Elin Hilderbrand, Jasmine Guillory and More to Attend Inaugural Aspen Literary Festival, Presented by Book of the Month (Exclusive)

A new, star-studded literary festival is arriving this year.

PEOPLE can exclusively reveal the lineup for the inaugural Aspen Literary Festival. Produced by Aspen Words, a literary center and program in the Aspen Institute, and presented by book subscription service Book of the Month, the festival will take place in Colorado this fall.

Nine authors have been confirmed to speak so far, including Elin Hilderbrand (The Perfect Couple), Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone), Kevin Kwan (Crazy Rich Asians), Jasmine Guillory (The Proposal), Bonnie Garmus (Lessons in Chemistry), V.E. Schwab (The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue), Michael Lewis (The Big Short), Nathan Hill (Wellness) and Victor LaValle (The Changeling). 

In total, 40 authors are set to participate in the festival, with additional names to be announced in the following months, per a statement shared with PEOPLE. The festival will feature conversations, parties and local attractions, and a majority of events will be free and open to the public.

“We’re setting out to create something fresh, immersive and wildly fun,” said Aspen Words executive director Adrienne Brodeur in a statement shared with PEOPLE. “Aspen has long been a home for big ideas and creative visionaries.”

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“At Aspen Words, we’re bringing that same energy to literature by inviting some of the most exciting voices of our time to our beautiful mountain town at the most perfect time of year. For insiders, outsiders, and in-betweeners, this will be a weekend to remember.” 

Book of the Month is a subscription service that highlights new fiction releases. The company’s Executive Chairman John Lippman, and Editorial Director Brianna Goodman, will also serve as co-chairs of the Aspen Literary Festival. 

“We want the festival to be the literary love child of Sundance and South by Southwest — an event that buzzes with energy, creativity, and fun,” Lippman said in a statement. “It’s about creating an experience where readers and authors connect and celebrate our literary community in a beautiful environment.”  

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The Aspen Literary Festival will take place in Aspen, Colo. from Sept. 26-28. For more information, visit aspenliteraryfestival.org