Events
Plan Your Fall Book Lover’s Getaway to Johns Creek
Photo courtesy of Arts On The Creek
Events · 5 min read · By Kristin Edwards, Executive Director
| FreeGeneral admission | $45VIP experience | 36Authors | Nearly 2MFrozen River copies sold |
Ariel Lawhon, the New York Times bestselling author of The Frozen River, is making just one stop in Georgia to celebrate her new novel, and it’s in Johns Creek. On Saturday, Nov. 14, she headlines the fifth-annual Johns Creek Literary Fair, joined by 35 more writers. For book lovers across the Southeast, it’s the perfect excuse for a weekend getaway.
Meet the headliner
Headliner · New York Times bestseller Ariel Lawhon The Frozen River has sold nearly 2 million copies since 2023. Now Lawhon returns with The Pirate Queen, the story of Grace O’Malley, the Irish folk heroine who risked everything to defend her people on the high seas. Her novels, including Code Name Hélène and I Was Anastasia, have been translated into more than 30 languages and picked by Good Morning America Book Club and Book of the Month. |
She’ll be in conversation with her friend Patti Callahan Henry, the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 17 novels, including her newest, The Story She Left Behind. Henry also co-hosts the popular weekly show and podcast Friends & Fiction, so expect a conversation that feels like the best book club you’ve ever been to.
The suspense panel: Secrets, Lies & Alibis
Fans of a good twist, this one’s for you. Four regional favorites take the stage at 3:30 p.m.
Panelist Tiffany Crum This Story Might Save Your Life. Her debut racked up more than 140,000 Goodreads reviews in just four months. | Panelist Emily Carpenter A Spell for Saints and Sinners. Her 10th thriller has already been optioned for TV. |
Panelist Matthew C. Smith The Ones in the Corner. A practicing attorney who pulls double duty as a novelist. | Moderator V.M. Burns Five cozy mystery series. An adjunct professor in Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction MFA program. |
Plus, 30 hand-picked metro Atlanta adult and children’s authors will be selling and signing their books all afternoon. With the holidays around the corner, that’s a lot of personalized gifts checked off in one stop.
The schedule
| 3:00 PM | Doors open with 30 local adult and children’s authors |
| 3:30 PM | “Secrets, Lies & Alibis” suspense panel |
| 4:30 PM | Private VIP reception with Ariel Lawhon and Patti Callahan Henry |
| 5:30 PM | Ariel Lawhon and Patti Callahan Henry in conversation |
| 6:30 PM | Book signing |
Tickets
General admission is free. The $45 VIP ticket includes a signed, personalized copy of The Pirate Queen, priority seating, a photo with the authors, the private reception with light refreshments, and a swag bag. Priority seating and photos go to the first 100 VIPs to arrive, so plan to get there early.
Make it a weekend
Johns Creek has never had more going on. Between a brand-new dining and shopping district, riverside trails, and a literary fair headlined by a bestseller, one afternoon won’t cover it. Here’s how to turn it into a weekend.
| Fri | Check in, then head to Medley, Johns Creek’s brand-new mixed-use district, for dinner. With spots like STIR, Rena’s Italian Fishery & Grill, and Fadó Irish Pub, you can take your pick, then stroll the Plaza. |
| Sat | Ease into the morning with coffee and a pastry, then get outside before the fair. The Chattahoochee River and the trails at Autrey Mill Nature Preserve are both close by. Arrive by 3 p.m. to browse the local authors before the panel. |
| Sun | Linger over brunch, crack open your newly signed book, and do a little holiday shopping before heading home. |
Where to stay
Johns Creek’s three hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hyatt Place, and Hampton Inn & Suites, are all just minutes from the event. Book early: a headliner with a one-stop Georgia tour tends to draw readers from all over the Southeast. See where to stay.
| Know before you go | |
When | Where |
Books | Refunds |
The Johns Creek Literary Fair is presented by the nonprofit Arts On The Creek in partnership with the City of Johns Creek. Details can change, so confirm on the event page before you go.
Make a weekend of it Hotels, restaurants, and events, all in one place. |
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