A Celebration of Books,
Writers & LIterary Excellence

Save the Date


Gaithersburg
Book Festival

May 17, 2025

10am – 6pm

Bohrer Park


Author Archives: Jennie Cottrell

Q&A with Author Ida E. Jones

Dr. Ida E. Jones is a native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and is the assistant curator of manuscripts at the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center at Howard University. Her most recent book is “Mary McLeod Bethune in Washington, D.C.: Education and Activism in Logan Circle.” What’s the funniest/scariest/best interaction you’ve had with a fan? I do not have any… Continue Reading

A Book-ie’s Version of “Get Real on the Internet Week” (Thanks, Real Simple)

by Robin Ferrier Real Simple magazine is one of my favorite magazines. And this week, it’s sponsoring an initiative it’s calling Get Real on the Internet Week , which it kicked off with a “Reality Check” piece by the magazine’s managing editor, Kristin van Ogtrop, on the Huffington Post… Continue Reading

Q&A with Children’s Author Tom Angleberger

Tom Angleberger is the author of the bestselling Origami Yoda series. His next book in the series, “Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue!” is due out in March 2014. If you could ask another author (living or dead) one question, what would it be and what author would you ask… Continue Reading

Holiday Gift Giving (of Books), Part 4: Know Thy Reader

Ilana Guttin, City of Gaithersburg As an English teacher, I gave countless books as presents. Specifically, I guess I tried to force Gatsby on at least a dozen teenagers and some responded better than others. Luckily, I had better results when… Continue Reading

Giving the Gift of Reading, Part 3: Go Sox!

by Gene Taft, Author Recruitment Committee Back in 2004, I gave away an entire box of a book called “WHY NOT US?: The 86-year Journey of the Boston Red Sox Fans From Unparalleled Suffering To The Promised Land Of the 2004 World Series” by Leigh Montville. At that point in my life I was a displaced Bostonian living in the big city, New York,… Continue Reading

Giving and Receiving (Books) at the Holidays, Part 2

by Gussie Lewis, Author Recruitment Committee The best book gift I received was 30 years ago for my daughter’s first Christmas. My mother-in-law sent me a box of three picture books. Two books were by Margaret Wise Brown. To my… Continue Reading

Holiday Giving, part 1

by Committee member Leslie Shapiro I give books for Hanukkah as well as other events.  Over a better than 50-year span, my sister-in-law and I made sure that the various children always received books as part of their gifts. As… Continue Reading

I’m still mad at Oprah and her Book Club

by Gene Taft I’ve been a reader for more than 40 years and I’ve spent more than 20 years as a book publishing professional, so it may surprise you to learn that I’m still holding a grudge against Oprah. Yes,… Continue Reading

What books am I thankful for?

by Jud Ashman, Chair I promise I won’t punt on the question ( like Robin Ferrier did! ) but, at the risk of being trite, I must say first that I’m thankful, in some way, for every book I’ve read.  They’ve all taught me… Continue Reading

I’m Thankful for Books: Part 4

More books we’re thankful for… What books are you thankful for? Make sure you comment below. (And also make sure you read Part 1 , Part 2 , and Part 3 of our thankful series.)     “Somebody Up There Likes Me” by Rocky Graziano with… Continue Reading