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The Wisconsin Book Festival kicked off yesterday, but tonight’s events begin the big weekend of readings, roundtables and other book-related offerings, starting with readings by Wisconsin authors Lorrie Moore and Michael Perry. Moore will read from her new novel, A Gate at the Stairs, her first novel in ten years; Perry reads from his latest memoir, Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs and Parenting.

But for me the highlights all happen on Saturday: Doug W. Jacobson reads from his novel, Night of Flames: A Novel of World War II at noon at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum. Doug and I participated in a writer’s roundtable together for a couple of years, so I was lucky enough to read this novel in progress. Set in Poland and Belgium, the story has a fresh perspective on the years when the Nazis all but destroyed Europe and its Jewish population.

Next, as I mentioned yesterday, Sarah Busse participates in a roundtable about starting and sustaining small presses like her new venture, Verse Wisconsin.

I’ll follow that by attending the annual agent, editor and publisher panel, which is always gives me good ideas for freelance projects to pursue.

And to put a cherry on the day, there is an evening reading by acclaimed Wisconsin authors Jane Hamilton and David Rhodes. Hamilton is one of my favorite authors, and she’s a delightful, funny, generous reader. I’ve seen her speak many times. I also had the good fortune to take a one-day fiction class she taught, and it was terrific. Her modesty, humor and ability to get to the heart of what makes good fiction made the class highly worthwhile. Hamilton will read from her latest novel, Laura Rider’s Masterpiece. Rhodes, an acclaimed novelist who hasn’t published since a 1976 motorcycle accident left him paralyzed from the chest down, reads from his new novel, Driftless.

There is a full lineup of events through Sunday, so check out the schedule. I hope to see you there!