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Join Robert Beatty, author of the bestselling Serafina Series and the all-new Sylvia Doe and the 100-Year Flood, at Appalachian WordFest 2025. The daylong celebration of authors, publishers and book lovers from the Appalachian Mountains takes place Saturday, March 1, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at the Sevierville Convention Center in Sevierville, TN.Robert's featured author presentation begins at 2 p.m. in Ballroom D. He'll be discussing the inspiration for his new book, Sylvia Doe and the 100-Year Flood, the resonant themes of the story, and the stunning timing of the book's national release which came within days of the devastating flooding in Western North Carolina and East Tennessee caused by Hurricane Helene. The presentation is followed by a book-signing and meet and greet opportunity.
Admission is free to Robert's presentation and to the festival, which includes more than 70 book vendors and regional authors, author presentations, Q&As, sessions for writers, book sales and signings.
More about Appalachian WordFest: https://appalachianwordfest.com/
ABOUT SYLVIA DOE AND THE 100-YEAR FLOOD
Sylvia Doe doesn't know where she was born or the people she came from. She's lived at the Highground Home for Children in the mountains of North Carolina for as long as she can remember. Whenever the administrators place her with a foster family, she runs away, back to her horse Kitty Hawk — her best friend — and the other horses in the herd, the only place she feels like she belongs.
When Hurricane Jessamine causes the remote mountain valley where she lives to flood, Sylvia must rescue her beloved horses. But she begins to encounter strange and wondrous things floating down the river. Glittering gemstones and wild animals that don't belong — everything's out of place. Then she spots an unconscious boy floating in the water. As she drags him onto the shore and their adventure together begins, Sylvia wonders who he is and where he came from. And why does she feel such a strong connection to this mysterious boy?
Sylvia Doe and the 100-Year Flood book trailer: https://fb.watch/uo1rsyXrxZ/
PRAISE FOR SYLVIA DOE
Kirkus, in a Starred Review: “Adventurous and suspenseful, this story pairs environmental science content with a genre-blurring mystery. Field guide–style illustrations of the animals that Sylvia encounters on her journey add a valuable learning component that emphasizes the ecological themes present throughout the book. A page-turner that creatively explores resonant themes.”
Newbery Medal-winning author Kwame Alexander: "A fascinating jaunt through the ecological evolution of Appalachia. At times heartbreaking, Sylvia Doe is a cautionary tale about how ephemeral our way of life, and environment, can really be. Magical realism at its best!
Publishers Weekly, in a Starred Review: "Beatty pays tribute to the beauty and dangers of the natural world in this thoughtful tale."
ABOUT ROBERT BEATTY
Robert Beatty is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Serafina Series, the Willa Series, and Sylvia Doe — all published by Disney-Hyperion. Loved by young readers and adults alike, his books are taught in more than a thousand classrooms nationwide and have been translated into more than 20 languages across the world. Over ONE MILLION of his books have been sold.
The award-winning Serafina Series is a spooky mystery-thriller about a brave and unusual cat-like girl who lives secretly in the basement of the grand Biltmore Estate, surrounded by the opulence of the Gilded Age and the rugged beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Serafina and the Black Cloak, the first book in the series, won the Southern Book Prize in 2016. All four books in the series became #1 New York Times bestsellers.
Beatty's second project was the #1 New York Times best-selling Willa of the Wood Series, the story of a young forest girl with ancient magical powers who struggles for survival and understanding in the Great Smoky Mountains. The Willa books are in the early stages of development for a live-action television series by Lionsgate.
Beatty lives in the mountains of Asheville, NC, with his wife and three daughters, who help create and refine his stories. He writes full-time now, but in his past lives, he was one of the early pioneers of cloud computing, the founder/CEO of Plex Systems, the co-founder of Beatty Robotics, and the chairman/CTO of Narrative Magazine. In 2007, he was named an Entrepreneur of the Year.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Sevierville Convention Center, 202 Gists Creek Rd, Sevierville, TN 37876, United States
Tickets
