DOWAGIAC — An award-winning author will be joining the Dogwood Fine Arts Festival.

For the author forum at this year’s Dogwood Fine Arts Festival in Dowagiac, organizers have invited Karen Dionne to participate.

Dionne, winner of Suspense Magazine’s Crimson Scribe Award, is the international bestselling author of “The Marsh King’s Daughter,” a dark suspense novel set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula wilderness. Her book has been named one of the best books of 2017 by a number of reviewers including iBooks, Hudson Booksellers, Powell Books and the Library Journal. Currently, the book is in the process of being made into a film starring Alicia Vikander, who recently starred in “Tomb Raider.”

Dionne will host an event, including a question and answer session about her book, at 7 p.m. May 18 at Southwestern Michigan College, 58900 Cherry Grove Road, Dowagiac. Tickets are $20.

“We are very excited to have [Dionne] join us this year,” said Cindy Most, who is on the committee which selected Dionne as the 2018 Dogwood author. “Her book is published internationally in more than 20 languages. It is very exciting, truly.”

Most said that Dionne was chosen not only for her talent and her most recent book, but also because Dionne is herself native to Michigan, which the committee believed would add a level of connection with the Dogwood audience.

“We thought that would be interesting and relative to the Dowagiac residents,” Most said. “She has been all over the world, but she is from Michigan.”

The event will be casual, Most said, with Dionne taking a portion of event to discuss her book before opening the floor for discussion and questions with the audience.

“It is very audience based and focused. It is a very casual and comfortable setting,” Most said. “That is something people really liked last year. The audience really loved that performance, so that is something we are sticking with this year.”

Personally, Most said she is excited for the event on May 18 and believes working with and hearing Dionne speak will be worthwhile.

“I think [Dionne] will be a great speaker and a true conversationalist, which always helps when I am asking the questions and discussing the book with her,” Most said. “I am really looking forward to it.”

Most said that she hopes the public will turn out for the event and support the Dogwood Fine Arts Festival.

“This will be a really great event,” she said.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit dogwoodfinearts.org.

A full list of Dogwood Fine Arts Festival events:

May 3: Starfish Circus, 7:30 p.m., Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center, 57028 Riverside Dr., Dowagiac.

May 4: Starfish Circus, 7:30 p.m., Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center, 57028 Riverside Dr., Dowagiac.

May 10: Fischoff Soiree, 7:30 p.m., Dowagiac Train Depot, 200 Depot Dr. Dowagiac.

May 10: Klassics for Kids, 1 p.m., Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center, 57028 Riverside Dr., Dowagiac.

May 11: Fischoff Soiree, 7:30 p.m., Dowagiac History Museum, 201 E. Division St., Dowagiac.

May 12: Sweet Tea Trio, 7:30 p.m., Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center, 57028 Riverside Dr., Dowagiac.

May 15: Storytelling Master Class: 7 to 9 p.m., COA Front Street Crossing, 227 Front St., Dowagiac.

May 16: Storytelling with Ed Stivender, 7:30 p.m., Southwestern Michigan College, 58900 Cherry Grove Road, Dowagiac.

May 17: Youth Fine Arts Night, 6 p.m., Dowagiac Union High School, 701 W. Prairie Ronde St., Dowagiac.

May 18: Karen Dionne, 7 p.m., Southwestern Michigan College, 58900 Cherry Grove Road, Dowagiac.

May 19: Harp Twins, 7:30 p.m., Southwestern Michigan College, 58900 Cherry Grove Road, Dowagiac.