Rita Williams-Garcia

In "One Crazy Summer" (Amistad) winner of the 2011 Coretta Scott King and Newbery Honor awards, Rita Williams-Garcia places her main character, Delphine, in Oakland, Calif., in 1968--a tumultuous period in American history. Nevertheless, Delphine triumphs over the adversity of having been abandoned by her mother seven years ago and being sent from her home in Brooklyn across the country to live. Williams-Garcia says, "I was born to write stories. When I'm not working, I'm daydreaming. Plotting out the next story. Listening to understand my character. Then I'll get excited because I learned something that I didn't know, and I start to write."

Previous National Book Festival Appearances

• 2011 Book Festival Webcast