Book Bash
Post date: Dec 14, 2018 9:8:10 PM
The Room to Write was bursting with excitement for our first-ever Book Bash. It was a Writers and Illustrators Meet & Greet with a twist towards the holiday shopping spirit. It gave our organization an opportunity to demonstrate to communities north of Boston what our mission is and how we intend to work toward fulfilling it. Readers had the opportunity to meet fifteen local writers and illustrators, to ask them about their books, and to personalize books with a message if it was a gift. The illustrators went one step further and even included an on-the-spot sketch along with their signatures.
Young readers in attendance could complete an author/illustrator scavenger hunt offering them an excuse to go around and find out a little more about the human beings behind the books. It was a wonderful event to promote youth literacy and inspire the next generation of writers and illustrators.
The authors and illustrators in attendance selling and signing their books were Sally Chetwynd, Lyn Wells Clark, Eileen Doyon, Alice Gardner, Lorena Mary Hart, Elaine Magliaro, Jen Malone, Gloria and Merrill Mezikofsky, Sarah Lynne Reul, Susie Rich, Casey W. Robinson, Dianna Sanchez, Marcia Strykowski & Dirk Tiede. It was a group with a good variety of genres in addition to a healthy mix of traditionally published and self-published authors and illustrators. Sally and Eileen represented adult fiction and non-fiction, while Jen, Susie, Dianna, Marcia and Dirk represented middle grade and young adult. Children's picture books had the biggest showing being very well represented by Lyn, Alice, Elaine, Gloria, Merrill, Sarah, Susie (both middle grade and picture books), and Casey.
Since it was a meet and greet as well as a book signing--several others came by to enjoy community among fellow writers and illustrators. Some took the opportunity to introduce us to their books as well. Beth Costanzo came by with her Scuba Jack series of books for preschool and Kindergarten aged children and Brett Fleishman stopped by with his collection centered around poetry for kids.
Through The Room to Write's efforts to support local writers, we hope to support every step of the writing process--from motivating young and emerging writers to facilitating the process that gets words onto paper, then from polishing those words for an audience to helping books find their way into a reader's hands. The Room to Write's Book Bash had three points guiding it:
Meet & Greet: Writers and Illustrators of all genres and abilities can chat, network and build community
Support Local Art: Writing is art. Illustration is art. We want to help locals purchase local art.
TRtW Fundraiser: A percentage of the total sales were donated back to The Room to Write through B&N's Book Fair program.
We are so grateful for all the talented writers and illustrators who came out to share their love of words and art with all of us and to connect with their readers personally. It really was a great group and an important reminder that there are many ways to support local artists of all mediums--that includes writing. In addition to absorbing words--visitors also got the rare treat of watching art happen right in front of them. Merrill Mezikofsky demonstrated how he turns a blank page into a sketch and then into a vivid piece of artwork.
If you didn't have time on Monday to get to the Peabody location of Barnes & Noble there still may be a few copies of the books signed by the authors available to purchase, but you'll have to hurry. Check the links to the names listed on the home page of this site to see if there are still copies available or call ahead. Thank you to The Room to Write's board members Roberta Hung, Jeanette Murray and Emily Seward who were in attendance as well as Barnes & Noble for hosting this event.
