♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> HELLO AND WELCOME TO "INSIDE LOUISVILLE" WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

THIS WEEK WE TAKE YOU TO THE KENTUCKY BOOK FESTIVAL.

IT IS CONSIDERED KENTUCKY'S OLDEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL LITERARY EVENT.

WHEN IT WAS FOUNDED BY JOURNALIST CARL WEST IN 1981, IT WAS CALLED THE KENTUCKY BOOK FAIR ORIGINALLY HELD IN FRANKFORT FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS AND IS NOW HELD ANNUALLY IN LEXINGTON.

BUT, FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR, THE KENTUCKY BOOK FESTIVAL IS INTRODUCING A NEW CHAPTER: THE LOUISVILLE EDITION OF THE KENTUCKY BOOK FESTIVAL, A BRAND NEW EXPERIENCE THIS SUMMER, UNIQUE TO LOUISVILLE.

SINCE 2015, THE BOOK FESTIVAL HAS BEEN A PROGRAM OF KENTUCKY HUMANITIES AND INDEPENDENT NON-PROFIT AFFILIATE OF THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT OF THE HUMANITIES IN WASHINGTON D.C. BILL GOODMAN IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF KENTUCKY HUMANITIES AND A FAMILIAR FACE TO MANY OF YOU LONG TIME KET VIEWERS.

>> WELL, WELL, WELL.

HERE WE ARE AGAIN AT FANCY FARM.

YOU MAY REMEMBER BILL FROM FANCY FARM, LEGISLATIVE COVERAGE, ELECTION NIGHTS AND MORE.

BILL WAS ONE OF THE FIRST HOSTS OF KENTUCKY TONIGHT, A PROGRAM STILL ON THE AIR HERE AT KET, A PUBLIC AFFAIRS INTERVIEW PROGRAM CALLED ONE TO ONE, AND KET'S BOOK CLUB.

HERE IS OUR CONVERSATION WITH BILL GOODMAN.

WELL, WELCOME BACK TO KET AND WELCOME TO OUR LOUISVILLE STUDIO.

BILL GOODMAN IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF KENTUCKY HUMANITIES.

AND I KNOW YOU ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE KENTUCKY BOOK FESTIVAL, LOUISVILLE EDITION BUT HAVE I TO REFERENCE YOUR TIME AT KET.

AND IT HAS BEEN NINE YEARS NOW SINCE YOU LEFT KET.

SO TELL US WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN UP TO.

>> WELL, KELSEY FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SAY THANKS TO YOU AND THE PEOPLE AT KET AND I REALLY DO MEAN THANKS TO THE PEOPLE THAT BROUGHT ME TO KET AND I HAVE BEEN AWAY NINE YEARS, BUT I WAS THERE OVER 20 YEARS AND IT WAS SUCH A PLEASURE AND HONESTLY, A BEAUTIFUL PART OF MY LIFE.

IT WAS SOMETHING THAT, OF COURSE I'LL NEVER FORGET.

I CAN BE IN THE KROGER GROCERY STORE IN LINE AND SOMEBODY WILL SAY, ARE YOU...

I THINK I JUST SAW YOU LAST NIGHT ON THE BOOK CLUB ON KET.

>> IT'S STILL ON.

>> AT THREE A.M.

IN THE MORNING.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL POP UP.

>> AND THEY WILL SAY ARE YOU GOING TO BE INTERVIEWING AND I DID KENTUCKY TONIGHT AND LEGISLATIVE COVERAGE AND ONE TO ONE.

IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.

AND I WILL ALWAYS BE INDEBTED TO PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT HERE AT KET ANYMORE, BUT DONNA MOORE, VIRGINIA FOX, I CAN REMEMBER LIKE YESTERDAY, BEING INTERVIEWED BY THEM FOR THE POSITION AND I HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND I STILL LOVE KET AND PBS MORE THAN YOU KNOW.

SO IN THE LAST NINE YEARS, I GOT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE CAREERS, IF YOU WILL AND GO TO ANOTHER NON-PROFIT: KENTUCKY HUMANITIES, KENTUCKY HUMANITIES COUNCIL AT THE TIME THAT I JOINED WAS A WELL ESTABLISHED ORGANIZATION.

WE STILL ARE.

THIS IS OUR 53rd YEAR OF EXISTENCE.

AND I HONESTLY DID NOT THINK AT THE TIME THAT I WOULD BE THERE NINE YEARS.

BUT IT HAS BEEN ANOTHER GREAT EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE.

I HAVE BEEN SO BLESSED.

I'M SO GRATEFUL TO THE PEOPLE IN KENTUCKY THAT I SEE IN TRAVELING THE STATE.

KET HELPED A LOT IN THAT WAY.

I COULD GO TO PADUCAH OROWEANSBORO FOR KENTUCKY HUMANITIES AND PEOPLE WOULD REMEMBER THAT I WAS AT KET AND THAT WAS ALWAYS WELCOMING TO ME AND SO, IT HAS JUST BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE.

>> I'M SURE YOUR TIME AT KET TRANSLATED, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, REALLY WELL TO SOMETHING LIKE KENTUCKY HUMANITIES THAT IS ALL ABOUT SHARING STORIES WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, RIGHT?

>> AS WE SAY, TELLING KENTUCKY STORIES, THAT'S OUR MONIKER.

AND JUST LIKE KET HAS SOME OF THE SAYINGS THAT THEY USE, VIEWERS LIKE YOU AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS, TELLING KENTUCKY STORIES, SURE, IT'S ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE COMMONWEALTH.

I THINK WE SHARE THAT.

AND I THINK MAYBE WHEN I TOOK THE POSITION AT KENTUCKY HUMANITIES, THEY SAW IN ME THE ABILITY TO TRAVEL THE STATE AND TO PROMOTE THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE BEEN PRODUCING FOR MANY YEARS, PROGRAMS LIKE OUR PRIME TIME FAMILY LITERACY PROGRAM, OUR CHAUTAUQUA FARMERS AND SPEAKERS BUREAUS AND SCHOLARS THAT KNOW FAR MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF KENTUCKY OR ANYTHING FROM BEEKEEPING TO QUILT MAKING.

BUT EXPERTS THAT WE SEND OUT UNDER THE KENTUCKY HUMANITIES BANNER TO TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS.

ALL IN ALL, IT'S BEEN A TERRIFIC MARRIAGE OF TWO CAREERS AND I STILL ENJOY IT TO THIS DAY.

>> AND SO KENTUCKY HUMANITIES IS BEHIND THE KENTUCKY BOOK FESTIVAL, WHICH IS A HUGELY SUCCESSFUL EVENT, HELD IN LEXINGTON, BUT NOW EXPANDING INTO LOUISVILLE.

THE LOUISVILLE EDITION, WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO EXPAND THIS INTO LOUISVILLE?

>> FOR THE LONGEST FINAL TIME, WE HAVE HAD PEOPLE FROM OWENSBORO, PADUCAH PIKEVILLE AND IN BETWEEN SAY WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO BRING THE BOOK FESTIVAL TO OUR PART OF THE STATE OR WHEN ARE YOU ARE YOU GOING TO BRING SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS TO THE STATE?

IT'S NOT AS EASY AS JUST PICKING UP AND MOVING A BOOK FESTIVAL OR EVEN BOOK EVENTS BUT WE TRY TO DO OUR BEST IN SOME OF OUR OTHER PROGRAMS, TAKING THOSE ALL OVER THE STATE.

WE HAVE BEEN DOING THE BOOK FESTIVAL, IT'S REALLY BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR 44 YEARS AND FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, WHEN WE WERE ASKED TO COME IN AND HELP A VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE TAKE IT EVERY,-- TAKE IT OVER, WE KEPT IT IN FRANKFORT FOR A YEAR, MOVED IT TO LEXINGTON TO THE ALLTECH ARENA AND THE JOSEPH BETH BOOK TELLER-- BOOK SELLER BOOKSTORE, A HUGE 45,000 FOOT FACILITY FOR THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AND WE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS TIME TO MOVE.

WE HAVE HAD-- WE HAVE SO MANY FRIENDS, SUPPORTERS IN THE LOUISVILLE AREA WE WORK WELL WITH THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM HERE.

WE LOVE CARMICHAEL'S BOOKSTORE.

WE HAVE DONNY VENTS WITH THEM AND WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GAD PLACE TO START AND WE LOOKED AROUND AND LOOKED AT SEVERAL VENUES AND ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES, SAM CORBITT WHO IS A LOUISVILLIAN SAID WHAT ABOUT PARISTOWN AND WE LOOKED AT PARISTOWN AND TALKED TO STEVE SMITH OUT THERE AND WE THINK IT IS GOING TO BE A WONDERFUL DAY.

WHETHER IT RAINS OR NOT, IT'S COVER UNDERSTAND-- IT IS COVERED AND WE ARE TICKLED TO DEATH TO HAVE OUR BOOK FESTIVAL LOUISVILLE EDITION IN PARISTOWN JUNE 14.

WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.

>> IT ITSELF GOING TO BE A GREAT VENUE FOR THAT I THINK.

WHAT CAN-- WHAT CAN PEOPLE EXPECT WHEN THEY COME OUT?

WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO SEE?

WHAT IS GOING TO BE MAYBE DIFFERENT FROM THE KENTUCKY BOOK FESTIVAL IN LEXINGTON?

>> WELL, IT MIGHT SURPRISE YOU THAT NOT EVERYBODY HAS BEEN TO A BOOK FESTIVAL.

I RUN INTO PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY, WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT BOOKS AND LITERATURE AND AUTHORS, THAT THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

SO IT IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING TO KIND OF DESCRIBE EXACTLY WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT.

IT IS A DAY LONG FAMILY EVENT FOR KIDS AS YOUNG AS THREE YEARS OLD, ALL THE WAY UP TO THE ELDER PART OF THE COMMUNITY BOOK READERS WHO HAVE BEEN READING BOOKS ALL OF THEIR LIFE IT IS A FREE EVENT.

THERE ARE GOING TO BE CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES, THE CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN A TREASURE HUNT.

EVERY CHILD UNDER 14, I THINK IS THE AGE LIMIT THAT IS ACCOMPANIED BY A GUARDIAN, GRANDPARENT CAN RECEIVE A FREE BOOK FROM ONE OF THE CHILDREN'S AUTHORS THAT EVER GOING TO BE THERE.

WE COVER ALL GENRES, POETS WE ARE GOING TO BE HONORED TO HAVE KENTUCKY'S NEW POET LAUREATE KATHLEEN DRISCOLL TO BE THERE ON THE MAIN STAGE.

SHE IS GOING TO BE IN CONVERSATION WITH THE VERY WELL KNOWN FORMER POET LAUREATE AND NOVELIST CRYSTAL WILKINSON, SO IT GIVES PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH AN AUTHOR.

WRITING IS SOMETIMES DESCRIBED AS A SOLITARY LIFE AND YOU ARE ALONE MOST OF THE TIME WHEN YOU ARE DOING YOUR WORK AND IT GIVES THESE WRITERS A CHANCE TO MEET THE PUBLIC, TO MEET THE PEOPLE WHO BUY THEIR BOOKS AND ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FOUND OUT OVER THE YEARS OF DOING ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE KENTUCKY BOOK FESTIVAL IS CALLED OUR HUMANITIES IN THE SCHOOLS, WHERE WE SEND AUTHORS TOUT SCHOOLS-- TOUT SCHOOLS.

THE CHILDREN RECEIVE THE AUTHORS BOOK, WE RAISE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY THOSE BOOKS.

IT'S SORT OF LIKE THE IMAGINATION LIBRARY BUT STATEWIDE ON A MUCH SMALLER SCALE.

NOTHING AGAINST DOLLY PARTON AND WHAT SHE HAS DONE.

WE CAN'T COMPETE WITH HER.

BUT WE DO OUR OWN THING IN COUNTIES ALL OVER THE STATE OF KENTUCKY.

AND THE KIDS GET SO EXCITED ABOUT MEETING THE AUTHOR THAT IS RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF THEM TALKING.

AND THE OTHER THING, TOO, I THINK ADULTS GET EXCITED TO HEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF OUR HEADLINERS LIKE MICHAEL TACK IT IS GOING TO BE IN CONVERSATION WITH FORMER CONGRESSMAN JOHN YARMOUTH.

MICHAEL TACKET IS THE BIOGRAPHER OF SENATOR MITCH McCONNELL, THE AUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY OF SENATOR McCONNELL.

ANOTHER HEADLINER FROM NEW YORK IS AMY LAROUCHA THAT WRITES A NEW BOOK THAT IS ENTITLED "HOW TO BE WELL" THAT ADDRESSES THE STRUGGLES AND SOMETIMES THE QUESTIONS THAT WOMEN GO THROUGH WHEN THEY'RE NOT FEELING LIKE THEY ARE A PART OF REST OF THE WORLD.

THERE ARE SO MANY HELPFUL HINTS OUT THERE, WHICH ONE TO CHOOSE, WHICH WAY DO I GO TO BE A BETTER PERSON.

AMY LAROCHA IS HER NAME.

AND THEN A NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE ON STAGE AND IN BETWEEN ALL OF THOSE ACTS, OUR FRIENDS, McLANE FAMILY BAND WILL BE PLAYING BLUEGRASS MUSIC.

WE HAVE NEVER HAD MUSIC AT THE KENTUCKY BOOK FESTIVAL IN LEXINGTON.

WE THINK THEY'RE GOING TO ADD TO IT.

WE ARE JUST EXCITED TO COME TO LOUISVILLE, TO COME TO PARISTOWN, AND PRESENT A BOOK FESTIVAL.

WE ARE THE OLDEST AND LARGEST IN THE STATE AND ONE OF THE OLDEST AND LARGEST IN THE SOUTH AND WE THINK IT'S TIME TO SHARE THAT WITH LOUISVILLE.

>> SO THE EVENT IS EXPANDING.

RIGHT NOW YOU ARE FUND-- YOUR FUNDING IS GOING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

KENTUCKY HUMANITIES RECENTLY LOST FEDERAL FUNDING BECAUSE OF CUTS TO THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR HUMANITIES TO THE TUNE OF $850,000.

70% OF YOUR OPERATING BUDGET.

WHAT IS THAT GOING TO IMPACT?

>> WELL, IT IMPACT IS EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.

AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR 53 YEARS.

WE RECEIVE CONGRESSIONALALLY APPROPRIATED FUNDING THAT FLOWS THROUGH THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES DOWN TO 56 COUNCILS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND JURISDICTIONAL TERRITORIES.

AND THERE IS NOT ONE FROM NEW YORK TO GUAM THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE AFFECTED IN?

-- IN SOME WAY.

SOME WILL HAVE TO CLOTHES-- SOME WILL HAVE TO CLOSE.

SOME WILL LAID OFF EMPLOYEES.

WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE IN KENTUCKY THAT MANY YEARS BEFORE I CAME TO KENTUCKY HUMANITIES, SOME VERY SMART PEOPLE APPRECIATE YEBT IN THE WAY THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO KENTUCKY HUMANITIES IF OUR FEDERAL FUNDING WENT AWAY ONE DAY AND GUESS WHAT?

IT DID.

THEY STARTED A COUPLE OF ENDOWMENTS.

WE HAVE BEEN VERY CAREFUL WITH OUR BUDGETS AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO SURVIVE FOR A WHILE.

BUT THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN TAKE AWAY 70% OF ONE'S BUDGET.

THERE ARE JUST SO MANY PHILANTHROPIC DOLLARS OUT THERE.

AND THIS AFFECTS A LOT OF OTHER NON-PROFITS ACROSS THE STATE.

DO YOU REALIZE THERE ARE, I THINK I'M CORRECT ABOUT THIS, 162,000 PEOPLE EMPLOYED BY NON-PROFITS IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY.

THAT'S A BIG NUMBER AND I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY THAT A LOT OF THEM ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT WORK.

SOME OF THEM ARE IN SHOPS THAT ARE ONLY TWO OR THREE PEOPLE.

AND KELSEY, HERE IS THE BOTTOM LINE.

THIS MONEY THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS APPROPRIATED BY CONGRESS.

ONLY CONGRESS CAN TAKE THAT MONEY AWAY.

IT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.

CONGRESS, OUR FEDERAL DELEGATION IN WASHINGTON HAS ALWAYS SUPPORTED US AND WE HOPE THAT THEY WILL DO THE SAME THING WHEN THE BUDGET VOTE COMES AROUND LATER THIS YEAR IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.

WE HOPE THEY WILL STAND UP TO THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY AND SAY, THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT KENTUCKY HUMANITIES HAS BEEN DOING IN LITERACY, IN HISTORY, IN THE BOOK FESTIVAL AREA, IN THE EXPANSION OF THE BOOK FESTIVAL AND MANY OTHER PROGRAMS, OUR KENTUCKY HUMANITIES MAGAZINE THAT WE PUBLISHED FOR MANY YEARS.

AL OF THOSE ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED.

WHAT ARE WE DOING TODAY?

WE ARE CUTTING BACK.

WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR BUDGETS, WE ARE CURTAILING SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE AND THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE.

WE DON'T THINK IT'S LAWFUL OR LEGAL.

WE HOPE CONGRESS WILL STAND BY US AND RESTORE FUNDING, NOT ONLY TO THE HUMANITIES COMMUNITY, BUT TO THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND ALL THE OTHER NON-PROFITS THAT ARE OUT THERE WHO ARE GOING TO BE STRUGGLING.

>> AND IT'S MUCH MORE, AS YOU MENTIONED, THAN THE BOOK FESTIVAL.

TALK ABOUT THE TYPES OF OUTREACH YOU ALL DO IN THESE COMMUNITIES, IN SCHOOLS, AND PROMOTING THE HUMANITIES, WHICH IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT THING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO YOUTH.

>> WE DO A PROGRAM CALLED PRIME TIME FAMILY REUNION.

WE TRY TO TARGET THAT PROGRAM IN RURAL KENTUCKY, MORE THAN WE DO IN URBAN AREAS, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE PRODUCED THAT PROGRAM FOR MANY YEARS HERE IN LOUISVILLE.

AT HAWTHORN ELEMENTARY, WE HAVE BEEN AT MOPIN ELEMENTARY.

THESE ARE SCHOOLS WHERE THE READING SCORES MAY BE A LITTLE BIT BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

IT'S A SIX-WEEK PROGRAM.

WE RAISE THE MONEY FOR IT.

WE MATCH SOME OF THAT MONEY WITH FEDERAL MONEY.

LET ME TELL ONE LITTLE STORY THAT OCCURRED IN A LIBRARY IN PRINCETON KENTUCKY RECENTLY, THIS YEAR, AS A MATTER OF FACT.

A LITTLE BOY ATTENDED THAT PROGRAM WITH HIS, I THINK IT WAS WITH HIS GRANDPARENTS, WITH HIS GRANDMOTHER, HE HAD NEVER REALLY BEEN INTERESTED IN BOOKS OR READING BEFORE.

IN FACT HE WAS SO SHY, THAT HE SAT THERE FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS AND DIDN'T SAY A WORD.

WE GIVE THE CHILD AND THE PARENT A BOOK TO TAKE HOME.

THEY READ IT TOGETHER AND COME BACK THE NEXT WEEK AND DISCUSS IT WITH THE REST OF THE GROUP.

HE BEGAN TO OPEN UP A LITTLE BIT AND THE GRANDMOTHER CAME UP TO OUR COORDINATOR, OUR SCHOLAR THAT WE PAY TO CONDUCT THESE PROGRAMS AND SAID THIS IS THE FIRST TIME MY CHILD, MY GRANDCHILD HAS EVER SHOWN AN INTEREST IN ANYTHING AND YOU BROUGHT THIS OUT IN HIM.

IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO DO THOSE KINDS OF PRIME TIME FAMILY READING TIME PROGRAMS ANYMORE, THOSE KIDS AND KIDS ALL OVER KENTUCKY, ESPECIALLY IN RURAL AREAS, WILL NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW.

WE BELIEVE SO MUCH IN LITERACY, IN READING A BOOK, AND IN SHARING THAT, AND BEING ABLE TO CONVERSE AND TALK ABOUT THAT, IF THAT GOES AWAY, I THINK WE ARE GOING TO LOSE A GREAT DEAL AND I WOULD LIKE TO SOMEBODY ASKED ME IF YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO SOMEBODY FROM THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM?

I SAID I WOULDN'T TELL THEM ANYTHING.

I WOULD TAKE THEM TO A PRIME TIME PROGRAM, I WOULD TAKE THEM TO A CHAUTAUQUA PERFORMANCE AND LET THEM SEE THAT WE MAKE HISTORY COME ALIVE WITH ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND HENRY CLAY AND WILLIAM WELD BROWN, WE ARE IMPARTING THAT INFORMATION TO KIDS AND ADULTS ALL OVER KENTUCKY.

I MENTIONED OUR READING IN HUMANITIES IN THE SCHOOLS PROGRAM WHERE SOME KIDS, THEY'RE NOT FORTUNATE ENOUGH, MAYBE AS YOU AND I WERE, TO HAVE A BOOK IN OR A LIBRARY IN THEIR HOME.

THEY DON'T HAVE ANY BOOKS P. WE GIVE THEM BOOKS THAT THEY CAN START THEIR OWN LIBRARY.

IT'S A AT TIMES IT'S HEART BREAKING.

IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO DO THIS.

AND THIS IS HAPPENING IN ALL STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NEVER FACED BEFORE.

AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE IT OUT BECAUSE THE WORK THAT WE DO HAS BEEN VALUABLE TO THE COMMONWEALTH OVER THESE MANY YEARS.

WE ARE GOING TO SEE IF WE CAN'T CONTINUE IT IN SOME WAY EVEN IF WE DON'T RECEIVE THE FEDERAL FUNDING.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

WE APPRECIATE YOU AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND THANKS FOR COMING BACK TO VISIT US HERE AT KET.

>> THANKS, I LOVE BEING HERE AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW STUDIO.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

WHEN WE COME BACK, WE ARE GOING TO MEET ONE OF THE AUTHORS THAT WILL YOU SEE AT THE KENTUCKY BOOK FESTIVAL LOUISVILLE EDITION.

STAY WITH US FOR THAT.

MEG SHAFFER IS A LOUISVILLE AUTHOR WHO WILL BE AT THE KENTUCKY BOOK FESTIVAL HERE IN LOUISVILLE NEXT WEEKEND AND YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED THE NEXT IT, FANTASY AUTHOR.

>> I'LL TAKE THAT.

>> BEST SELLING AUTHOR.

AND I LOVE THE IDEAS FROM YOUR BOOKS ARE ALL KIND OF VERY NOSTALGIC.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BOOKS.

>> SO HAVE I TWO OUT NOW AS MEG SHAFFER.

I USED TO WRITE ROMANCE NOVELS UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME AND DURING COVID LOCK DOWN I FOUND MYSELF WANTING-- YEAH, FEELING VERY NOSTALGIC FOR MY YOUNGER DAYS AND FOR A SIMPLER TIME SO I STARTED WRITING BOOKS THAT WERE WHAT I LIKE TO CALL CHILDREN'S BOOKS FOR ADULTS.

SO THE WISHING GAME IS WILLY WONKA FOR GROWNUPS, BOOKS INSTEAD OF CHOCOLATE AND THE LOST STORY IS A NARNIA FOR GROWNUPS BUT WITH KIDS WHO ARE NOW GROWNUPS FROM MORE WORKING CLASS BACKGROUND, SIMILAR TO MINE SET IN WEST VIRGINIA, NOT POSH ENGLAND.

SO REAL LOVE LETTERS TO THE BOOKS WE GREW UP READING AND THEY WERE THE RIGHT BOOKS TO WRITE DURING LOCK DOWN, DURING COVID AND THEN AFTER BOOKS THAT TOOK ME TO A SIMPLER TIME AND I HAVE HAD SO MANY READERS SAY, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR THESE.

I FEEL 12 YEARS OLD AGAIN READING THE BOOKS UNDER THE COVERS.

>> IT'S A REAL THROW BACK.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> TO CHILDHOOD AND BEING KENTUCKY NATIVE FROM OWENSBORO AND GROWING UP IN KENTUCKY, THEY DO HAVE, EACH OF THEM HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A KENTUCKY CONNECTION.

>> I ALWAYS PUT IN-- I DO TEND TO SET MY BOOKS IN PLACES I WANT TO GO ON VACATION.

NOT A COINCIDENCE.

MAKES THE RESEARCH TRIPS MORE FUN.

BUT THERE IS ALWAYS A LITTLE INSIDE SCWOAK FOR MY KENTUCKIANS.

SO IN THE WISHING GAME, THERE IS A SCAVENGER HUNT CALLED THE IMPOSSIBLE SCAVENGER HUNT AND ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO FIND IS A KENTUCKY-- A CHICKEN FRIED KENTUCKIAN.

AND THEN IN THE LOST STORY, WHICH IS SET IN WEST VIRGINIA, ONE OF THE CHARACTERS DRIVES THROUGH KENTUCKY AND PICKS UP A CASE OF ALE EIGHT TO TAKE TO HIS BEST FRIEND.

THE DRINK OF THEIR CHILDHOOD SPENDING A WEEKEND IN LEXINGTON.

SO YES, EVERY BOOK HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A REFERENCE TO KENTUCKY.

A LITTLE WINK.

>> YES, AND FOR THOSE WHO MAY KNOW YOU AS TIFFANY RICE, YOUR PEN NAME.

>> MY OWENSBORO NAME.

>> SO IF YOU LIKED THOSE NOVELS, THESE ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

BUT WHAT IS IT LIKE TO GO TO SOMETHING LIKE THE KENTUCKY BOOK FESTIVAL, WHERE YOU GET TO SEE PEOPLE AND TALK TO THEM.

WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW BEING AN AUTHOR IS VERY MUCH A SOLITARY THING.

>> VERY SOLITARY, RIGHT ABOUT THAT.

IT IS WONDERFUL BECAUSE IT CAN TAKE A YEAR OR MORE TO WRITE A BOOK.

IT'S NOT LIKE DOING STANDUP COMEDY WHERE YOU HAVE AN AUDIENCE IN FRONT OF YOU.

>> IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK.

>> I CAN WRITE A GOOD LINE AND NOT FIND OUT IT'S A GOOD LINE SML SOMEBODY QUOTES IT BACK TO ME TWO YEARS LATER.

SO THIS IS A CHANCE TO SEE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE-- THAT WE ARE DOING THIS JOB FOR.

AND TO MEET THEM AND TALK TO THEM AND SHEAR THEIR STORIES ABOUT OUR STORIES.

I'VE HAD WONDERFUL EXPERIENCES AT THE KENTUCKY BOOK FAIR, PEOPLE LEAN AGO CROSS THE TABLE TO WHISPER IN MIER, YOU KNOW, I HAD CANCER AND I NEEDED SOMETHING UPLIFTING WHILE I WAS READING-- GOING THROUGH TREATMENT AND THIS IS WHAT I NEEDED.

I DIDN'T NEED SOMETHING DARK AND SAD.

THIS BOOK HELPED ME.

THEY WHISPER IN MY EAR OR SOMEBODY WHO IS A KENTUCKY ASPIRING WRITER WHO IS SO EXCITED TO KNOW THAT KENTUCKY HAS WRITERS WHO ARE SUCCESSES.

THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO OFF TO NEW YORK OR CALIFORNIA TO BE A PROFESSIONAL WRITER, THAT ALL THIS TALENT IS HOMEGROWN AND OFTEN STAYS HERE.

>> SURE.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU ARE GOING TO TOUCH AND AS WE TALKED ABOUT, TOO, THOSE PROGRAMS FROM KENTUCKY HUMANITIES OUTREACH INTO SCHOOLS, TALK ABOUT WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR YOU GROWING UP IN KENTUCKY AND WAS BEING AN AUTHOR SOMETHING YOU ASPIRED TO OR WAS IT SOMETHING THAT YOU SAW OR SOMEONE YOU MET THAT MADE YOU FEEL LIKE THIS IS A CAREER CAN I DO.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I WENT TO NEWTON PARISH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN OWENSBORO AND WE HAD A SCHOOL THAT PRIORITIZED READING AND I REMEMBER MY FIRST GRADE TEACHER WOULD GIVE US BOOKS.

LIKE A BOOK BOX WE COULD CHOOSE FROM FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR AND GETTING OUR HOME WORK DONE AND THAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT MUCH MY FIRST GRADE YEAR WAS GETTING FREE BOOKS.

KENTUCKY HUMANITIES DOES THIS FOR CHILDREN IN KENTUCKY AND I KNOW PERSONALLY HOW MUCH THAT MEBTS TO ME.

I REMEMBER BEING IN THIRD GRADE SITTING IN MUSIC CLASS AND HAVING A LITTLE FREE TIME AND TALKING WITH MY BEST FRIEND, WHAT DO WE WANT TO BE WHEN WE GROW UP.

I SAID A WRITER BECAUSE MY PARENTS AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAD INSTILLED THIS LOVE OF BOOKS IN ME AND TO BE A WRITER, YOU FIRST HAVE TO BE A READER.

SO IT'S SO IMPORTANT IF WE WANT TO KEEP HAVING GREAT WRITERS IN KENTUCKY IS TO START WITH THE KIDS AND MAKE THEM READERS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WHAT IS YOUR BEST ADVICE FOR SOMEBODY WHO DOES ASPIRE TO WRITE AND PUT ART OUT THERE IN THE WORLD.

>> THE LIFE CHANGING ADVICE I GOT WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE FROM MY PROFESSOR Dr. MARK LUCAS AT CENTER COLLEGE IN DANVILLE, HE SAID THE REAL WRITERS THROW OUT A LOT.

THEY ARE THE TOUGHEST CRITICS, HARDEST ON THEMSELVES.

THEY LOVE THE DELETE KEY AND THEY REWRITE AND THAT WAS LIFE CHANGING TO ME BECAUSE I WOULD WRITE A ROUGH DRAFT OF SOMETHING AND IT WOULD BE TERRIBLE AND I WOULD THINK HAVE I NO TALENT.

BUT THEN I LEARNED, OH I GOAT TO DO IT AGAIN-- I GET TO DO IT AGAIN.

IF IT IS NOT WORKING THE FIRST TIME, THROW OUT WHAT DOESN'T WORK AND REWRITE.

THAT HAS CHANGED MY WRITING LIFE.

I RUN INTO A LOT OF TALENTED WRITERS WHO ARE NOT WILLING TO HIT THE DELETE KEY OR TO TRY AGAIN AND THEY JUST THROW OUT THE ROUGH DRAFT THAT'S NOT VERY GOOD BUT THAT'S JUST THE BEGIN BEGINNING.

START WITH THE ROUGH DRAFT AND KEEP DIGGING AND KEEP WRITING.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ THE KENTUCKY BOOK FESTIVAL LOUISVILLE EDITION IS SATURDAY JUNE 14 AT PARISTOWN.

THE 44th ANNUAL KENTUCKY BOOK FESTIVAL IS NOVEMBER 1 IN LEXINGTON.

YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE AND WATCH AND SHARE THIS EPISODE ONLINE AT ket.org/"INSIDE LOUISVILLE" PLUS GIVE US A FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

THERE WE'VE GOT SOME IDEAS FOR LITERARY TRAVEL DESTINATIONS IN KENTUCKY FOR YOU THIS SUMMER AS WELL AS SOME OF BILL GOODMAN'S MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS IN HIS TIME AT KET AS TOLD BY HIM.

YOU CAN CHECK THAT OUT ON INSTAGRAM.

WE ARE AT KET IN LOU.

THANKS FOR SPENDING A LITTLE TIME GETTING TO KNOW LOUISVILLE TODAY.

I HOPE TO SEE YOU HERE NEXT TIME.

UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪