A Celebration of Books,
Writers & LIterary Excellence

Save the Date


Gaithersburg
Book Festival

May 17, 2025

10am – 6pm

Bohrer Park


Author Archives: Jennie Cottrell

Meet Exhibiting Author Ronda Renee’

by Ronda Renee’ At the age of 24, I became a single mother. At the age of 27, I became a special foster parent for my oldest sister’s two sons when she became ill. So I was raising three boys… Continue Reading

AAUW Used Book Sale: Find Great Deals and Celebrate More than 30 Years of Supporting the Community

The Gaithersburg Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) has been hosting an annual book sale at Asbury Methodist Village for more than 30 years.  The proceeds support scholarships for women and mentoring and advocacy programs for girls and women. This year, the 2015 AAUW Gaithersburg Book Sale will be held… Continue Reading

The Life and Times of Exhibiting Author Julian Bauer…

Exhibiting author Julian Bauer will be 80 years old this July. To say he’s lived a full life would be an understatement. He has shot a blowgun in the Amazon; hiked the Alps; watched the Northern Lights and rode a dogsled near… Continue Reading

Exhibiting Author Richard Morris Draws on Personal Experience in Writing His Novel

by Richard Morris My novel, “Canoedling in Cleveland,” came about from many personal experiences: my canoe adventures as a teenager in Cleveland and young man in Maryland and West Virginia; my experience as a high school newspaper editor asking my adviser and a… Continue Reading

The Play Lady: Pat Rumbaugh’s Favorite Book

Author Pat Rumbaugh will be an exhibiting author at the Gaithersburg Book Festival on May 16. Below she talks about her favorite book as a child and why that book remains one of her favorites still today. As I child… Continue Reading

Exhibiting Author Shameen Anthanio-Williams Talks School Visits

“Little Erroll: The Story of Admiral Erroll M. Brown, The First Black Coast Guard Admiral” is now a permanent fixture within the walls of Cloverly Elementary School in Silver Spring. “My son loves reading Little Erroll,” shares a kindergarten parent about the children’s book.  “He can’t put it down!” Children’s book author Shameen Anthanio-Williams recently… Continue Reading

Why Volunteer? Let’s Hear What a Newbie Has to Say…

We need you! The Gaithersburg Book Festival depends on more than 200 volunteers to help us put on an event that is quickly becoming one of the best literary events in the Mid-Atlantic! No experience is necessary. All we ask… Continue Reading

Adventures in (Historical Novel) Research: The Battle of Hastings did not take place at Hastings

Mercedes Rochelle will be an exhibiting author at the Gaithersburg Book Festival on May 16. She has written two books of historical fiction ( “Heir to a Prophecy” and “Godwine Kingmaker” ) about 11th century Britain. Mercedes learned about living history as a re-enactor and has been enamored… Continue Reading

Exhibiting Author Weighs in on Eating Local for Less

In “Eat Local for Less: The Ultimate Guide to Opting Out of Our Broken Industrial Food System,” author Julie Castillo provides down-to-earth advice on finding, buying, growing and preparing great food from local sources. Topics covered include how to navigate CSAs, farmer’s markets, buyer’s clubs, co-ops, and more; how to fit cooking into a jam-packed modern… Continue Reading

Travel Back in Time to 1920s Istanbul with Featured Author Charles King

by Megan Wessell Megan blogs about books at A Bookish Affair. Many of the featured authors at the Gaithersburg Book Festival will take attendees to far off places. Charles King is one of those authors. The noted historian has taken readers to far off places such Moldova, Romania and Ukraine.… Continue Reading