Samantha Heil: How Fascinating Books Actually Build Hope

What happens when a love of books becomes a mission to help an entire community? Samantha Heil shares how Book Fair at Bel Air is creating opportunities for readers and authors to connect, belong, and grow.

In this episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett, the career educator, literacy expert, and author explains how a conversation at Panera Bread inspired a literary event that welcomed more than 2,400 attendees in 2026. Now, she is building year-round programming that reaches beyond the fair.

Samantha discusses affordable workshops, community-led book clubs, outreach to assisted living residents, and plans to help children who cannot easily access books. She also shares opportunities to support emerging authors and previews the 2027 Book Fair at Bel Air, including announced headliner Christina Lauren.

You’ll hear:

• Why Samantha believes reading can strengthen empathy and connection.
• Her perspective on audiobooks and welcoming every kind of reader.
• How BFBA Makes, Reads, After Dark, and Cares expand the mission.
• Ways businesses can help authors participate through table sponsorships.
• Her long-term vision for a literacy center in Harford County, Maryland.

Explore events, support opportunities, and updates at Book Fair at Bel Air (https://bookfairatbelair.org/) .

Thank you to our sponsoring partner, Freedom Federal Credit Union (https://www.freedomfcu.org/) , for supporting this conversation.

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