Big Orange Book Festival

Mark Your Calendars … BOB is back Oct. 11-13, 2013

Val McNutt — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 22:31:08 +0000

The Big Orange Book Festival is returning this fall; bigger, better and hopefully, with more brisk fall air than last year. This year’s book fest will feature the unique panels and lectures that made last year such a success, but we’ll be incorporating children’s and young adult events to make the fest a destination for... + read more

Steampunk Pioneers: Blaylock and Powers

loehner — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 16:05:17 +0000

Steampunk is coming to the Big Orange Book Festival! We are honored to have two of the founding originators of this fantastical genre, James Blaylock and Tim Powers, speaking about the history, influence and progression of this popular style. So gather up your top hat and reading goggles, jump into your personal steam-powered zeppelin and fly down here on the 21st and 22nd to enjoy with the rest of us. And for those of you who have somehow missed the wave of Steampunk influences in pop culture, here is a little rundown to get to you up-to-date. What is Steampunk? Steampunk is a literary genre that has spread all throughout pop culture including movies, clothing, music and design. It has influences of science and speculative fiction, horror, and fantasy, referencing authors like H.G Wells and Jules Verne. Often times the style and settings are filled with steam-powered machinery, anachronistic inventions, and diabolical weapons mixed with victorian era style. Storyline contain alternate histories, post apocalyptic universes and dystopian themes. What is the history of Steampunk? The term "steam-punk" was originally coined in the 1980s by K.W. Jeter who was trying to find a general way to describe the books coming from the Powers/Blaylock/Jeter camp. While influences and other seminal works came from the 60s and 70s it wasn't until these three pioneers took the reigns that the genre really took off. Now the growth and influence is exponential. What are some of the most celebrated Steampunk books?

The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers
Homunculus by James P. Blaylock
Infernal Devices by K.W. Jeter
The Difference Engine by Bruce Sterling and William Gibson
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore
The Warlord of the Air by Michael Moorcock
The Scar by China Mieville
The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer by Neal Stephenson
The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
The Steampunk Trilogy by Paul di Filippo
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
The Alchemy of Stone by Ekaterina Sedia

If this hasn't sparked your interest then we highly recommend attending the Steampunk Authors Panel with James Blaylock, Tim Powers, Nancy Holder and Suzanne Lazear. Immerse yourself in the fantasy!

To Kill A Mockingbird Screening with Mary Badham

rreiff — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 21:41:53 +0000

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." This is one of dozens of quotes from To Kill a Mockingbird that have left an indelible mark on American culture since its publication in 1960. In the years following, the book and 1962 film of the same name have inspired generations of children and adults to discuss social and racial injustice. The Big Orange Book Festival is excited to celebrate this classic story with a talk from Mary Badham, the actress who portrayed the role of Scout, followed by a screening of the film. Mary kept in close contact with Gregory Peck and occasionally accompanied him on his one-man lecture tours and to award ceremonies. Now she maintains a busy schedule lecturing to audiences throughout the world about the book and film. Her interest is in sharing the film’s message of social injustice and insuring that each generation of students can experience the film’s impact. Check back for updates and a full schedule of the book filled festivities. Mary Badham’s other screen credits include the films This Property is Condemned, and Let’s Kill Uncle along with the TV shows Dr. Kildare and The Twilight Zone. More recently, she was brought out of retirement to appear in the film Our Very Own with Allison Janney, Keith Carradine and Jason Ritter.

Birth of a Book by Glen Milner

loehner — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 22:40:00 +0000

While we usually celebrate the written word and the creativity of storytelling, it is always nice to take a moment and see the true artistry of bookmaking itself. As with most master crafts, every step in the process is done with perfection, care and pride, resulting in the wonderful treasures that fill your bookshelves. Shot, directed and edited by Glen Milner, Birth of a Book is a short vignette showing a book being created using traditional printing methods. Birth of a Book from Glen Milner on Vimeo. For the Daily Telegraph. Shot at Smith-Settle Printers, Leeds, England. The book being printed is Suzanne St Albans’ 'Mango and Mimosa' published as part of the Slightly Foxed series.

The City of Orange Public Library Joins in the Fun

loehner — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 22:59:30 +0000

We are thrilled to announce that the Orange Public Library will be offering a captivating program in correlation with the Big Orange Book Festival. On Friday, September 21 local author Phil Brigandi will speak on, "Around Our Town: Glimpses of Old Orange" at the Main Library, located just a quick 0.3 mile walk from the Chapman University campus. Brigandi's presentation will include a discussion on current buildings in Orange and their unique past along with showing historic and modern photography of Orange. He will also be sharing historic stories of the people and places that made our community what it is today. The program schedule:

3:45-4:05- Refreshments & welcome
4:05-4:45- Phil Brigandi talk
4:45-5:30- Book signing

So come join in the fun yourself. See you at the Festival!

Big Orange Book Festival

rreiff — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 21:43:59 +0000

Hundreds of great books, discussion panels with accomplished writers, live entertainment, delicious food and welcoming neighbors under a perfect California sky sounds like a book lover's dream. In the case of the Big Orange Book Festival, it’s a dream come true. This two-day fest will celebrate every facet of the written word whether it makes you cry, think or laugh out loud. The Big Orange Book Festival is held in the heart of Orange County on Chapman University’s beautiful campus right next to the historic Circle of Orange. So come join your fellow book lovers as we celebrate literature and the impact it has had on pop culture in television, movies and comics. We have bestselling authors, steampunk legends, film icons and mystery and horror connoisseurs to name a few, but please browse around yourself to see all the exciting events and genres represented at this year’s festival. Speaker List Learn about Chapman University Discover the City of Orange Interested in Volunteering?

Leslie Klinger: Pop Culture’s Go-to Guy on Sherlock and Dracula

rreiff — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 21:42:16 +0000

There are not many literary characters that a 7-year-old boy, a teenage girl and a 90-year-old man can agree are great, but it seems Dracula and Sherlock Holmes have done just that. With numerous variations, story lines, updates and off-shoots, these two iconic victorian era superstars are still making new generations of audiences excited, thrilled and captivated. As a wonderful addition to this year's Big Orange Book Festival, vistiors will get the opportunity to sit down with a master historian and educator on the subject, Leslie Klinger. As one of the world’s foremost authorities on Sherlock Holmes and Dracula, Klinger has been using his passion for these literary icons to educate and progress their stories all throughout the pop culture world. As an educator, Klinger has sat on panels at Comic-con, World Horror Convention, World Fantasy Convention, Vampire Con and has even taught classes at UCLA on the subject. He has also been involved in numerous high profile projects featuring these characters, including consultation on Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes (2009) and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) movies. While Dracula and Holmes may be a large focus of Klinger's time, he is also an avid supporter of the mystery and horror genres as a whole. Klinger has served as a three term President of the SoCal Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America and sits on its National Board. He is also treasurer of the Horror Writers Association. As a force in the literary world, his introductions and essays have appeared in numerous books, graphic novels, academic journals, newspapers and magazines. Klinger also reviews books for the Los Angeles Times. Join us for a captivating look and discussion on the history and future of these iconic fictional characters with the man who knows them best. Photo courtesy of www.lesliesklinger.com

Gustavo Arellano: “¡Ask A Mexican!” Columnist Returns

rreiff — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 21:43:43 +0000

He's back! Orange County native, Chapman alumnus and celebrated author Gustavo Arellano is joining the already stellar lineup at the Big Orange Book Festival. When you talk about individuals who have made their mark in Southern California, the list most definitely will include this often controversial and always funny journalist and book author. If you don't know him by name, then most likely you know him by his highly acclaimed column, "¡Ask a Mexican!", which has a viewership of 2 million in 39 newspapers nationally. Arellano will be a featured speaker at the Festival, talking about his work with the OC Weekly, Mexican-American culture and his two books, Orange County: A Personal History and Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America. We are truly excited to have Arellano back on the Chapman University campus. Currently, Arellano is editor and a contributing author of the OC Weekly, an alternative newspaper in Orange County, California. While his writings have a humorous side, Arellano is not afraid to tackle contiversal topics and dig deep into the seedy side of the OC. As a voice for Mexcian-Americans, Arellano has been the subject of press coverage in national and international newspapers, The Today Show, Hannity, Nightline, Good Morning America and The Colbert Report. His commentaries regularly appear in Marketplace and the Los Angeles Times. He is also a known lecturer with the Chicana and Chicano Studies department at California State University, Fullerton. The Big Orange Book Festival would not be complete without an appearance of this highly entertaining native son.

Lizz Winstead: Co-creator of The Daily Show & Top Political Satirist

rreiff — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 22:36:01 +0000

When it comes to taking mainstream news and politics seriously, visionary comedienne, writer and co-creator of The Daily Show, Lizz Winstead, has never followed suit. There was a time when news was news and comedy was comedy, and while they intersected occasionally, everybody knew which side they were sitting. Nowadays, thanks in part to Winstead, these lines have been blurred and this welcomed change has alter the landscape of how people get informed. This shift has not only been an entertaining one, but most of the time through the comedy, the the raw truth behind the news is revealed. We are thrilled to announce that this creative and insightful satirist, writer and radio/television personality will be joining the Big Orange Book Festival to discuss her new book, her career, politics and the future of mainstream media. In her book, Lizz Free and Die, Winstead brilliantly accounts her path to discovering her comedic voice through a series of autobiographical essay. She touches on her struggles as a female comedian playing ball with politicians, her development of The Daily Show and her incessant need to plunge head first into every project takes on. In addition to being head writer and co-creator of The Daily Show, Winstead co-founded Air America Radio, co-hosted the radio show Unfiltered, wrote and produced an off-broadway hit, Wake Up World and is a top political satirist in America. She is also a very active contributor to The Guardian, The Huffington Post, and various television programs. Photo Courtesy: lizzwinstead.com

Edward Humes: Garbology: Our Dirty Love Affair With Trash

rreiff — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 21:41:14 +0000

None of us working on the Big Orange Book Festival ever thought we would be excited about trash. When someone mentioned trash two things came to mind…either smelly, mushy, dirty and generally gross, or our shared annoyance at the noisy, rumbling trash trucks that always seem to come by at 7am on Saturdays. That was before we discovered Pulitzer Prize winning author, Edward Humes’, new book Garbology: Our Dirty Love Affair With Trash. Kirkus Reviews states “Humes offers plenty of surprising, even shocking, statistics…An important addition to the environmentalist bookshelf,” and we couldn’t agree more. Suddenly, trash became a lifestyle choice to think about along with organic food and the carbon footprint of our cars. Now we’re counting down the days ‘til Humes comes to discuss Garbology, trash piles the size of buildings, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and what we can all do about this mess going forward. Whether you’re a trash aficionado or you fall more into ‘smelly, dirty, mushy’ category, join us to learn a little bit more about what happens after that loud, growling truck finishes rumbling down your street. Stay tuned for a full book festival schedule to find out all the dirty details. Edward Humes other books include Force of Nature: The Unlikely Story of Wal-Mart's Green Revolution, the PEN Award-winning No Matter How Loud I Shout: A Year In the Life of Juvenile Court, the bestseller Mississippi Mud, and Monkey Girl: Evolution, Education, Religion and the Battle for America's Soul. Photo courtesy of www.edwardhumes.com