Texas' annual literary extravaganza, the Texas Book Festival, has revealed the first 16 featured authors that will join in on the fall weekend festivities at the Capitol in Austin, November 11-12.

Founded by former First Lady Laura Bush and journalism advocate Mary Margaret Farabee in 1995 — and now in its 28th year — the annual Texas Book Festival (TBF) celebrates literature and connects readers to their favorite authors. These relationships then have a chance to exist off of bookshelves and outside of libraries.

"We are thrilled to share this sneak peek of some of the many remarkable writers we are bringing to the Texas Book Festival this year," said Dalia Azim, the festival's interim executive director in a release. "Every fall we look forward to connecting hundreds of today’s leading authors with thousands of readers who attend our beloved event, in a celebration of books, ideas, and community."

Among the list of famed authors TBF has invited to their 2023 festival is entrepreneur and former Georgia State Representative Stacey Abrams. Abrams has written several New York Times bestselling books under her own name and under the pseudonym Selena Montgomery. Her most recent fiction book, a thriller called Rogue Justice, was published in May 2023.

Other distinguished authors mentioned in the lineup include PEN/Faulkner Award winner Ann Patchett; 2023 National Humanities Medal winner, biographer, and Time Magazine editor Walter Isaacson; and Pulitzer Prize winner Andrew Sean Greer.

The remaining 12 featured authors scheduled to appear at the festival are:

• Abraham Verghese
• S.A. Cosby
• Curtis Sittenfield
• Jacqueline Woodson
• Angie Thomas
• Lawrence Wright
• Luis Alberto Urrea
• Roger Reeves
• Elizabeth Crook
• Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
• Rachel Louise Snyder
• Vashti Harrison

These accomplished authors are just the first to be named out of 250 total featured guests. The full list will be released on September 13.

More information about the Texas Book Festival can be found at texasbookfestival.org.