Texas Border Business
McALLEN, Texas – The McAllen Public Library (MPL) invites readers, writers and book lovers to the South Texas International Book Festival (STIBF) Presents: Local Author Showcase on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Main Library, 4001 N. 23rd St. Presented by H-E-B Helping Here, the event brings authors together and shines a spotlight on the region’s growing literary talent.
Inspired by the 2026 festival theme, “Pages to Possibilities,” highlights writers who each bring a unique voice and creativity to readers. This year’s featured authors are Anna Ayala, David Mendoza III, Doug Young, Edward Garza, Erika Balderas-Perez, G.B. Cast, Jeannette Zallar, Jonathan Solis, Ric Quintanilla, Koby J. Almazan, Liz Rodriguez, Lizzy Goldmoon and Victor Benavides.
The program will feature conversations exploring what it takes to bring a story from an idea to publication and beyond. Guests will have the opportunity to hear directly from the featured writers, ask questions, meet them and purchase their books.
“This a great way to open our STIBF Presents lineup and set the stage for everything still to come this festival season and we are thrilled!” said Kate Horan, Library Director.
“Our region is filled with stories worth sharing, there is something special about seeing the talent in our own backyard take their stories and share them with the world.” said Mayor Javier Villalobos. “This showcase celebrates these writers and their unique perspectives.”
“The McAllen Public Library works incredibly hard to bring the kind of programming you would expect to find in a major city, and then it does something even more important: it makes that experience accessible to everyone.” said City Manager Isaac J. Tawil. “What makes this festival especially remarkable is the commitment of the community partners who help make it possible. That kind of partnership should never be taken for granted. It allows us to offer an extraordinary experience, free and open to the public, that brings people together in a way very few events can, save the date now for these upcoming events.”
The Local Author Showcase is part of the STIBF Presents lineup of events leading up to the 2026 South Texas International Book Festival on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Main Library. The event is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact MPL at (956) 681-3060 or visit southtexasbookfestival.com.
