Eight KUT and Texas Standard staff members schedule nine festival slots
Journalists will moderate discussions on romance, conflict, and music during the Nov. 14-15 event in Austin.
By Anthony Foster ·
KUT and Texas Standard personnel have secured nine speaking and moderating positions at the 2026 Texas Book Festival. These sessions occur across two days in downtown Austin.
The schedule spans from 10:00 a.m. on Saturday to 3:45 p.m. on Sunday. Staff members will lead conversations in specific venues, including the YA HQ Tent and the Capitol Extension. Each slot lasts between 45 and 60 minutes.
Saturday features six distinct engagements. Greta Díaz González Vázquez of KUT News moderates a Spanish-language dialogue with Daisy Hernández and Adriana Ramírez at the Leamos Tent. Kailey Hunt joins authors Naina Kumar, Mayra Cuevas, and Marie Marquardt in the Kirkus Tent to discuss contemporary romance. Jennifer Stayton moderates a panel with Laura Mauldin and Lucy Schiller on caregiving and aging.
Shelley Brisbin of Texas Standard hosts a conversation with Jim Windolf regarding the cultural influence of Bob Dylan and the Beatles. This session takes place at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission building. Sarah Asch moderates a group discussion on dystopian romance with J. Elle, Sandra Proudman, and Qurratulayn.
Sunday holds three scheduled events. Corrie MacLaggan, executive editor at KUT News, moderates a memoir discussion with Daniela Gerson and Adriana E. Ramírez in the Capitol Extension. W.F. Strong, a Texas Standard commentator and author of Stories from Texas: Some of Them Are True, serves as a featured speaker. He presents his work in the Texas Tent presented by Texas Monthly.
The festival runs Nov. 14 and 15. Participants cover topics ranging from global conflicts and history to music and Texas storytelling. The lineup includes both KUT News reporters and Texas Standard contributors.
