MYERS Bullard resident Cathy Myers is one of more than 50 Texas authors featured at the first East Texas Book Fest, set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, in Tyler at the Ornelas Activity Center, 3402 Old Omen Road.

Myers, along with other authors, will sign and sell her books and talk with book fans and new readers about them.

Tyler native Myers writes under the pen name C. Rowe-Myers. She graduated from Robert E. Lee, TJC, and received her bachelors degree and masters degree as well as her teaching certification from the University of Texas at Tyler. As a teacher and professional speaker, she designed and implemented her own creative writing course. She now writes freelance articles for local and national publications and has completed eight published novels, four of which were published as serials. Through the Shadows: A Black Ice Novel, Black Ice, and Red Red Rose are three of the most popular.

Also featured at the Book Fest, author Mike Kearby will speak at Bullard Middle School Thursday, Sept. 24.

Mike Kearby of Caddo is a retired high school reading teacher who began writing in 2005. The Texas history devotee has garnered high praise for his Free Anderson/ Parks Scott trilogy, which includes The Road to a Hanging, Ride the Desperate Trail, and Ambush at Mustang Canyon. Ambush at Mustang Canyon was a 2008 Spur Award Finalist. Mike’s latest works, The Taken and Dead Man’s Saddle will be published in early 2010 by Dorchester Publishing, (New York).

Organizers of the Book Fest, free to the public, have planned the event to give book lovers a chance to meet featured authors, and also provide information and discussion for budding writers, as well as the general public. “We hope that there is something for everyone,” says Dee Brock, event chair. Among the 50 featured writers, others include eight inspirational writers, a dozen children’s book authors, eight historical writers, two poets, ten fiction writers in a variety of genres, and several cooking and how-to specialties.

At the Book Fest, author talks and two break-out sessions are scheduled throughout the day-long event:

10-10:30 a.m.: Registration and exhibit browsing. Lunches are available for $3 on first-come, first-served basis.

11:20-noon: Authors Talk One: Welcome and introduction of honorary chairs Smith County Sheriff J.B Smith and Nancy Crawford; and talks by Don Graham and Jim Ainsworth.

Noon Lunch and browse.

2:15-3 p.m.: Breakout Discussion Two, including “Creating Writing” by Robert Stevens; “Keeping Score-Sports Writing and Research” by C. Paul Rogers; and “How to Sell Yourself and Books” by Laura Krantz.

4 p.m.: Door Prize Drawings

To learn more about the East Texas Book Fest and other authors and speakers, go to etxbookfest.weebly.com