Someday, someone will write a book about Narrowsburg. Until then, we are lucky to have our very own literary festival, which the New York Times calls, “Epic. Everything that Amazon is not.”

Take heart bibliophiles: the Deep Water Literary Festival is back, taking place from Wednesday, June 15 through Sunday, June 19. Sponsored by One Grand Books owner Aaron Hicklin, this world-class discussion of books and writing will be roaring back after a two-year COVID purgatory.

An ideal mix of Catskills-meets-Library of Congress, the 2022 festival will feature local and international talent. Among those slated to appear are local favorite Melissa Gilbert, who will start the festival with a signing of her new memoir, “Back to the Prairie.” Also speaking on the art of the memoir will be writers Maud Newton, Diana Goetsch and Hafizah Augustus Geter.

Joyce Carol Oates will be joined by poet Laurie Scheck and editor Susan J. Wolfson for a panel discussion called “On Mothers and Monsters,” which I’m sure parents will be glad to hear aren’t being presented as one and the same. Bringing the world fresh insights since her 1963 debut novel, “By the North Gates,” Oates is not to be missed. Reserve a ticket for the event, which takes place at 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 18, via www.eventbrite.com ASAP.

Joyce Maynard, author of 10 novels and many nonfiction works, will be speaking on “A Writing Life.” 

Photographer, artist and writer William Wegman, best known for his Weimaraner photos, will be speaking with artist, writer and editor Andrew Lampert. They’ve worked together on “Writing By Artist,” which will be available for autographs at the presentation. No word on whether or not you can bring your dog.

On the performance front, Deep Water will kick off an opening night cabaret featuring many performers and a new translation of Edison’s “Frankenstein,” subtitles by local dynamo Bizzy Coy. The performance will also feature the anything-but-basic, Basic Bitches. Visit Event Brite for tickets.

“Olaf and His Girlfriend” is a special dance piece commissioned for the festival. It is based on a short story by the pioneering Black American writer Ann Petry, best known for her novel “The Street.”

The Fête Arts is a production company based in Barryville, NY, and founded in 2020 by Broadway performers Colin Cunliffe and Ron Todorowski, who are well known to local audiences for their DVAA dance performances.

A cast of actors and readers, including local, in-person actors Tommy Cambridge and Heidi Mollenhauer, will be joined by recordings of Alan Cumming and Tilda Swinton in the world premiere of “A War Lexicon: Stories From Ukraine.” This piece is based on moving fragmentary stories, gathered by Ostap Slyvynsky, of first-hand accounts of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. The performance will be opened with a brief presentation about a wartime trip to Ukraine by festival founder Aaron Hicklin.

As with any festival, the schedule is ever-morphing. For those wanting to do a deeper dive, the latest information is available at www.deepwaterfestival.com.