DSM Book Festival Announces Iowa Author Series, DSM Book Club
The DSM Book Festival has announced digital programming to begin this summer leading into next year’s event. The virtual experiences will include an interactive Iowa Author Series and a virtual DSM Book Club.
The Iowa Author Series is a space for inspiring writers to speak with local, published authors. The series will feature online presentations on the writing and publishing journey of Iowa authors. These events will be streamed live on a monthly basis on Zoom. The first featured author will be Joseph LeValley, author of “Cry from an Unknown Grave,” on Wednesday, July 15 at 4:30 p.m. Advanced registration is required.
LeValley’s professional experiences range from a leading executive to newspaper reporter covering crimes such as murder, kidnapping, embezzlement and arson. All of these experiences inspired him to write a series of mystery-thriller novels. LeValley will describe his encounters and relationships with law enforcement, strategies employed by prosecutors and defense attorneys in the courtroom, and the triumphs and tragedies in criminal justice he witnessed.
The second scheduled Iowa Author Series event is with Kali White on Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 4:30 p.m. White is the author of “The Monsters We Make,” a fictional story based on the 1980s real-life kidnappings of Des Moines Register paperboys. White will reflect upon the impression those events left upon her and why she decided to write about them today in the form of fiction.
The DSM Book Club is a monthly event for dedicated readers. The selections will highlight authors that will be featured at the 2021 DSM Book Festival. Each month will feature one book that is connected to The Festival. The first DSM Book Club pick will be “An American Marriage” by Tayari Jones. This stirring love story is a deeply insightful look into the hearts and minds of three people who are at once bound and separated by forces beyond their control. Those interested can register to join the book discussion on Thursday, July 30 at 7 p.m. Jones is scheduled to present at the 2021 Festival as part of the Des Moines Public Library’s Authors Visiting in Des Moines (AViD) series.
Registration for the Iowa Author Series and participation in the DSM Book Club are free thanks to our sponsors. The DSM Book Festival has received a grant award from Humanities Iowa, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Additionally, The Festival is sponsored by Prairie Meadows, John Ruan Foundation, Meredith Corporation, AViD, Bankers Trust, Don and Margo Blumenthal, Kum & Go, Nationwide and Polk County Board of Supervisors. The 2021 Book Festival has been scheduled for March 27, 2021. Contact Colleen Murphy at cmurphy@downtowndsmusa.com for more information about the Festival.
About the Greater Des Moines Partnership
The Greater Des Moines Partnership is the economic and community development organization that serves Greater Des Moines (DSM), Iowa. Together with 24 Affiliate Chambers of Commerce, more than 6,600 Regional Business Members and more than 360 Investors, The Partnership drives economic growth with one voice, one mission and as one region. Through innovation, strategic planning and global collaboration, The Partnership grows opportunity, helps create jobs and promotes DSM as the best place to build a business, a career and a future. Learn more at DSMpartnership.com.