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Local authors to convene Saturday at FloridaRAMA
“This is not going to stop here. It’s going to evolve and be something that FloridaRAMA continually does.”
Thirty bay area authors will be in the same room together Saturday, for the first-ever FloridaRAMA Literary Festival.
The day (12-6 p.m.) includes signings, talks, general mingling and meet-and-greets. Books will be for sale, and the authors plan on being willing and able to sign, should you desire.
Vendors including Art by Pena (handmade stained glass artworks), Michelle Lopez (build your own pens), Zenna Henna (henna art), Bomi Art Studio (handmade art), the BookMobile (mobile library van) and the Book Lounge (“blind date with a book”) will be on-site.
According to event organizer Jessica Baird, FloridaRAMA’s Business Development Manager, the initial idea was to gather together the small group of artists and illustrators whose books are sold in the venue’s gift shop.
“Overwhelmingly, everyone said there was a such a need for it,” Baird recalled. “So because there was that initial pique of interest, we just decided to go full-force.”
Baird added that 30 authors was the pre-decided cutoff point. “But I’ve had people reaching out to me, from seeing things on Instagram, for example, and wanting to be a part of the next one,” she said.
“So this is not going to stop here. It’s going to evolve and be something that FloridaRAMA continually does, to support the authors in the community.”
Saturday’s scheduled participants:
Jeffrey Armstrong Gulfport novelist whose Asphalt Surfer is a 1960s coming of age story
Bill Berry Professional sword swallower, juggler and yoga instructor, and author of Off Course on Purpose and Stories That Move: My Life in Many Allegories
Jeannie Carlson Author of Aland A Land, Landmarks in the Sand (speaking at 12 p.m.)
Jesi Cason St. Pete Month of Photography: 2025 Photo Laureate book
Carlene Cobb Author and contributing editor, Coastal Voices and Visions
Bill DeYoung Journalist and author of Skyway: The True Story of Tampa Bay’s Signature Bridge and the Man Who Brought it Down, Record Man, and Vintage St. Pete, Volumes 1-4 (speaking at 1:30 p.m.)
Amanda Dugger Author of the memoir Finding Sparkle in the Sh*t Show: A Memoir of My Dad, My Cancer, and Ham in the Fridge
Sharon Preston-Folta Author of Little Satchmo: Living in the Shadow of my father Louis Daniel Armstrong
Chaim Freiberg Former concert pianist and author of short story volumes In C Sharp Minor: Women Between Two Worlds, Miss Flora & the Squirrel, Lily Flowers Finds Love
Linda Hansen Writer and illustrator of the children’s book Otto The Otter
Louise Harris Poet and novelist (books are The 1776 Scroll of Secrets, The 1776 Bed and Breakfast and The 1776 Musket)
Emelie Hernandez Author of Handmade Heirloom Dolls: Beautiful Sewing Projects for Lovable Keepsakes (speaking at 2:30 p.m.)
Apollo Infiniti Author of BloodMoney
Kostar Illustrator, children’s book Where the Florida Things Live (with Alice Absolutely) (speaking at 2 p.m.)
Gail Lenhard Co-author (with Jeanne Mansfield) of the children’s books The Mystical Magical Musical Bridge and I Talk With My Hands
Tamara Lush Ex-journalist and mystery writer (as Tara Lush) whose titles include Hungry Like the Hex, Grounds for Murder, A Bean to Die For, Gator Queen and many others
Sally Pye Author of the children’s book Mummy Eats a Gummy (speaking at 12:30 p.m.)
Brittany Ranew Author of the novel Riley Jordan and the Fire Prophecies – Lion of Fire
Kevin Renken Theater educator whose books include Ballad of the Wayward Child, Graphic: The Novel, Welcome to the Day
Jessica Rios Pasco-area social worker whose bittersweet memoir is titled Grief, Hope, Baseball
Julie Rocco Author of What I Would Have Missed: Stories by Suicide Ideation, Attempt and Loss Survivors (speaking at 3:30 p.m.)
Cathy Salustri Owner and publisher of the Gabber newspaper, author of Backroads Florida and Florida Spectacular: Extraordinary Places and Exceptional Lives (speaking at 5 p.m.)
Ric Savid Photographer whose books of B&W portraiture include Portraits From My Darkroom
Mallory Silva Author of the children’s book The Little Farmer
Brandy Stark Author of Supernatural St. Petersburg and Paranormal Pinellas Volumes 1 and 2 (speaking at 4 p.m.)
Christopher Ward Teacher, documentary filmmaker and author of the graphic novel The Hottest Fires of Hell
Paul Wilborn Former journalist, executive director of the Palladium Theater and author of the novels Florida Hustle and The Everlasting Life of Charlie Wall (speaking at 5:30 p.m.)
Jon Wilson Former journalist whose titles include The Golden Era in St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg’s Historic African American Neighborhoods, Helpless at the Gates of Graceland and Days of Fear: A Lynching in St. Petersburg
Tom Winchester Author of The Art Critter Method (speaking at 1 p.m.)
“FloridaRAMA,” Baird said, “is a really cool space because it’s so flexible. Five days out of the week, we are this ticketed museum experience. It’s also available for private events.
“And the third way that we operate is through partnered collaborative events with the community. Which is what the Literary Festival is.”
The 2026 Literary Festival runs from 12 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22 at FloridaRAMA, 2606 Fairfield Avenue S., St. Petersburg. Tickets, which include admission to the museum/art experience, are available at this link.
