MANKATO — Through Kathy Doty’s voice, an 11-year-old girl growing up in the late 1920s will recount the fears and heartbreak of being placed in an orphanage.

Through the voice of Sabina Zimering, her childhood self will talk about growing up Jewish in Poland when World War II broke out. She will recall escaping certain death with her sister by posing as Polish Catholic girls in a hotel for high-ranking officers in Nazi Germany until the American Army liberated them in 1945.

Stories like these — Doty’s new novel “Wild Orphan” and Zimering’s Holocaust memoir “Hiding in the Open” — will surge through the Midwest Wireless Civic Center this weekend. Stories about “The Littlest Christmas Tree” by Janie Jasin, Gwenyth Swain’s research on “How Wanda Gag Created the Story ‘Millions of Cats,’” and Terry Davis’ famous coming-of-age novel “Vision Quest,” which follows high school wrestler Louden Swain.

All of these stories — about love, loss and everything in between — will be delivered in person by the authors at the second Deep Valley Book Festival.

The event, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, features dozens of Minnesota authors, publishers and literary societies. Admission is free, which includes access to talks, readings, panel discussions and entertainment.

The purpose is to highlight Minnesota authors, to give readers a chance to interact with writers, and to raise awareness and funds for the ongoing restoration work of Maud Hart Lovelace’s childhood home in Mankato. Lovelace is the author of the Betsy-Tacy children’s books. Donations will be accepted and proceeds from the silent auction will go to the restoration project.

Julie Schrader, director of the Betsy-Tacy Society in Mankato, is the mastermind behind the book festival. Compared to last year, she said, the event has grown immensely, from the number of authors attending to the number of special programs.

“There’s a lot that’s new from last year,” she said.

An interesting aspect of the event is the number of new releases, she said.

Doty will release “Wild Orphan,” her second novel, which follows “A Long Year of Silence.” Christine Harris is releasing and reading from “What the Hell Was I Thinking?” — her story about marrying a young airman she’d known just five weeks while serving in the Air Force.

And Paul Hadley is releasing “Chasing After the Wind,” which may or may not be part memoir about his experience in a group of 12 Navy sailors involved in top-secret operations during World War II. The men were selected because of special skills. For example, Hadley had piloting and boating licenses, among other skills.

“I can’t admit, and I can’t deny I was one of them,” said Hadley, 85, of North Mankato. “It’s top secret.”

Hadley’s story begins in 1936 in the White House when the president is informed about Hitler’s rise to power. The book combines many theories of the war and the actions of the White House, as well as the actions of the 12 Navy sailors. The story ends in 1942.

Hadley started writing in the 1980s at the request of his daughter.

“My daughter kept asking me, ‘Please, Dad, get down what you did as a kid. Get it down, so we’ll have it,’” he said.

No written family histories existed, so he started putting his life down on paper. His first book, “A Child of the Roaring ’20s,” covers the first 10 years of Hadley’s life from 1920 to 1930. His second book, “Youth of the Depression,” covers the years from 1930 to the early 1940s.

Hadley’s daughter hasn’t seen any of his books yet. But his friends have been so impressed with the writing, they paid to print copies of “Chasing After the Wind” to release at the festival.

“(My daughter will) get copies for Christmas,” he said. “She might not like it, though. I’m brutally frank in it.”

John Koblas will discuss his new book out this fall, “The F. Scott Fitzgerald Caper: Doc & Tweed History Mystery #3,” about the places Fitzgerald saw and the people he met in early 20th century Minnesota. And Jan Neubert Schultz will preview her new young adult fiction novel, “Battle Cry,” due out spring of 2006.

Author Lulu Hanson Auger is traveling from Washington, D.C., to attend the festival. Auger was born and raised in Mankato and wrote the book, “My Life with Blackie the Greek.” Her family will visit Mankato for the first time during the festival to see where Auger grew up.

Schrader also is excited about the return of Zimering and Faith Sullivan to the event this year. Sullivan, an author of seven novels, including “The Empress of One” and her most recent “Gardenias,” will discuss her writing in a presentation called “The Tale of a Book.”

A number of writers’ workshops and lectures on how to publish a book will be held with helpful tips for aspiring authors. For the kids, there will be a story time with Ronald McDonald and a designated children’s program area, featuring stories about ugly monsters, the life of pioneers and unusual family pets, among others.

Authors will have booths with books for sale. Live music will be played and refreshments served.

The public is invited to bring a new or gently used book to donate to less fortunate children in the community. McDonald’s will be collecting the books for World Children’s Day.