Antigua's literary fest continues to grow.

• Author: Hillhouse, Joanne C.
• Position: !Ojo!

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YOU'RE AS LIKELY TO bump into award-winning science fiction writer Nalo Hopkinson as you are New York Times bestselling author Eric Jerome Dickey. Such is the drawing power of the Antigua and Barbuda International Literary Festival, only three years young this November. It may have something to do with the location.

In a country known for its "365 beaches," the festival is within strolling distance of one of its most popular ones, Jolly Beach. Picture this: book lovers at a reading by acclaimed African-American author Marita Golden under the hotel's beachside-gazebo; sea breeze cooling and perfuming the air; and the unbelievable blue of the Caribbean Sea just over your shoulder. Location, location, location was definitely one of the best things about the festival's debut in 2006, and November 7-9, 2008 it is returning to that southwest coast location.

"We had no idea how authors would respond to it other than to know that they would probably love to come down to the beach for a few days and talk about books," said Baltimore Times publisher Joy Bramble of the festival's debut. Montserrat-American Bramble co-founded the festival along with her sister Pare Arthurton, owner of an Antigua-based travel agency. "The response," she said, "has been better than we thought it would be."

It's not entirely about location, of course. The festival is an interesting hybrid of author readings, book signings, industry panels, and writing workshops. It's not just for writers, though writers certainly benefit from the "been-there" insights of bestselling African-American Christian fiction author Victoria Christopher Murray and British based children's book publisher Verna Wilkins--to name two of many festival regulars. And it is a rare opportunity to rub shoulders with more authors than your average budding writer or book lover knows what to do with. Some 65 people participated in the event in 2006 and 2007, and that number is growing in 2008. Among this year's line-up are: Jamaica's Lorna Goodison, America's Tina McElroy Ansa, Belize's Zee Edgell, Trinidad-by-way-of-Canada's Ramabal Espinet, Barbados' Glenville Lovell, Puerto Rico's Esmeralda Santiago, and Sesame Street's Roscoe "Gordon" Brown.

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A notable 2008 addition is the festival village featuring food, entertainment, and a children's tent. "It's basically bringing books to the people and opening up the festival to a larger audience," said festival manager, K...