To be considered for the featured author stages at the annual Festival, books must be:
- Published after March of the Festival year and available for sell via traditional channels.
- Published in traditional format (hardback or paperback). The DBF is currently not considering e-books for presentation.
- Written for a general or “trade” audience. Books written for specialty or academic audiences will not be considered.
- Self-published books must meet the following additional criteria:
- The book must have been edited by a professional;
- The book must be available to booksellers with standard discount terms and be returnable; and
- The author must have a functional website.