Pat Conroy, Jeannette Walls, Richard Russo and Others to Speak at BEA

By Lynn Andriani -- Publishers Weekly, 3/5/2009 9:55:00 AM

Among the authors who will headline BEA are Julie Andrews Edwards, Craig Ferguson, Tracy Kidder, Jeannette Walls, Pat Conroy, Kathie Lee Gifford, Joe Scarborough, Richard Russo and Nicholas Sparks, conference organizers announced today. The authors will appear at various events, including author breakfasts, a Saturday lunch, an audio “tea” and a “Meet the Bestsellers” lunch, which was launched last year.

BEA v-p and show manager Lance Fensterman called the lineup “as robust as it is diverse, which is a point of pride and satisfaction for us.” He said BEA will announce more author events over the next two months, and said the show’s biggest priority is to continue building its author programming. “We want to provide authors with an... unparalleled opportunity to influence the influencers who sway book buying habits.”

On Friday, May 29, the Children’s Book and Author Breakfast will feature Meg Cabot, Tomie dePaola and Amy Krouse Rosenthal. On Saturday, May 30, the Book and Author Breakfast will feature Tracy Kidder, Jeannette Walls, Ben Mezrich and Craig Ferguson. Later that day, the Book and Author Luncheon will feature Pat Conroy (whose presentation at the 1986 American Booksellers Association convention helped make The Prince of Tides a bestseller), Lorrie Moore, Dan Pink and Ken Auletta. Also on Saturday, the Audiobook and Author Tea will feature Kathie Lee Gifford, Lisa Scottoline and Katherine Kellgren. Programming on Sunday, May 31, will include a Book and Author Breakfast featuring Richard Russo (whose Bridge of Sighs got a big push at BEA in 2007), Gail Collins, Pete Dexter and Joe Scarborough, as well as a Meet the Bestsellers event featuring Nicholas Sparks, David Baldacci and a free lunch sponsored by Grand Central.

Tickets for BEA’s special events will be available for purchase through the BEA Web site beginning March 18.