Larry Morrisey shares some audio clips from the second annual Mississippi Book Festival.

Turry Flucker talks with Leila Salisbury , the former director of the University Press of Mississippi. Leila served as director of the University of Mississippi Press from 2008 until the summer of 2016. At the Press, she was responsible for strategic planning and the overall direction and management of a $2.7 million scholarly publishing operation, directed the electronic evolution of the press, and helped secure a $3.8 million endowment. Leila Salisbury will return to her home state of Kentucky as the new director of the University Press of Kentucky. Salisbury will take leadership of the press on Aug. 1.

Turry Flucker talks to Stacy Howell. Stacy is the Executive Director of The Mary C. O'Keefe Cultural Center of Arts and Education in Ocean Springs and Director of the Mississippi Theatre Association, a statewide advocacy theatre group. Prior to joining The Mary C., Howell was the New Locations director and a director of Lola's Laboratory, the children's theatre in residence at The National Theatre in Washington, DC. A native of Lauderdale County, Stacy is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.

Larry Morrisey talks with author Brad Watson. Watson is a native of Meridian and his new novel, Miss Jane, focuses on the unique struggles of a young woman growing up on a farm in east Mississippi during the 1920s and 30s. The book has been praised in reviews in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Chicago Review of Books. Watson wasl be a participant in the Mississippi Book Festival on August 20th.

Turry Flucker talks to Laurie J. Toups, the director of the Gulfport Main Street Association, which is at the center of downtown Gulfport’s revitalization. Businesses, property owners, artists and others come together to ensure that downtown reaches its full potential while promoting the district as an idea place to work, play and live.

Malcolm White talks to artist and musician Elaine Maisel.

Jennifer Joy Jameson interviews Sara Wood, lead oral historian at the Southern Foodways Alliance in Oxford. Sara speaks about documenting our state's rich cultures through food -- including North Mississippi slugburgers, Delta hot tamales, Gulf Coast oysters, and Jackson pig ear sandwiches -- and learning a bit about our humanity in the process.