Nelson DeMille, Best-Selling Thriller Author, to Highlight Fifth Annual Milford Readers & Writers Festival

MILFORD, Pa. — Nelson DeMille, best-selling author of 21 novels, will talk about his writing career and collaboration with his son Alex DeMille, on their recent novel “The Deserter” at the fifth annual Milford Readers & Writers Festival in September.

DeMille’s novel, “The General’s Daughter,” was made into a major motion picture starring John Travolta.

Alex DeMille is a writer, director and film editor. He has won multiple awards and fellowships for his screenplays and films.

The conversation will be moderated by Steve Rubin who has published such authors as John Grisham, Dan Brown, Bill O’Reilly, Hillary Mantel and other best-sellers. He is currently consulting publisher at Simon & Schuster.

The festival will take place Sept. 16 to Sept. 18, at The Milford Theater & Performing Arts Center, located at 114 East Catharine St.

It opens on Friday evening, Sept. 16, with Tony-Award-winner and star of the hit TV series “Blue Bloods,” Len Cariou and his wife, Heather Summerhayes Cariou, writer, actor, and activist, reading the two-character Pulitzer Prize-winning play “The Gin Game.”

This popular tragi-comedy focuses on the unexpected and intense relationship that develops between two people nearing the end of their lives. Their prior appearance at the festival reading the play “Love Letters” was an audience favorite.

On Saturday, Sept. 17, the Main Stage will feature three additional events:

· “Writing About Rock & Roll” - Bob Guccione Jr., creator and publisher of Spin Magazine, and musician and journalist James Greer will be joined by Sheila Weller, author of the best seller “Girls like Us” (Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon, and Carole King) will share their experiences writing about rock and roll royalty.

· “Books You May Never Get to Read: Author Cancellations and Book Banning” - Publishing industry professionals, including literary agent Regina Brooks, editor and publisher Jamie Raab and New York Times best-selling author James Kirchick will join publisher and panel moderator Brooke Warner to share their insights about the recent spate of author cancellations and book bannings.

· “What is American Food?” - Historian Paul Freedman, author of “Ten Restaurants That Changed America” and “American Cuisine - And How It Got That Way,” will talk about what makes American food unique with author, journalist and dedicated foodie Richard Morais who has written the food-centered best-seller “The Hundred-Foot Journey,” which was made into a major motion picture starring Helen Mirren.

All Main Stage programs will include an opportunity for conversation between the authors and the audience.

On Saturday evening, there will be a private reception for festival speakers, open only to festival pass-holders.

In addition to the ticketed events, the festival also offers a variety of free programs, including the fantasy-themed science fiction panel “Choose Your Reality” at the Columns Museum and “Book Banning,” focusing on Young Adult titles, at the Pike County Public Library, book signings by the authors, as well as events all around Milford.