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Posts Tagged ‘Events’

What Makes Author Events So Appealing?

Thursday, October 6th, 2022

Dear Readers,

One of my favorite pastimes is to attend author events. I have gone to more events this year than ever before. The last time I attended a bookish event was when I attended the Boston Book Festival back in 2019. It was the first time I ever covered an event for my university’s newspaper and my first experience with journalism. 

When COVID hit, bookstores had to figure something out. If these events could not continue in-person, what were the alternatives? I am sure that many of the questions asked were in line with how to bring together many people in one setting in order to hear an author speak. Then, online events came in full swing. It allowed for people with busy schedules or long commute times to be able to see an author from the comfort of wherever they were. 

At the beginning of 2022, author events began to return to in-person, with an added bonus of hybrid events. Being able to meet authors face-to-face again and hear them discuss their works that they have spent time on, often in the hopes of giving an audience something to love or learn from, is utterly inspiring to me. 

It has made me wonder what makes author events so appealing? On the one hand, author events are like celebrity meet-and-greets for readers. If one loves an author’s book, one may hope that they can meet the author in-person and pick their brains. On the other hand, readers just love to hear about books, but this is a step above a simple recommendation.

Another thing that I personally love about author discussions is that they are super inspiring and motivating. I never leave an author event without immediately yearning for my laptop to continue writing my own manuscript. 

For introverts, author events can either be a completely solo experience or it can be a great opportunity to make bookish friends that may be hard to come by in a different environment. 

For go-getters, these events are great ways to branch out and connect with people in various industries related to books. Sometimes author’s friends, publicists, editors, and/or agents tag along. If you can find a way to put yourself out there, author events are a great avenue for your career. 

I love the excitement that author discussions bring. It feels so amazing to know that an author is just a regular person who found the time to put their imagination on a page and sought out the right people in order to give people a story to love. Since the majority of events I go to feature Young Adult writers, it reminds me that no matter how old I get, I was a teenager once who fell in love with reading, and I want nothing more than to share that same feeling with teens in the future. 

What do you love about author events?

Sincerely,

Kaliisha of Woods BEAUyond

“Reflections on a Life in Exile” Author Meet & Greet

Saturday, August 24th, 2019

With award-winning Wisconsin author J.F. Riordan. 1-4pm.

Marvin Scott @ Literary Salon on the Importance of Family

Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019

A literary salon embraces authors and celebrates the craft of writing. Authors read from and discuss their work in a community of readers who ask thoughtful and engaging questions. The goal is to foster conversation and promote the respectful exchange of ideas.

At this salon, we will gather to explore: strategies for finding resilience after loss; opportunities for building deeper and more joyful connections with our spouses, children, and parents; and pathways for strengthening our connections to generations past.

We’ll hear from the following authors:

KJ Dell’Antonia, former New York Times reporter and author of How to Be a Happier Parent: Raising a Family, Having a Life, and Loving (Almost) Every Minute 

Kenyatta Berry, author of The Family Tree Toolkit: A Comprehensive Guide to Uncovering Your Ancestry and Researching Genealogy

Laura Fahrenthold, author of The Pink Steering Wheel Chronicles: A Love Story

Marvin Scott, Emmy Award-winning WPIX newscaster, and author of As I Saw It: a reporter’s intrepid journey

Marisa Bardach Ramel, author of The Goodbye Diaries: A Mother-Daughter Memoir

Moderator: Allison Gilbert

From Our Beau House To Yours – 5 Things To Do To Make You Cooler in 5 Days part 3

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Thanksgiving was awesome: turkey, tofurkey, and silly dancing to Frankie Valla. Yes! Now it’s time to get your cool on again. I’m here to help you get back into the swing of things.

1. Ron Padgett & Katha Pollitt: Poems & Pints. At FRAUNCES TAVERN/ Tues, Dec. 1: 6:30 pm. 54 Pearl St at Broad. Don’t know who the girl is but Ron Padgett is what they’re slowly starting to teach high schoolers as the “New York School” of poets in the 60s. Read that as The Beats, New York style, a bit later, and instead of Allen Ginsburg we’ve got John Ashbery and he’s still around! Poetry in a bar, good marketing.

2. Andrey Vrady: Reconquista. At SPUTNIK/ Thurs, Dec. 3: 6-8 pm. 547 W 27th St, Chelsea/ Photo exhibit at the best named gallery ever. Vrady is an “artist, graphic designer, musician, and director.” He’s like a recession special! All-in-0ne. Wonder if that makes his photos sell at a discount…

3. Plant Body, Animal Body. At CAVIN-MORRIS/ Thurs, Dec. 3: 6-8 pm. 210 11th Ave, Chelsea/ Interspecies references, if you’re interested in: “anthropomorhpism, shape shifting, and metaphysical insinuation. Follow with a list of hyphenated, international selling names to give the show street cred: Gregory Van Maanen, Ignacio Carles-Tolras, Lubos Plny, Mort Golub, Christina Sefolosha (they’re just parodying my joke by now right?), Hyungsub Shin and I could go on but I’ll stop here. If anyone ever uses the phrase “metaphysical insinuation” in my presence I will send you to the School for Wayward Pretentious 20-(30+ if you’re a guy) Somethings. That’s in Williamsburg.

4. Patrick Brennan: Fazes. At DAILY OPERATION/ Sat, Dec. 5: 6 -9 pm. 103 Reade St., No 2, Tribeca/ Abstract painting with lots of hints. Look for: crosses, moons, skulls and probably Hamlet, Ethan Hawke rendition. Or just a pop art print of Ethan Hawke’s face that they’ll sell at Urban Outfitters and call it “abstract painting.” That was harsh. The artist is probably good I’m just hating on what passes for “abstract painting” these days. Glad we got that one out in the open, before the opening.

5. PSA Chapbook Fellows. At KATE’S PAPERIE/ Sat, Dec. 5: 4 pm. 8 W 13th St at 5th/ Has Jean Hartig and Idra Novey reading, who are all people I don’t know. But Lytton Smith is also featured and he’s what excites me when I think about slapping someone over the state of young contemporary poetry. This is rarely done, but since he’s a poet in NY, young, talented, (and not bad looking, hello English accent!) buy his book HERE.

-Nikki-Lee