FCBF 2027 - Session Submission

Read Me First!

This form is for authors applying to present at FoCo Book Fest (book talks, panels, readings, workshops, etc.).

• Presenting authors should also plan on a table in the book fair area to sell and sign books: submit a separate Table Application to reserve one. These are two independent tracks.
• You may opt in to having The Crowded Bookshelf handle your book sales: coordinate that directly with them prior to the event.
• Submitting this application does not guarantee acceptance or a specific format, time slot, or session type.

Wanted: Youth Creator Workshops

We're especially looking for workshops built for young creators: hands-on making, live demos, and activities where kids and teens leave with something they made themselves. Think zine-making, comics and character design, storytelling games, bookbinding, illustration demos, and more. If that's you, choose Workshop as your presentation type and tell us about capacity, materials, and any help you'd need.

2027 Theme: Handed Down

Handed Down is an invitation to explore what passes from one generation to the next: family stories, recipes, languages, land, grudges, and the books that shaped us. We're looking for talks, panels, and workshops that show how stories carry inheritance: what we keep, what we change, what we refuse, and what we hope to leave behind. Every genre has a lineage, from the worlds fantasy writers inherit to the monsters horror keeps reinventing.

Want to participate at FoCo Book Fest?

If you’re interested in participating in FoCo Book Fest as a presenting author (book talk, panel, reading, etc.), please use this application.

Key dates

• Application opens: October 2026
• First-round approvals begin: on or after 2/21/2027
• Waitlist entries accepted until: 4/8/2027

You can edit or withdraw your application any time before it is approved or rejected. Applicants not approved during the first round will be placed on the waitlist. We’ll do our best to provide as much notice as possible and will reach out before approving your application.

Questions or accessibility accommodations: Hello@FoCoBookFest.org

Participating author social media template: https://bit.ly/FCBF2027Template

1. This is an application to present at Fort Collins Book Fest. Submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance into the program, a specific format (talk/panel/reading/workshop), or a specific time slot.
2. Scheduling and program changes: Fort Collins Book Fest reserves the right to finalize, adjust, or cancel programming formats, session titles/descriptions, dates/times, rooms, and participant groupings as needed for operations, safety, venue requirements, and program balance. We will communicate changes as early as practicable.
3. Presenter responsibilities: If accepted, presenters agree to:
   • Provide any requested final materials by the stated deadlines (final title, description, bio/headshot, links, AV needs).
   • Arrive on time and follow check-in instructions.
   • Conduct themselves professionally and respectfully toward attendees, staff, volunteers, and other participants.
4. Content standards: Fort Collins Book Fest is a public-facing, community event. Presenters agree that session content and materials will be appropriate for the designated audience (all-ages unless otherwise specified) and will not include hate speech, harassment, or content that violates applicable laws or venue policies. Fort Collins Book Fest reserves the right to require modifications to session content or to remove a presenter from the program for safety or policy reasons. Trigger Warnings should be issued in advance of readings and/or included in the session notes so that audience members can opt in or out based on their specific needs.
5. Cancellations and no-shows: If you can no longer participate, you agree to notify Fort Collins Book Fest as soon as possible at Hello@FoCoBookFest.org. Repeated late cancellations or no-shows may affect future participation.
6. Accessibility: If you need an accessibility accommodation to participate or present, please contact Hello@FoCoBookFest.org. We will make good-faith efforts to accommodate needs within venue and resource constraints.
7. Liability: Howdy Neighbor Events / Fort Collins Book Fest, staff, volunteers, and partners are not responsible for loss, theft, or damage to your personal property during participation.
8. Recording/photography permission: By participating, you consent to being photographed or recorded by Fort Collins Book Fest and its partners for promotional and archival purposes. If you have concerns, please contact us in advance.
9. Book sales and signing: Presenters who want to sell and sign books need a table in the book fair area, which requires a separate Table Application. You may opt in to having The Crowded Bookshelf, FoCo Book Fest's official bookseller, handle your book sales; coordinate that directly with The Crowded Bookshelf prior to the event.

Preference is given to submissions that:

• Feature an author with current or past ties to Colorado or nearby states
• Feature a book set in, or meaningfully connected to, Colorado or nearby states
• Promote a book released in print (hardback/paperback) since the previous festival and available through The Crowded Bookshelf by the presentation date
• Amplify voices historically underrepresented in publishing (including, but not limited to, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled, neurodivergent, non-English language writers, and economically marginalized creators)

Self-published eligibility

Self-published titles will be considered only if they are:

• Print-bound
• Professionally edited (developmental + copyedit + proofread)
• Professionally designed
• Properly registered with EAN barcode + ISBN + LCCN
• Supported by a current, functional author website

Not considered - We do not program:

• Self-improvement / how-to / instructional
• Business management / leadership - see Founded in FoCo for opportunities instead.
• Devotionals
• Works solely of academic or narrowly religious interest