Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Boston Teen Author Festival?
The Boston Teen Author Festival (BTAF) is a yearly event that celebrates YA fiction in the Boston area. We want to connect the Boston-area YA fanbase with the best authors in the industry.
Do we have to buy a ticket to come to BTAF?
Nope! This event is free and open to public. You don't need to RSVP, but it's helpful to do so on the event page found on our Facebook so we can have an estimate of how many people might attend.
Where and when is BTAF?
In 2018, BTAF will be held at the Cambridge Public Library and Cambridge Rindge and Latin School on Saturday, September 22, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please check our website often for each year’s date!
The nearest T stop is the Harvard stop on the Red Line, and the venue is about a 10 minute walk from there. There are also some bus lines that have stops near the library! You can find more specific information on the Cambridge Public Library's transportation page (link here).
Do I have to be a certain age to attend BTAF?
No, but as our authors and books skew more toward the young adult genre, please keep in mind that subject matter might be more mature.
I am an author of YA books. Can I come to your festival as a part of the lineup?
Thank you for your interest! Please check the Author Application page for more specifics on becoming a part of our yearly lineup and for the application deadline. Please note, at this time we are only looking to sign up authors published by a traditional publishing house, which means we cannot accommodate self-published authors.
How can I purchase books at the festival?
Porter Square Books will be selling books by all of our 2018 authors at the festival throughout the day. They accept credit/debit cards in addition to cash. You can see the full list of books being sold here.
Can we bring books from home for authors to sign?
Yes, though we ask that you support the attending authors and local bookstore by purchasing a book (or two) at the festival if at all possible.
Can we ask the authors to sign books throughout the day?
We ask that you wait until the end of the day during the allotted signing period to ask authors to sign your book(s).
Are signings ticketed? How many books can I get signed?
There are no tickets for the signings. However please keep in mind that some of the big name authors may have very long lines and use your best judgement when bringing books for signature.
We do ask if you have more than 3 books per author that you go to the back of the line after each set of 3 so as many readers as possible can meet the authors in our one-hour signing session.
Will there be swag? Merch?
There will be unique swag for each year that you can pick up at our welcome desk and then show off to your friends while waiting for next year’s festival! At the 2018 event we will also have official BTAF merchandise for you to purchase! Our merchandise table can be found with the other exhibitors.
How is the festival structured?
We will announce the final itinerary for each year on our social media channels and upload it prior to the festival on our Schedule + Panels page!
If there is a lunch session, are you providing the meal?
Sadly we cannot afford to feed all the attendees at this time. However, there are a few local eateries (see our Attending page for more information). We also encourage you to pack a lunch and picnic outside the library on the beautiful front lawn.
Can I bring food or drinks into the panels?
No. The kind librarians at the Cambridge Public Library and CRLS ask that all food and drinks be consumed outside the panel rooms.
Can I take pictures at the panels? With the authors?
Yes, please do take as many pictures as you want! And be sure to upload them to Facebook/Twitter and tag us or use our hashtag (#BTAF18)! Although we do ask you save photos with the authors until the signing session so we can keep them on schedule throughout the day.
I’m organizing a group to come to BTAF. Do I need to notify you or the venue in advance?
Not at all! We appreciate an e-mail (courtney@bostonteenauthorfestival.com) if you plan to bring a group as it helps us get a clear idea of how many people may be attending, but it's not required.
How do I get to the Cambridge Public Library? What is parking like?
You can find helpful information on CPL’s transportation page. There is minimal metered parking in the CPL garage under the building, but we also have access to the CRLS garage on Ellery Street (directly to the right of the library) and that is free! The venues are also located by Harvard Square, where there are plenty of parking garages. Please click here for more information about parking.
The Boston Teen Author Festival (BTAF) is a yearly event that celebrates YA fiction in the Boston area. We want to connect the Boston-area YA fanbase with the best authors in the industry.
Do we have to buy a ticket to come to BTAF?
Nope! This event is free and open to public. You don't need to RSVP, but it's helpful to do so on the event page found on our Facebook so we can have an estimate of how many people might attend.
Where and when is BTAF?
In 2018, BTAF will be held at the Cambridge Public Library and Cambridge Rindge and Latin School on Saturday, September 22, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please check our website often for each year’s date!
The nearest T stop is the Harvard stop on the Red Line, and the venue is about a 10 minute walk from there. There are also some bus lines that have stops near the library! You can find more specific information on the Cambridge Public Library's transportation page (link here).
Do I have to be a certain age to attend BTAF?
No, but as our authors and books skew more toward the young adult genre, please keep in mind that subject matter might be more mature.
I am an author of YA books. Can I come to your festival as a part of the lineup?
Thank you for your interest! Please check the Author Application page for more specifics on becoming a part of our yearly lineup and for the application deadline. Please note, at this time we are only looking to sign up authors published by a traditional publishing house, which means we cannot accommodate self-published authors.
How can I purchase books at the festival?
Porter Square Books will be selling books by all of our 2018 authors at the festival throughout the day. They accept credit/debit cards in addition to cash. You can see the full list of books being sold here.
Can we bring books from home for authors to sign?
Yes, though we ask that you support the attending authors and local bookstore by purchasing a book (or two) at the festival if at all possible.
Can we ask the authors to sign books throughout the day?
We ask that you wait until the end of the day during the allotted signing period to ask authors to sign your book(s).
Are signings ticketed? How many books can I get signed?
There are no tickets for the signings. However please keep in mind that some of the big name authors may have very long lines and use your best judgement when bringing books for signature.
We do ask if you have more than 3 books per author that you go to the back of the line after each set of 3 so as many readers as possible can meet the authors in our one-hour signing session.
Will there be swag? Merch?
There will be unique swag for each year that you can pick up at our welcome desk and then show off to your friends while waiting for next year’s festival! At the 2018 event we will also have official BTAF merchandise for you to purchase! Our merchandise table can be found with the other exhibitors.
How is the festival structured?
We will announce the final itinerary for each year on our social media channels and upload it prior to the festival on our Schedule + Panels page!
If there is a lunch session, are you providing the meal?
Sadly we cannot afford to feed all the attendees at this time. However, there are a few local eateries (see our Attending page for more information). We also encourage you to pack a lunch and picnic outside the library on the beautiful front lawn.
Can I bring food or drinks into the panels?
No. The kind librarians at the Cambridge Public Library and CRLS ask that all food and drinks be consumed outside the panel rooms.
Can I take pictures at the panels? With the authors?
Yes, please do take as many pictures as you want! And be sure to upload them to Facebook/Twitter and tag us or use our hashtag (#BTAF18)! Although we do ask you save photos with the authors until the signing session so we can keep them on schedule throughout the day.
I’m organizing a group to come to BTAF. Do I need to notify you or the venue in advance?
Not at all! We appreciate an e-mail (courtney@bostonteenauthorfestival.com) if you plan to bring a group as it helps us get a clear idea of how many people may be attending, but it's not required.
How do I get to the Cambridge Public Library? What is parking like?
You can find helpful information on CPL’s transportation page. There is minimal metered parking in the CPL garage under the building, but we also have access to the CRLS garage on Ellery Street (directly to the right of the library) and that is free! The venues are also located by Harvard Square, where there are plenty of parking garages. Please click here for more information about parking.