Diane Skelton
Jan 28, 2026
BOOK FESTIVAL PRESENTS READERS SHOWCASE, FEATURED AUTHORS, CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES, EXHIBITORS AND PERFORMERS
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information email: booksbythebayfest@gmail.com or call (850)270-8806
PENSACOLA, FL. (Jan. 25, 2026) Whether it‘s reading a children’s book about a parrot or spinning a tale about a Florida Choctaw detective, the 100-plus authors “booked” for Books By the Bay have stories to tell and books to share. Festival goers can meet the authors, enjoy a free day of literary and family friendly activities, watch stage performances, and hear authors read from their books, all while enjoying the breathtaking views at Pensacola’s Bayview Park, on March 28.
In a Readers Showcase, authors selected in a competitive application process will read from their newest books. Included are two young adult authors, seven children’s authors, and 12 authors reading from various genres, including mystery, satire, rom-com, poetry, creative nonfiction, crime, and historical fiction. Selected readers are from Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, and Florida. “We have authors joining us from across the United States,” said Tonya Dalhaus, event director. “I’m incredibly proud of the national recognition the festival is receiving. It’s inspiring to see best-selling authors traveling from near and far to be part of this event.”
Pensacola’s award-recognized author, educator, and podcast host Anne Brooks MacDonald will read from “The Blood Inside Me,” a young adult novel. “My reading offers something truly special for festival goers because it blends storytelling with real classroom collaboration. This YA fantasy was written alongside my third-grade students, so audiences will get to experience a story shaped by the imagination, humor, and honesty of young writers. I’ll share not only an excerpt from the novel, but also the behind-the-scenes journey of how the story came to life—how students brainstormed characters, built the world, and learned that their ideas have power,” MacDonald wrote on her application.
James D. Brewer, Davenport, Fl., will read from “Blood at the Whistlestop: Murder on Florida’s Peace River,” a historical mystery-adventure featuring a half-Choctaw railroad detective in the Gilded Age. Fort Lauderdale poet Marc Frazier, a recipient of an Illinois Arts Council Award for poetry, will read from “If It Comes to That.”
Other readers include Jo Taylor, Matt Nagin, Alabama; Ryan Null, Indiana; Kristen Alger, Lora Bunch Carr, Nic Schuck, Melani Udaeta, Pensacola; Kate Hendrickson, Jeannie Zokan, Gulf Breeze; and Tom McAuliffe, Mark Zeid, Fort Walton Beach.
In the children’s area, Sarah Rhea, book illustrator and advanced graphic design teacher at Pensacola State, will read from her picture book about a parrot, “Rosie the Lovie.” Rhea, as both author and illustrator, offers a unique perspective. “I come at storytelling from two angles—as a writer and as a visual artist—so whether I'm sharing a picture book or something for older readers, I'm always thinking about how to pull people into a world they can see and feel.”
Other children’s book readers include Jen Day, Spanish Fort, Al., “Captain Steve's Adventures: Jubilee!! @ Bayfront Park,” Mike Thomin and Nicole Grinnan, Pensacola, “Luna the Cat;” Shannon Yelton, Milton, “Magic Waiting Fingers”; Renee Marie Hamilton, McDonough, Ga.,“ The Misadventures of Miles and Maya: The Great Pancake Disaster;” Jacquelyn Broadus, Valparaiso, Fl., “Cody's Tale: A Story about Being Confident;” and Tonya Dalhaus, Beulah, Fl.,“Botl and Hattie Make Believe!.”
Featured on the main stage are California bestselling author Kyla Zhao, will share her inspiring young adult novel, “May the Best Player Win,” featured in early 2025 by Oprah Daily in its "Best New Books to Read This Spring.” Also presenting is award-winning educator and historian Forest Issac Jones. Now residing in Virginia,
Jones will share excerpts from “Good Trouble: The Selma, Alabama, and Derry, Northern Ireland Connection 1963-1972,” which has been featured at the Columbus (Ohio) Book Festival, the Fall for the Book Festival at George Mason University, and the MLK Library in Washington, DC.
Along with featured authors, the main stage will present the African American Heritage Readers’ Ensemble, theatre students from Pensacola High School, a haiku slam, and a writing showdown between creative writing students from Pensacola State and the University of West Florida.
All exhibit spaces are sold out, but authors may reserve a seat on Authors’ Row to sell books at https://www.booksbythebay.info/exhibitor-applications.
Books by the Bay, the largest literary event in Northwest Florida, is free and open to the public from 10 to 4, Saturday, March 28, at Bayview Park, 2001 E. Lloyd, Pensacola. The festival is sponsored by the all-volunteer nonprofit organization, Emerald Coast Writers. Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the Jacarlene Foundation. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the Jacarlene Foundation.