A retrospective on a debut Author/Reader event…

…The New England Book Ball

So…

I’m very tired.

But that’s always the case when I get back from a reader/book event. I’m not 22 anymore – and not really sure I had much energy then, either.

But I returned home last night from a great event that I am so happy I decided to join, the NEW ENGLAND BOOK BALL.

I was one of about 45 authors and book vendors who had tables at this two-day event, and it was very reader-centered, which I absolutely adore. Held at the historic Mountain View Grand resort and spa in Whitefield, NH,

The event was loaded with not only authors and vendors promoting and selling their books and wares, but author panels, a Yankee Book Swap, a book bedazzling event, and an amazing Dinner/Ball that took place Saturday night.

I was on two panels – Mental Health in Literature and Behind the scenes, and they had a great turnout from readers.

It was wonderful communing with my author friends, who I don’t get to see enough because — life, and writing! – and I so enjoyed meeting scores of new-to-me readers.

It takes an awful lot of work for the organizer(s) to put on an event of this scope, and my hat goes off to author/coordinator Marilyn Harper and her amazing team of workers, volunteers, and family who put this event together and had it running so smoothly and seamlessly. I joked when leaving the event that I was going to give her 5 stars on YELP! But if I could – I would!

Debut author events are either good, fabulous, or go bust for so many reasons. This one was fabulous because of the organization, thoughtfulness of the coordinators to make things easy for readers and authors, and then the support of the reading community who came out in droves, both days, to buy books, meet their fav authors, find some new ones to enjoy, and to support the most fundamental element of our society – reading and free speech.

Oh, and the part I forgot to mention? The event had a huge raffle to benefit Autism, something near and dear to Marilyn’s heart, and it went very well from what I could see. Just another example of authors and readers giving back where it counts.

Here are just a few of the participating authors and vendors I managed to snag pictures of during the event.