Julie and Lillian have been with this Festival since the early days—Julie’s debut novel released in 2017 and Lillian’s in 2018. They first joined us as presenters, though it was apparent that their enthusiasm for this September weekend foreshadowed their continued involvement as beloved moderators. Our staff, volunteers, and presenters have followed their careers and welcomed their growing families. They join us now, both with sophomore novels landing just this year. We seek their perspective on this past near-decade in the industry, the role of young writers, the work-life balance, finding a creative support system, and how they write themselves into their stories.

Presenters: Julie Buntin, Lillian Li

Moderator: Angie Kim