Save the Dates for 2025
Sept. 12, 13 & 14

Thank you to all who attended the 2024 Festival.
And thank you to our special guests and panelists.

MAIN STAGE

Effortless Mastery
with Kenny Werner

Kenny Werner, smiling at piano
Friday, Sept. 13 —7-9 pm
ticketed event – Milford Theater

Kenny Werner

World-class pianist and composer Kenny Werner and author of Effortless Mastery and Becoming the Instrument will launch the Milford Readers and Writer’s Festival for 2024. (more information)

Richard Wiese
Born to Explore

Richard Wiese in Alaska
Saturday, Sept. 14 — 3:45- 5 pm
ticketed event – Milford Theater

Richard Wiese with Megan Smith-Harris

Richard was the longest serving President of The Explorers Club, and Executive Producer and host of the multiple Emmy Award winning ABC and PBS program, Born to Explore.  This is a session that will appeal to people of all ages. (more information)

Radiant, The Life and
Line of Keith Haring

BRAD GOOCH - Keith Haring
Saturday Sept. 14 — 10 – 11.15 am
ticketed event – Milford Theater

Brad Gooch with Christopher Makos

Nothing is more exciting than when art and literature come together. This insightful conversation between Brad Gooch and Christopher Makos about the time when Keith Haring was leaving his indelible art on America through his art. (more information)

Artificial Intelligence
Our World in the Age of AI

AI, Machine learning, Hands of robot and human touching on big d
Saturday, Sept. 14 — 11:30 am – 12:45 pm
ticketed event – Milford Theater

 Sophia Olivas, Arina Aristova, David Poyer

Our panelists will be discussing on how to navigate this new technology and incorporate it in our lives. Sophia Olivas, author and AI Consultant along with Arina Aristova, author of the AI Fiction, The Charter of Ailith, will be in conversation with David Poyer, author of  Writing In The Age Of AI: What You Need to Know to Survive and Thrive(more information)

God Save Benedict Arnold
...America's Most Hated Man

Jack Kelly_credit Jeff Brouws-400x564
Saturday, Sept. 14 — 2:15- 3:30 pm
ticketed event – Milford Theater

Jack Kelly with Brian Carso

Jack Kelly, author of God Save Benedict Arnold and The Edge of Anarchy, will be in conversation with Brian Carso, lawyer and historian and author of Gideon’s Revolution: The Plot to Capture Benedict Arnold. In this engaging exchange they will be exploring key elements of history and its relevance today. (more information)

Auxiliary Panels

Free Events Around Town. All are Welcome.

Every Writer
Needs A Group

Friday, Sept. 13
1:30 – 2:45 pm 
Pike County Public Library

Writing is a lonely journey and the most successful writers seek out the support and feedback from others who are on the same path. This session will provide information on how three different writers’ groups in our area function. (More information)

The Work Begins After
the Book is Written

Friday, Sept. 13
3 – 4:15 pm
Pike County Public Library

Contrary to popular belief, the hard part is not writing the book – it’s marketing the book after it’s published. (More information)

The Last Fire Season

Saturday, Sept. 14
1 1 am – 12:30 pm
Grey Towers, Pool Terrace

Manjula Martin, author of The Last Fire Season and Nancy Pinchot, will engage in a wide-ranging discussion of Manjula’s personal experience with a raging California forest fire that threatened her home.  (More information)

Milford was/is a Mecca for Science Fiction

Saturday, Sept. 14 
2 pm – 3:30 pm
Good Shepherd Episcopal Church  

Around the world, the town of Milford, PA is famous for its role in the early days of Science Fiction. Isaac Asimov, Damon Knight, Kurt Vonnegut, Harlan Ellison, Gene Wolfe, James, Blish, Virginia Kidd, Anne McCaffrey. What brought them here? Why do authors still come to visit? How did Milford influence their works? (More information)

Regional Authors Event
Stop by and Chat.

Saturday, Sept. 14
11 am – 2 pm
Pike County Public Library

Local and regional authors will be at the Pike County Public Library to meet readers and offer their books for sale.

SCI-FI SAVVY :
Teen Voices in the
Future of Fiction

Saturday, Sept. 14
1 – 2:15 pm
Pike County Public Library

Teen authors, Hallie, Auttie and Owen will discuss their books and journeys in publishing at a young age in conversation with the best-selling author Chuck Wendig.  (More information)

Open Mic

Saturday, Sept. 14
7:30 – 9 pm
DVA! Community Engagement Center
315 Broad St. – next to Iron Valley Real Estate in the parking lot beside JEM Screen Printing

Join other writers, poets, singers and musicians to share the microphone and your artistic creation. Sign-up when you arrive.
Time will be allocated based on number of participants.  Hosted by Michelle Oram and Brian Carso.

In the Night Sky

Sunday, Sept. 15
11 am – 12:30 pm
Pike County Public Library

Linda Zimmermann and Richard Moschella will share their experience and insights on UFO sightings. There have been over 30,000 reported cases of UFO’s in Hudson Valley NY.  (More information)

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FUNNY BOY
Contemporary LGBTQ+ Bio

Sunday, Sept. 14
11:00 – 12:30 pm
Good Shepherd Episcopal Church

Jessica Max Stein will be in conversation with Fred Buchholz talking about Stein’s new book. Funny Boy: The Richard Hunt Biography tells the life story of a gifted performer with the Muppets whose gleeful irreverence, sharp wit and generous spirit inspired millions. (More information)

Funny Boy The Richard Hunt Biography by Jessica Max Stein

Healing Through
Poetry

Sunday, Sept. 15
1 – 2:15 pm
Waterwheel

Enjoy the power of  poetry and its healing benefits. The powerful combination of words, metaphor and meter connect our souls and help us make sense of the world and our place in it. 

(More information)

Healing Through Poetry

Truth, Lies
and Murder

Sunday, Sept. 15
1 – 2:15 pm
Pike County Public Library

Great mysteries are about more than a puzzling crime. Come join a panel of mystery authors as they discuss their books, inspiration, heroes, villains, and twisty plots. (More Information)

Truth, Lies and Murder: Writing the Modern Mystery

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Four Laws for the
Artificially Intelligent

Sunday, Sept. 15
1 – 2:30 pm
Good Shepherd Episcopal Church

Join author and artificial intelligence expert Ian Domowitz in conversation with storyteller and futurist Joe Callan as they discuss Domowitz’s book, Four Laws for the Artificially Intelligent and how AI is changing and will continue to change our world.  (More information)

Four Laws for the Artificially Intelligent by Ian Domowitz

Historical Romance
A Future Through the Past

Sunday, Sept. 15
2:30 – 3:45 pm
Pike County Public Library

With the rise of Booktok, viral successes and the consolidating of publishing houses as well as shrinking staff, we will discuss how historical romances place in a current reading world. Can historical romance maintain its reign as a romance staple?  (More information)

Romance Writer

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The Reluctant Conductor

Sunday, Sept. 15
3 – 4:30 pm
Good Shepherd Episcopal Church

Authors Tim Turner and Richard C. Morais will be in conversation about Turner’s new book, The Reluctant Conductor, a vivid depiction of 1920s life in a Moldovan shtetl. (More Information)

The Reluctant Conductor by Tim Turner and Moisey Gorbaty

Readers

Building on the tradition of story telling and the participatory energy of book clubs, we invite readers to share their thoughts, with the authors.

Writers

“This festival shows us the worldwide importance of coming together to share ideas and build community.”
-Gloria Steinem

Conversation

The Milford Readers and Writers Festival aims to inspire conversations between people who love to read books and people who write them.