The literary lawn party this year will be bigger. There will be more than 150 authors, 32 panel discussions, book signings and readings; as well as exhibits and food on the grounds. The festival will take place at the Mississippi State Capitol. The festival is open to all and free of charge. Jere Nash, who is a member the Mississippi Book Festival’s board of directors, stated that “our primary goal was to highlight and promote Mississippi authors.” “We seek out regional and national authors who are able to write books that appeal to Mississippi readers.” Panels will feature speakers such as Jesmyn Wade, Jon Meacham and Ralph Eubanks. They will also discuss topics such as Southern fiction, poetry, cooking, civil rights history, Willie Morris, Willie Morris, and Mississippi Noir. Each author will have exclusive conversations with Jacqueline Woodson and Richard Ford, as well as Anne Webster. Nash stated, “If there are a group of writers who are from Mississippi or have published about Mississippi, then we’ve got them covered.” Begin at 11 a.m. with guided tours of the Capitol. Also, exhibits from the Library of Congress and Center for the Book and Talking Books will be on display. For a full list of panels and authors visit http://msbookfestival.com Looking for a good book? These are some suggestions from authors who will be appearing at the Mississippi Book Festival.