Have you ever found yourself eyeing your personal library, looking down at the stack of new books you just bought, staring back at the books on the rack and wondering: Where the hell am I going to get time to read all of this? If you have, then the Indie Book Fair will be your Achilles’ heel.

For once Cape Town is not the venue of a cool literary event, since the Indie Book Fair (IBF) is set for Jozi come 20-21 March, to be held at the Sunnyside Park Hotel.

The book fair will be open to all independent small and indigenous publishers, self-publishers, writers, book distributors, libraries, schools, independent bookshops and the general public. The organiser of the event, not-for-profit organisation AFNA, believes it will be a celebration of independent writing, publishing and distribution.

On show will be books galore and a display of services - from the nuts and bolts of book production to the “miracles” of digital publishing. The IBF also incorporates talks by key players in the literary world, panel discussions and of course networking opportunities.

Tickets will cost a measly R10, while there are still stands available at the event. For more information, contact Clare-Rose Julius on 011-791-4561 or David Robbins on 011-792-9951.

The schedule for the event is published below.

INDIE BOOK FAIR PROGRAMME

FRIDAY: 20 March

0800:  Opening breakfast for exhibitors and participants. Welcome by Gail Robbins (ANFA chairperson)

0900:  Doors open

1030:  Talk: Literature and social development. David Harrison, CEO DG Murray Trust

11.15:  Break

1130:  Panel discussion: Independent publishing and grassroots literature

1400: Official launch of African Narratives

1500: Talk: The small personal voice returns Shafinaaz Hassim (Author and independent publisher)

1545:  Break

1600:  Panel discussion: Women in independent publishing

1730:  Doors close

SATURDAY: 21 March

0900:  Doors open

1030:  Talk: Local literature and education. Zenele Mthembu (Chief Director in Gauteng Education)

1115:  Break

1130:  Panel discussion: Recognition for independent writing and publishing

1400: Keynote speaker

1500: Talk: The struggle for quality. Richard Beynon (Writer and ‘AllAboutWriting’)

1545:  Break

1600:  Panel discussion: Digital publishing for independent authors

1730: Doors close

1800: Cocktail party and launch of David Robbins’ book ‘Outreach’

2000: Event ends