Authors speak out against failed US book festival: ‘shattered badges and silence’

Grace Marsceau promised to pack A Million Lives event. Authors arrived to empty rooms, unpaid bills and no decor

In the days leading up to the A Million Lives book festival, things already seemed amiss. Grace Marsceau, the event organizer, messaged an attending author that the DJ was in the hospital and the company had no replacement. She owed the hotel six figures" because the room block hadn't sold out, according to messages.

Oh my gosh that's awful!" author Sarah Zane responded. The excuses seemed unusual, but as a veteran of book events, Zane expected to deal with some mismanagement.