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By Tucson Spotlight on

Tucson Festival of Books countdown kicks off with citywide book hunt

To celebrate the upcoming Tucson Festival of Books, we're teaming up with the Tucson Tome Gnome for a special book hunt Sunday, with hidden copies of three titles and clues shared on social media.

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Tucson Festival of Books countdown kicks off with citywide book hunt

We're just a few weeks away from the Tucson Festival of Books, which brings hundreds of authors and thousands of readers to the University of Arizona Mall for a weekend of family-friendly literary wonder.

To help kick off the festivities, we're teaming up with our friends from the Tucson Tome Gnome for an extra-special festival-themed hide. On Sunday, we'll be out on the town bright and early, hiding four copies each of the following three books:

  • "The Incendiaries" by R.O. Kwon
  • "Something That May Shock and Discredit You" by Daniel Lavery
  • "The Kindest Lie" by Nancy Johnson

We'll be posting clues about where to find the books on our Tucson Spotlight Instagram page and the Tucson Tome Gnome's Facebook and Instagram pages. Make sure you're following all our channels for your best chance at finding a book!

And if you want to hear from the authors or have your books signed at the festival, they'll all be participating in panels and signing books. Here are a few options:

💡
Beyond Boundaries: Blending of Genres — Authors Kwon, Mateo Askaripour, and Julia Phillips push the limits of storytelling by weaving suspense, speculative fiction, and mythology into rich narratives that defy traditional genre conventions and captivate readers.
📅 Sat., March 15, 10 to 10:55 a.m.
📍 Koffler Room 204
🖊 Signing area: Sales & Signing Area - UA Campus Store Tent (following presentation)
🎤 Moderator: Emily Walsh
💡
The Power of Storytelling — Authors Lavery, Kristen Miller, and Betsy Lerner will explore how storytelling and the power of imagination can transcend circumstances—no matter how complex they may be.
📅 Sat., March 15, 11:30 a.m. to 12:25 p.m.
📍 Student Union Tucson Room
🖊 Signing area: Sales & Signing Area - UA Campus Store Tent (following presentation)
🎤 Moderator: Caitlin Schmidt
💡
Friendship, Ambition, Dreams — Hear from authors Johnson, Lynda Loigman, and Carole Hopson as they discuss coming-of-age stories, the role of friendship and family, how ambition shapes identity, and the potential costs of pursuing dreams.
📅 Sat., March 15, 4 to 4:55 p.m.
📍 Koffler Room 216
🖊 Signing area: Sales & Signing Area - UA Campus Store Tent (following presentation)
🎤 Moderator: Mary Ellen Flynn

Visit the festival's website for a full list of authors, the schedule of presentations, a list of vendors, and more. We'll be breaking down some must-knows about the festival starting next week, but it's never too early to start planning your visit!

Tucson Spotlight is a community-based newsroom that provides paid opportunities for students and rising journalists in Southern Arizona. Please support our work with a paid subscription.

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