The first New Bedford Book Festival was so popular, organizers are writing a sequel.

According to South Coast Today.com, the fall festival is scheduled for Oct. 15 and 16 at Groundwork on Purchase Street, seven months after the inaugural event in March.“We had such a great response and so many authors on the waiting list,’’ said Steven Froias, who developed the concept for the festival and, along with Groundwork co-founders Sarah Athanas and Dena Haden, will be returning as an organizer.“It was so gratifying to see people walking out with armloads of books,’’ Froias said. “There’s such a demand for books still, which is nice to see.’’About 400 people attended the first festival, Frojas said.

Authors were enthusiastic about the response from attendees. In one case, Froias said, one author sold all 40 books she brought to the event on the first day. She had to bring a fresh supply for the second day.According to Frojas, the October festival may also include a Saturday night event, but details are still being worked out.Local literary figures expected at the festival include UMass Dartmouth professor Marta del Pozo, the founder of Quantum Prose, a non-profit organization that fosters dialogue between art and science.

Another participant, Nick LeBlanc, is involved with Domesticated Primate, an independent publishing company in New Bedford. Authors from outside Masschusetts will be featured as well, such as Tim Svenonius of San Francisco, who will be presenting his work, “The Book of Lost Latitudes,’’ which translates the mystery and mythology of the whale into rich poetry full of allegory and metaphor.There is already a waiting list for authors interested in appearing at this festival. Information will be posted to newbedfordnow.com at facebook.com/NewBedfordNow.

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