BOOK FESTIVAL CANCELLATION

I deeply regret having to report that the Tucson Festival of Books, at which I was to participate on two panels, has been cancelled due to concerns about the Covid19 virus pandemic. More than 100 of the 350 invited authors have cancelled their appearances in the past week, throwing the Festival’s scheduling so out of whack that there was no way it could proceed as planned for this coming Saturday and Sunday. In the past ten years, this event has grown to be the third largest of its kind in the country, with an average of 120,000 visitors. It has also raised funds for promoting literacy and reading in Arizona, not to mention the revenues it earns for vendors, restaurants, and hotels, among other businesses. Its cancellation deals a serious blow to the community, for cultural as well as economic reasons. A lot of people, including me, were looking forward to taking part in or attending the dozens of lectures and readings the Festival’s committees had organized. In short, a damn shame.