Former White House chef Roland Mesnier will demonstrate dessert-making techniques from his books at the Arkansas Literary Festival.

More than 100 authors and presenters including Roy Blount Jr. and Ian Frazier will participate in the Arkansas Literary Festival, coming to a variety of locations on both sides of the Arkansas River Thursday-Sunday (April 12-15).

Other authors scheduled to attend include Kevin Brockmeier, Brooks Blevins, John Hornor Jacobs, Gwyneth Bolton, Susan Gregg Gilmore, Jenny Wingfield, Lauren Groff, Frank Thurman and Justin Torres.

Central Arkansas Library System's Main Library campus at 100 Rock S., Little Rock, and other venues in the River Market and Argenta Arts districts will be the sites for sessions, panels, special events, performances, workshops, presentations, opportunities to meet authors, book sales, and book signings.

Admission to most events is free. Tickets to special events are available at library branches and online at www.arkansasliteraryfestival.org.

Author! Author!, a cocktail reception with the authors, will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday (April 13) at the Main Library. Tickets are $25 in advance, $40 at the door.

Three food-centered workshops will feature authors discussing their work and sampling their wares. Tickets are $20 for each session and are available online:

  • Diana Southwood Kennedy will cook from her award-winning cookbook Oaxaca al Gusto: An Infinite Gastronomy.
  • Kim O'Donnell will cook treats from The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook
  • Former White House chef Roland Mesnier will share lessons learned from making elaborate desserts for kings, queens, and heads of state

Special events which are free include Pub or Perish, an evening featuring Festival authors and local authors reading their work, a book fiesta for children, concerts, and a street fair featuring area musicians, artists, and activities.

Other children's events include storytime on the lawn of the Governor's Mansion, a reading of a children's story with illustrations and musical accompaniment at the Clinton Presidential Center, two plays, a magic show, a puppet show, and a concert by the Kinders.

Panels and workshops will cover topics such as graphic novels, poetry, memoirs, romance, craft activism, electronic books and publishing trends, magazine editing and pencil sharpening.

Through the Writers In The Schools (WITS) initiative, the Festival will provide presentations by 17 authors for Pulaski county elementary, middle, and senior high schools and area colleges.

For more information click here.