Authors Coming to Florida: Spring 2026

Brace yourself, Florida. There are some fantastic writers coming to the area to promote their books. Most of these events are in the Tampa Bay Area (or what I perceive to be a drivable distance from the Tampa area). 

This is not an exhaustive list. To find more Florida book events, check out the list of links below. 

Here’s some of the events I’m most excited to for in the next few months: 

• Andrea Bartz, the thriller icon and writer’s writer, is signing books at The Book Lounge! What I can’t wait to tell her: “I really enjoy your newsletter. It’s been really helpful to me as a writer, and entertaining.” Obviously, I also love her books.

• I can’t go, because I have jury duty, but Kaira Rouda, thriller writer and Killer Author Club host, will be at Tombolo books for her new book, We Were Never Friend, and tickets 

• Adele Parks will be in conversation with fellow thriller writer, Lisa Unger. Lisa also hosts a super fun conversation, and I’m excited to dive into Adele’s work as she’s been on my TBR forever. This is hosted  by the also amazing Oxford Exchange, tickets here. Park’s newest release is Our Beautiful Mess. 

• Lisa Unger has a new release coming out—Served Him Right—and I hope to make it to one of her Florida events for this launch. Here’s her tour schedule. 

• Emma Straub, literary fiction queen, is coming to Oxford Exchange in Tampa in April. This Time Tomorrow is one of my favorite novels of all time. I can’t wait to read her new release when it comes out (American Fantasy). She will be in conversations with one of the most fun author to see in person ever, Annabel Monaghan. Tickets here. 

• Speaking of Annabel Monaghan, I will likely get to see her two other times this Spring, first in conversation with thriller writer Deborah Goodrich Royce about Royce’s upcoming release, Best Boy (I’m currently reading an ARC I hope to review soon), and then again at the Southwest Florida Reading Festival in Fort Myers. 

• Southwest Florida Reading Festival: this is a FREE event put on by the Lee County Library system. The panel of authors is ridiculous this year, in the best way. This is a day of author talks, signings, photos, and other bookish fun. Kids and teenagers who attend get a FREE book also. Here are some of the authors I’m so excited to see: Lynn Painter, Annabel Monaghan, Sarah Pekkanen, Wally Lamb, Rachel Gillig, Fiona Davis, Patty Callahan Henry (who will also be at Oxford exchange here), Brad Thor/Ward Larsen, (also coming to Oxford Exchange here) and so many more! 

• T Kirra Madden will be in conversation with my favorite powerhouse author couple—Kristen Arnett and Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya— at Tombolo books In St. Petersburg, to promote the novel Whidbey. Tickets here. 

• Sally Hepworth is coming to Tampa! She came before I moved here, and I have been so jealous of everyone who got to see her. Luckily, she’ll be at Oxford Exchange with her new release, Mad Mabel and tickets can be found here. 

Places I check frequently for author events in Florida:

Tampa

• Oxford Exchange*

• Steamy Lit 

• Black English Books 

• Barnes & Noble Tampa and Carrollwood

• Hillsborough Libraries

St. Petersburg

• Tombolo Books*

• Book + Bottle  

• The Book Lounge 

• Library Events 

Sarasota

• Bookstore1Sarasota  

Gainesville 

• The Lynx 

Safety Harbor

• Portkey Books 

Tarpon Springs

• The Gilded Page

Tallahassee

• Midtown Reader 

Vero Beach

• Vero Beach Book Center 

Orlando

• The New Romantics 

* a favorite event spot of mine 

That is also not an exhaustive list, just stores and places I have found wonderful events. Let me know if you are looking forward to an author events this Spring!