors known as the Deadly Divas] mentioned the contest during her presentation and noted that it also was open to children's fiction. I went back home to Jacksonville, visited the Mayhaven Web site, copied the contest application and sent my manuscript off. Wow! It is so exciting. Winning the award has been incredibly gratifying. I will be forever thankful to the Book Island Festival for the role it played in getting my first book published. A whole new world has opened for me."

     The third annual Amelia Book Island Festival, a non-profit effort, dedicated to literacy, love and celebration of the written word and the community of writers and readers, is October 2-5, 2003. It features more than 35 authors of novels, mysteries, histories, westerns, suspense thrillers, poetry and books for young readers. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the authors and participate in workshops with authors, agents, editors, publishers and publicists. The festival features several events including Rock-N-Roll Readings, 25 author-led workshops and discussions, Lunch-with-Authors, Dine-with-Authors and Authors-in-Schools of Nassau County. The $15 festival ticket provides admission to all workshops and readings. The Lunch-with-Authors event is also $15. Luncheon seating is limited. Tickets are available now at BooksPlus, First Coast Community Bank, the Amelia Island-Fernandina Beach-Yulee Chamber of Commerce offices and by mail. For more information, visit www.bookisland.org or call the Book Island Festival at 904/491-8176.