The Fantastic Grown-Up Book Fair

The Fantastic Grown-Up Book Fair Remember the excitement of the school book fair? The grown-up version - by Karen Dean & Aren Morris!

Only two author spots left! Apply now to claim your spot and share your book at
05/23/2026

Only two author spots left!

Apply now to claim your spot and share your book at

We have a few spots left for local authors to showcase their work and meet readers at Book Fair by the Sea, this year’s ...
05/10/2026

We have a few spots left for local authors to showcase their work and meet readers at Book Fair by the Sea, this year’s iteration of the Fantastic Grown-Up Book Fair.

We will see you in River John, NS, as part of on July 11, 2026.

Check out our website to find out more and to submit your application!

We're thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership with ... which means the next iteration of will be:~BOOK FAIR B...
03/23/2026

We're thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership with ... which means the next iteration of will be:

~BOOK FAIR BY THE SEA~

It will be another gathering of local authors and small/ indie presses in River John, on Nova Scotia's gorgeous North Shore as part of this summer’s Read By The Sea festival on Sat July 11, 2026.

As part of Read By The Sea Literary Festival, BOOK FAIR BY THE SEA includes free entry to the public, an opportunity to meet & greet with various local authors, as well as access to a free editing workshop for writers. And as always, the festival itself is free to attend!

Visit our website for details or to complete an authors application: grownupbookfair.com

What a fantastic day at the third annual Fantastic Grown-Up Book Fair! We are so grateful for:• everyone who came to sho...
10/12/2025

What a fantastic day at the third annual Fantastic Grown-Up Book Fair!

We are so grateful for:
• everyone who came to shop
• everyone who participated in the free workshops
• all of the brave writers who shared their unpublished work
• all of the authors who set up tables and shared their work

We could not have done it without the extraordinary help of Ann Barry.

Thank you to our sponsors, Lighthouse Market, Mahone Bay and Heather Deveaux Creative. Thank you to Spill the Tea for providing tea for the author social.

We are grateful for everyone who helped make this day truly fantastic.

~ Aren & Karen

TODAY IS THE DAY! We are recreating the magic of our childhood school book fairs at the Mahone Bay Centre in Mahone Bay ...
10/11/2025

TODAY IS THE DAY!

We are recreating the magic of our childhood school book fairs at the Mahone Bay Centre in Mahone Bay from 10 am to 2 pm.

There will be:

✅ over 35 local authors and small presses
✅ free writing workshops
✅ a reading hour where you will get to hear unpublished works for the first time.

We can’t wait to see you at The Fantastic Grown-Up Book Fair 3.0!

TOMORROW IS THE BIG DAY!We will recreate the magic of our childhood school book fairs at the Mahone Bay Centre in Mahone...
10/10/2025

TOMORROW IS THE BIG DAY!

We will recreate the magic of our childhood school book fairs at the Mahone Bay Centre in Mahone Bay from 10 am to 2 pm.

There will be over 35 local authors, free writing workshops, and a reading hour where you will get to hear some unpublished works for the first time.

We can’t wait to see you!

Come join us at The Fantastic Grown-Up Book Fair 3.0! We will recreate the magic of our childhood school book fairs at t...
10/09/2025

Come join us at The Fantastic Grown-Up Book Fair 3.0!

We will recreate the magic of our childhood school book fairs at the Mahone Bay Centre in Mahone Bay on October 11, 2025.

There will be over 35 local authors, free writing workshops, and a reading hour where you will get to hear some unpublished works for the first time.

We can’t wait to see you!

In addition to MEET & GREETs with local authors, you can attend one-hour writing workshops FOR FREE at The Fantastic Gro...
10/09/2025

In addition to MEET & GREETs with local authors, you can attend one-hour writing workshops FOR FREE at The Fantastic Grown-Up Book Fair 3.0!

Vernon Oickle will join us from 10:30 am to 11:30 am for "So, You Want To Be A Writer?"

So, you’ve always thought you wanted to be a writer, but you don’t know where to start. Join veteran writer and editor, Vernon Oickle, for this hands-on workshop as he helps you take the first steps.

As the author of 47 books, Vernon will give you tips and guidance on how to start writing, how to pitch publishers and how to get your book published.

Then, Jan Fancy Hall will join us from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm for "How to Think Like A Successful Writer".

Jan will lead you through three fast-paced modules. “What Am I Even Doing Here?” will review several most popular methods of writing: one of them could be a good fit for you. Do you know why you want to write? Learn to proudly take your place in the great host of writers. Are there impediments? You betcha—real and fake. In “Tripwires” we’ll learn about two of the most popular ways to fail. In “Break the Spell”, we’ll chase them away with an effective and fun exercise you can use anywhere!

Jan Fancy Hull is an award-winning author of novels and poetry. She has published nine novels set on the South Shore, two collections of short stories, one non-fiction book, plus poetry. She thinks writing is the best job she has ever had.

We will have two non-book vendors at The Fantastic Grown-Up Book Fair 3.0.Desi's Snack Shack (a young entrepreneur) will...
10/09/2025

We will have two non-book vendors at The Fantastic Grown-Up Book Fair 3.0.

Desi's Snack Shack (a young entrepreneur) will be offering cold pop, crunchy chips and sweet chocolate bars to keep you going throughout the day.

And the Lighthouse Market, a delightful gift shop that celebrates local artistry and community spirit, will be on site. Located at 617 South Main Street in Mahone Bay, the market offers a variety of Nova Scotian artwork, souvenirs, and home décor inspired by the province's iconic lighthouses.

We can't wait to see you there!

We are pleased to have three small, locally owned presses coming to share their titles with you.Founded in December 2022...
10/09/2025

We are pleased to have three small, locally owned presses coming to share their titles with you.

Founded in December 2022, Merlin Star Press is a local, independent publisher based in New Brunswick. They publish adult fiction created by writers in Atlantic Canada. We have four books in our catalogue that have received considerable attention from booksellers and readers in the maritime provinces. Our novels have been featured in recent editions of Atlantic Books Today as excerpts and editors' picks.

Find out more about them at:
https://sites.google.com/view/fantasticgrownupbookfair/small-presses?authuser=0

Address

45 School St.
Mahone Bay, NS
B0J 2E0

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