By ARABELLA SERRATA
editor@sbnewspaper.com
South Texas AuthorCon is gearing up to return for its second year, this time in San Benito. The event will take place at La Plaza San Benito on Feb. 14-15 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. There is no admission fee, and children will be able to pick one free book from the authors at the convention.
The event will feature several authors from across the Rio Grande Valley, including Rosa Linda Cruz, Thomas Ray Garcia, David Norec and David Leija. Maddi Gonzalez, an illustrator who worked with R.L. Stine to create the first Goosebumps graphic novel, is set to appear as well.
The event will span two days. Feb. 14 is for the participating schools who wish to have their students see the event firsthand. The morning timeslots are for visiting schools, and San Benito schools are allocated a special time in the afternoon to enjoy the convention. Feb. 15 is for the public. Both dates will share the same attraction.
The event is organized by Rio Grande Valley authors David Leija and David Norec alongside the San Benito Cultural Arts Department, the San Benito Public Library, and Parks and Recreation. Leija is best known for his book, Tk’s First Lesson. Norec has written The Adventures of Exo and Cy. Both authors are from the RGV area.
Previously, the event was held in McAllen, but Leija always wanted to bring the event to San Benito.
“It’s pretty neat that one year later, here we are, coming home,” said Leija.
The event’s mission is to “create a platform in the Valley that will showcase the abundance of talent here,” according to Leija, of San Benito. He said that most “bookish” talent in the Valley had to travel well past the area to attend similar events; he wants to bring those events to the RGV and show that there is a place for authors and illustrators here.
Aleida Garcia, director of the San Benito Cultural Arts Department, expressed excitement over being able to organize such an event. “This aligns with our mission statement… to promote the cultural arts and literacy. Working together with these organizations is key to moving forward,” said Garcia.
Joaquin Castillo, museum coordinator for the San Benito Cultural Heritage Museum, elaborated. “A lot of people think they have to go outside of the Valley for events like this… It’s a big honor to be able to host it [AuthorCon] in San Benito.”
“(This is a great event) Not only to showcase the authors we do have, but for future authors, poets and artists,” said Leija.
The expected turnout is around 600 people. For updates on the event, visit the official South Texas AuthorCon Facebook page. Plaza de San Benito is located at 250 East Heywood Street.