The Bookmarked Literary Arts Festival began in 2020 when a ​Wyoming author approached a Lander librarian looking for help ​launching her book. A book that WASN’T about cowboys. A ​book that explored the SHARED WYOMING EXPERIENCE. The ​Wyoming experience that is MORE THAN, but also includes, the ​Wild West. The library didn’t have a system for helping connect ​local authors to local readers and as a writer herself, that ​librarian began to wonder what it might look like to create a ​space that celebrated Wyoming writers as literary artists and ​connected them with Wyoming readers.

The idea bloomed through the pandemic years and grew into a ​literary art show for writers and a story festival for readers.

Over three days each fall, we gather to share stories:

Poetry Slam

Houlihan Narratives

Youth Short Story Contest

Readings from Wyoming authors who write: Mystery, Sci-Fi, ​Romance, Fantasy, YA, Memoir, Research, Inspirational

W​ell known keynote speaker with ties to Wyoming

Helen Pugsley

Jason Gay

Barbara Call

Dean Peterson

Betsy Bernfeld

Jeanette Woodward

Matt Daly

Mandie Hines

Nona Schrader

S.E. Reichert

Sam Lightner Jr

Taylor Dawn Stagner

2023

Chris Bohjalian

2022

Percival Everett

2021

Mark Spragg

Lucas Fralick

Member

Reader of history and sci-fi

Dabbling poet

Cheryl Fallin

Member

Reader and writer of cozy mysteries