Live Sessions & Offsite Events Program

The Twentynine Palms Book Festival presents one of its most ambitious programs to date, bringing together 100+ authors for 20+ panel discussions, VIP talks, workshops, and offsite literary events celebrating the people, landscapes, and stories of California's Mojave Desert and beyond. From memoir, crime fiction, Indigenous storytelling, poetry, veterans' voices, children's literature, and the American West to conservation, history, music, and creative careers, the program reflects the remarkable diversity of today's literary world while creating opportunities for readers and writers to meet, exchange ideas, and discover new voices. 

FRIDAY 13 November

# THE TWENTYNINE PALMS COMMUNITY CENTER BY FREEDOM PLAZA

9:30 AM. Opening Panel | Never Underestimate the Desert. Hosted by Lisa Morgan, Public Relations Officer of the Joshua Tree National Park Association, a festival partner and co-sponsor, this conversation brings together Melissa Broder, Duncan Birmingham, Julia Knobloch, Kim Stringfellow, Sonia Luckey, Amanda LaPera and Steve Brown to explore the desert as more than a landscape—it is a catalyst for creativity, discovery, and preservation. Drawing on their experiences as writers, artists, and advocates, the panel examines how storytelling, research, and artistic expression help document, celebrate, and protect the unique cultural and natural heritage of the California desert.

11:00 AM. Panel | From Gliders to Global Force: The History of the 29 Palms Marine Base. Award-winning author and retired U.S. Army Lt. Colonel John J. McBrearty joins Vietnam Marine veteran John Cole for a conversation tracing the remarkable evolution of the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center—from its beginnings as a World War II glider training site to its role today as the largest Marine Corps base in the world. Together, they explore how the base has shaped the history, identity, and growth of Twentynine Palms while honoring the generations of service members who have trained and served in the California desert.

NOON. Workshop | Expanding the Value of Your Writing. Lane Igoudin, Kimberly Lee, Regina Hiremath, Sonia Luckey, Mike de la Rocha, and Stephanie Theobald share practical strategies for building a sustainable writing career beyond book sales. From film and television adaptation, public speaking, and teaching to consulting, brand partnerships, media opportunities, and audience development, this hands-on workshop explores how writers can expand the reach, impact, and commercial value of their work while creating multiple revenue streams.

1:30 PM. Panel | Starting a Second Chapter: Writing After 65. Hosted by Patrick Zuchowicki Jucaud, Twentynine Palms Book Festival Director, this inspiring conversation brings together Heidi Eagleton, Lynette Robb, Mike Vail, and Nancy Glowinski to explore how writing can become a fulfilling second act. As a growing number of retirees choose to make the California Hi-Desert their home, the panel shares personal journeys into writing, practical advice on developing a creative routine, and insights into transforming life experience into stories worth publishing.

2:30 PM. Panel | Memoir and the California Experience. Hosted by Greg Gilbert, this conversation brings together Catherine Auman, Pamela Nickel Williams, Katie Nartonis, Jenifer Palmer Lacy, Jennifer Germano, and Susan Hayden to explore memoir as a literary form shaped by identity, movement, and the landscapes of California. Featuring several local authors and members of the Mojave Sage Writers and the Desert Writers Guild, two organizations that have partnered with the Twentynine Palms Book Festival since its inaugural edition, the panel examines how personal stories become a powerful way of documenting place, preserving memory, and chronicling reinvention.

4:00 PM. VIP Talk | Brook Flagg in Conversation with Cary Baker. Brook Flagg joins music journalist Cary Baker for a conversation about her book exploring U2's journey across the Mojave Desert and the profound influence the desert had on the band's creative vision. Blending music history, travel writing, and cultural storytelling, the discussion examines how the Mojave's landscapes, history, and mythology helped shape one of rock music's most iconic groups while revealing the enduring connection between place, imagination, and artistic inspiration.

5:00 PM. VIP Talk | Deanne Stillman in Conversation with Jardine Libaire. To mark the 25th anniversary of Twentynine Palms, bestselling author Deanne Stillman joins novelist Jardine Libaire for a conversation about the book's enduring legacy. In haunting, vivid prose, Deanne creates a far-reaching and true story of America through the prism of a post-Gulf War double homicide, carrying us deep into the Mojave as we meet and come to know the modern nomads who turn to the West for salvation. In this tale of mothers and daughters, class, and fate, the desert itself is a powerful character. 'One of these days,' it says, 'I might just have to shut the whole thing down.'" The story ends with an earthquake that strikes amid live-fire exercises on the base - on a fault line that no one knew about. You can't make this stuff up!

6:00 PM. VIP Talk | Kate Sterlin: Still Life: Photographs & Love Stories. Photographer Kate Sterlin discusses her acclaimed first book, Still Life: Photographs & Love Stories, a powerful blend of photography and prose exploring family, love, race, memory, and loss in America. In conversation with Katie Nartonis—Gallery Director of the Hi Desert Artists Gallery and a journalist whose work on culture, design, art, and architecture has appeared in many magazines—Sterlin reflects on how images and storytelling preserve the fleeting moments that shape our identities and connect the personal with the universal.

# OFFSITE
7:00 PM. Noir in the Boneyard. Twentynine Palms Public Cemetery. Atmospheric evening of crime fiction, noir, and pulp storytelling set beneath the desert night sky at the historic Twentynine Palms Public Cemetery. Curated by Brian Townsley, publisher of Starlite Pulp, the event brings together eight acclaimed noir and crime writers who will read excerpts from both recent releases and classic works that have helped define their careers. Blending mystery, suspense, and the haunting beauty of the Mojave, Noir in the Boneyard offers a memorable literary experience in one of Twentynine Palms' most evocative and historic settings. Eventbrite registration will open on September 30.

SATURDAY 14 November 

#  THE TWENTYNINE PALMS COMMUNITY CENTER BY FREEDOM PLAZA

8:30 AM. Workshop | Imagining Other Worlds: Writing Fantasy, Science Fiction & Horror. Ryan Habermayer, Jennifer Kain, Joshua Millican, Leanne Kathleen Indigo, Jennifer Cyphers, Fay Inger, and Duncan Birmingham explore the art of speculative storytelling and the craft of creating unforgettable imaginary worlds. From fantasy and science fiction to horror and dark fiction, this workshop examines world-building, character development, suspense, and the emotional truths that make extraordinary stories resonate with readers.

10:00 AM. Panel | The Desert Is Full of Bodies: The Rise of True Crime. Christopher Church, Kassandra Davis, Andrew Miller, Larry Fondation, Brian Townsley, and Elle Jauffret explore the remarkable rise of true crime as one of today's most popular literary and media genres. From investigative reporting and historical crime to psychological storytelling and real-life mysteries, the panel examines why true crime continues to captivate audiences and what it reveals about justice and our enduring fascination with the darker side of society.

11:30 AM. Panel | Women Writing the American West: Landscape, Memory & Identity. Hosted by author Mary Camarillo, this conversation brings together Lisa Alvarez, Ruth Nolan, KC Grifant, Susan Huckle and Anne Gardner to explore the histories, and personal experiences that have shaped their writing about the American West. Spanning fiction, memoir, poetry, and nonfiction, the panel examines how place, movement, memory, and identity continue to inspire fresh perspectives on the region's past, present, and evolving literary landscape.

12:30 PM. Panel | Indigenous Stories from Page to Screen: Rewriting the West. Hosted by Natasha Beranek, Literary Programs & Editorial Coordinator, Twentynine Palms Book Festival, this conversation brings together Terria Smith, Ruth Nolan, and Douglas K. Miller to explore how Indigenous authors, filmmakers, and storytellers are reshaping contemporary portrayals of the American West. As Indigenous stories gain visibility in literature, film, and tv, the panel examines how authentic voices, cultural knowledge, and lived experience are transforming the narratives that reach both readers and audiences around the world.

2:00 PM. VIP Talk | Obi Kaufmann: California Inside Out. Acclaimed naturalist, artist, and bestselling author Obi Kaufmann discusses his new book, California Inside Out, an illustrated manifesto exploring our relationship with California's landscapes. In conversation with Lisa Morgan, Public Relations Officer of the Joshua Tree National Park Association—a festival partner and co-sponsor—Kaufmann will explore how art, storytelling, ecology, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge can inspire a new conservation ethic rooted in stewardship, interconnectedness, and a deeper kinship with the natural world.

3:00 PM. VIP Talk | The Changing Face of Discrimination. Drawing on his extraordinary life and decades as a civil-rights attorney, Underdog: Against All Odds, The Fight for Justice author Thomas Jacobson explores how discrimination has evolved across generations. From the institutional racism and antisemitism of the twentieth century to today's challenges shaped by migration, polarization, social media and technology, this timely conversation asks a fundamental question: has discrimination truly changed, or has it simply found new ways to express itself?

4:00 PM. Panel | On the Road Again: Route 66 at 100. Hosted by Natasha Beranek, Literary Programs & Editorial Coordinator, Twentynine Palms Book Festival, this conversation brings together Chelsea Sutton, Arianna Quinn, David W. Berner, Bobbo Byrnes, and Erik Perezbrain to celebrate the centennial of America's most iconic highway. Exploring Route 66 through literature, history, photography, and personal journeys, the panel examines how the "Mother Road" continues to inspire writers, embody the spirit of reinvention, and shape the cultural imagination of the American West.

5:00 PM. Panel | Joan Didion: Writing California, Defining a Voice. Hosted by local nonfiction writer and essayist Eleanor Whitney, this conversation brings together Krista Diamond, Jardine Libaire, Pamela Nickel Williams, and Lane Igoudin, whose own writing has been deeply influenced by Joan Didion. Together, they explore Didion's enduring legacy, her singular voice, and the profound influence her work continues to have on contemporary writing about California, identity, place, and cultural change.

6:00 PM. Screening | UFOs & the Crypto-terrestrial Theory: World Premiere + Q&A with Leslie & Stephen Shaw. The world premiere of a new documentary exploring the theories and experiences of authors Leslie and Stephen Shaw, directed by Jeremy Norrie (Sky Island Storytelling) and executive produced by J. Horton (J. Horton Films). Following the screening, the authors and filmmakers will discuss UFO phenomena, the crypto-terrestrial theory, and why the Mojave Desert continues to inspire mystery, speculation, and extraordinary storytelling.

# OFFSITE 

7:00 PM. Voices of the Desert. The Palms in Wonder Valley. An evening of readings and storytelling celebrating the spirit of the Mojave Desert. Hosted by Natasha Beranek, Literary Programs & Editorial Coordinator, Twentynine Palms Book Festival, the event brings together Abigail Stewart, Derrick Davis, Mary Camarillo, Julia Knobloch, David W. Berner, Catherine Auman, Kenneth Pinckney, and Mike Vail who will share excerpts from their works. Set against the unique backdrop of The Palms in Wonder Valley, this gathering offers audiences a memorable literary journey through the voices and stories that define California's Hi-Desert. Eventbrite registration will open on September 30.

SUNDAY 15 November

#  THE TWENTYNINE PALMS COMMUNITY CENTER BY FREEDOM PLAZA

9:00 AM. Workshop | Poetry for Young Voices: Finding Words, Finding Confidence. Julia Knobloch, Leanne Daniele, Becca Spence Dobias, and Megan Haugh lead an engaging, hands-on workshop introducing young readers to the joy of writing poetry. Through creative prompts, imagination, and playful exercises, participants will discover how poetry can build confidence, encourage self-expression, and help them find their own unique voice in a fun, supportive, and inspiring environment.

10:00 AM. Panel | Books Don’t Need Chargers: Raising Readers in a Digital World. Andrew Tonkovich, Vontavia J. Heard, Brad Berger, Michele Kwasniewski, Lynette Robb, and Janet Wertman explore practical ways to inspire kids to develop a lifelong love of reading in an increasingly screen-driven world. Drawing on their experience as authors, educators, and parents, they discuss strategies for fostering curiosity, imagination, and meaningful reading habits while helping families create the next generation of enthusiastic readers.

11:30 AM. Panel | From Dust to Denim: Dressing the Desert Life. Hosted by Georgene Shelton, fashion production specialist and designer of the Desert Hat Collection, this conversation explores how early desert pioneers developed a practical yet enduring style shaped by climate, work, and survival. From durable canvas and rugged denim to the stories and books that document this distinctive way of life, the session examines the lasting influence of desert clothing on California's cultural identity.

1 PM. VIP Talk | The St. Paul Phantom: Boxing, Community & the American Dream. Returning to the festival, Gerard Gibbons explores how The St. Paul Phantom, the latest installment in his Fight for Glory series, draws on a time when boxing brought together Irish, Black, Native American, Jewish, German, and immigrant communities from every walk of life. Through the story of one remarkable fighter, Gibbons reflects on sport as a bridge across cultures, the values of perseverance and respect, and the enduring lessons this era offers today's younger generations.

2:30 PM. Reading | Letters to the Beyond: Stargazing with P.O. Box Outer Space. Building on a creative partnership that has been part of the Twentynine Palms Book Festival since its earliest editions, this special event celebrates the imaginative world of P.O. Box Outer Space, the acclaimed zine series co-edited by novelist Jardine Libaire and filmmaker and writer Jennifer Prediger, with book design by Beth Middleworth. Described as a collection of "open letters to the beyond," the publication brings together writers and artists exploring cosmic, existential, and deeply personal themes through fiction, poetry, visual art, and experimental storytelling. 

4 PM. Workshop | Writing the Return: Storytelling as Therapy for Veterans and Their Families. Hosted by retired U.S. Army Lt. Colonel John J. McBrearty, this meaningful conversation brings together John Cole, Michelle Katz, and Jake Harriman to explore how storytelling can help veterans and their families process military experiences, navigate the transition to civilian life, and build resilience. Drawing on their personal journeys and professional expertise, the panel examines writing as a powerful tool for healing, reflection, and strengthening community.

# OFFSITE

1:00 PM. Poetry Happy Hour. 29 Palms Inn. Afternoon celebration of spoken word set on the outdoor patio of the historic 29 Palms Inn. Divided into two one-hour sessions, the event features Kent Wilson, Jennifer Kain, Ruth Nolan, Lisa Alvarez, Lynette Robb, Larry Fike, Lashane Arnett, Megan Haugh, Leanne Daniele, Cindy Rinne, Mike Vail, Tammy C. Greenwood, Nikki Rawnsley, and Kate Sterlin, with additional invited poets sharing original work inspired by memory, place, nature, identity, and the California desert. Eventbrite registration will open on September 30.