The Texas Book Festival has named a new literary director. Julie Wernersbach, who served as marketing director of the largest independent bookstore in Texas for the past five years, will start her new job as the Festival’s literary director later this month.

Wernersbach will be responsible for creating and implementing the TBF’s year-round literary programming including the annual Festival, which is one of the largest and most prestigious book festivals in the country and is held each fall at the State Capitol in downtown Austin.

At BookPeople, Wernersbach plans more than 300 author events each year and oversees public relations, marketing, website, and social media strategies. Working closely with publishers, Wernersbach has planned events featuring Elvis Costello, Jimmy Carter, Jonathan Franzen, Isabel Allende, Stephen King, Donna Tartt, Lena Dunham, and many others. Read more