2025 Program

November 7–9, 2025

We’re delighted to share the final program for the 2025 Twentynine Palms Book Festival. Over three days, from November 7–9, the festival will bring together an exciting mix of panels, workshops, and readings—both at the Twentynine Palms Community Center and in memorable off-site locations. From flagship noir events under the desert sky to intimate conversations with acclaimed authors, the program celebrates the creativity, stories, and voices that define our desert community and beyond. The full list of moderators, masters of ceremony, panelists, and readers will be announced shortly.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7

Twentynine Palms Community Center by Freedom Plaza

9:00 AM – Choosing the Right Self-Publishing Strategy | Workshop

A practical session offering guidance on platforms, pricing, design, and promotion for authors navigating the world of independent publishing.

10:00 AM – Where the Hell is 29 Palms? | Panel Discussion

This opening session explores the landmark stories that define Twentynine Palms—The Desert Trail newspaper, the historic 29 Palms Inn and Campbell House, and Bagley’s General Store. These pillars of local heritage have shaped the town’s identity across generations. Leading the discussion on how to preserve these stories for the future is Steve Brown, longtime hi-desert resident, award-winning journalist, musician, and publisher of The Sun Runner: The Journal of the Real Desert.

11:30 AM – Is the Desert Inspirational for Comedy Writing? | Panel Discussion

Writers and comedians explore how the desert’s landscapes, extremes, and eccentric communities provide unexpected inspiration for humor writing. From the absurdity of isolation to the quirks of desert life, this session examines how the environment shapes comedic tone, characters, and storytelling.

1 PM – Publishing Literary Magazines | Panel Discussion

Editors and publishers discuss the role of literary magazines today: how they nurture new voices, cultivate communities, and build careers.

2:00 PM – Jazz as Storytelling | Panel Discussion

Musicians, writers, and historians discuss jazz as a living narrative tradition rooted in improvisation, identity, and heritage.

3:30 PM – VIP CONVERSATION with Teresa RICHARDS, Lee MARRS, Caryn LESCHEN and Sharon RUDHAL

Join four legendary figures of the underground comix movement for an exclusive conversation reflecting on their groundbreaking work with Wimmen’s Comix, the trailblazing San Francisco-based publication created as a bold response to the male-dominated world of underground comix.

5 PM – AI for Independent Writers: Opportunities, Pitfalls, and the Road Ahead | Workshop

Discover how AI can become a powerful ally for independent authors, from idea generation to marketing, while understanding its current limitations and ethical considerations. This workshop offers practical insights to help you harness AI’s potential without losing your unique creative voice.

Offsite

2:00 PM – Choosing the Right Self-Publishing Strategy | Workshop | (Old Schoolhouse Museum)

A practical session offering guidance on platforms, pricing, design, and promotion for authors navigating the world of independent publishing.

4:00 PM – AI for Independent Writers: Opportunities, Pitfalls, and the Road Ahead | Workshop | (Old Schoolhouse Museum)

Discover how AI can become a powerful ally for independent authors, from idea generation to marketing, while understanding its current limitations and ethical considerations. This workshop offers practical insights to help you harness AI’s potential without losing your unique creative voice.

7:00 PM – Mojave Noir | Readings | (Old Schoolhouse Museum)

Mojave Noir is an annual live reading series celebrating the noir and crime fiction genre to benefit Mil-Tree, the hi-desert based veteran outreach organization. Now in their 5th year, Mojave Noir features some of Southern California's finest crime/noir writers and military veterans testifying in alignment, yet often in defiance, of our bleak horizons along with atmospheric live musical accompaniment. Hosted by author/journalist Gabriel Hart, and co-curated by Hart and Renee Pickup.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8

Twentynine Palms Community Center by Freedom Plaza

10:00 AM – California Desert Artists | Panel Discussion

Join us for a special panel discussion celebrating the release of The California Desert Artists (2024), a richly illustrated book that profiles a dozen remarkable artists living and working in California’s High Desert. Moderated by author Katie Nartonis, this conversation will bring together several of the featured artists to share the stories behind their work — how they came to the desert, how its landscapes and culture have shaped their creative practices, and how their studios and art reflect this unique environment. Through conversation and visuals, this session offers an intimate look at the vibrant and varied art scene of California’s desert communities.

11:30 AM – VIP Conversation with JOSH JACKSON | Talk

Join environmental writer and photographer Josh Jackson a thoughtful conversation on the power of storytelling in shaping how we understand, protect, and value public lands and overlooked landscapes. Drawing from his work at the intersection of narrative, conservation, and visual arts, Jackson will explore how writing, photography, and advocacy can inspire deeper connections to place and foster a broader cultural awareness of the fragile environments often taken for granted.

1:30 PM – Never Underestimate the Desert | Panel Discussion

Authors and environmental advocates discuss preservation, desert land policy, and storytelling’s role in raising awareness.

3:00 PM – Noir Lives On: The Enduring Power of Pulp Fiction | Panel Discussion

This session explores how noir fiction continues to shape literature. From the golden age of pulp fiction to its influence on contemporary writers and filmmakers, noir remains a vital force in storytelling. A panel of authors and scholars will examine noir’s lasting impact on narrative style, character archetypes, and cultural imagination, tracing its evolution from mid-century magazines to modern streaming platforms.

4:30 PM – Becoming Film Noir: From Page to Screen | Panel Discussion

Building on the literary foundations explored in the first session, this session offers a practical look at how noir fiction moves from written page to cinematic screen. This session will highlight how classic themes of betrayal, survival, and moral ambiguity continue to find new life in visual storytelling. 

Offsite

1:00–4:00 PM – Happy Poetry Hour (29 Palms Inn) | Readings

An informal, rotating poetry reading hosted at one of the desert’s most beloved gathering spots.

7:00 PM – Noir in the Boneyard (29 Palms Public Cemetery) | Readings

An atmospheric evening of pulp noir and crime writing under the desert sky, among the gravestones.

7:00 PM – Voices of the Desert (The Palms in Wonder Valley) | Readings

An outdoor evening of readings spotlighting writers whose work is shaped by the desert’s landscapes, histories, and eccentricities.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9

Twentynine Palms Community Center by Freedom Plaza

10:00 AM – Books Don’t Need Chargers | Panel Discussion

Writers, educators, and parents discuss how to inspire a lifelong love of reading in children through access, curiosity, and example.

11:30 AM - Stories to Grow With: Indigenous Tales for Young Readers | Readings
A family-friendly session celebrating Indigenous children’s books that inspire imagination, identity, and respect for tradition. Featuring live readings and story recommendations by Indigenous authors and educators. 

1 PM – VIP CONVERSATION with Gerard GIBBONS

Award-winning filmmaker and author Gerard Gibbons shares how uncovering his family's untold story—centered on his legendary prizefighting uncle—inspired his powerful historical novel Fight for Glory. In this special talk, he reflects on the role heritage stories can play in sparking curiosity and pride in young readers. A compelling session for families, educators, and aspiring storytellers alike.

2:00 PM to Late Afternoon — Workshops for Young Writers

An afternoon dedicated to young writers with three engaging, genre-focused workshops designed to inspire creativity, encourage self-expression, and introduce new ways of looking at the world through writing.

• 2:00 PM – Stargazing Stories | Workshop

  A creative writing session where young participants use the night sky, constellations, and cosmic wonders as inspiration to craft their own imaginative stories.

• 3:00 PM – Poetry Playground | Workshop

  An interactive poetry workshop for kids that blends writing exercises, playful prompts, and self-expression through language.

• 4:00 PM – Comedy Playground | Workshop

  A laughter-filled session where young participants explore the basics of humor writing and comedic performance.