This June, Chilliwack’s The Book Man is hosting a first-of-its-kind event that’s meant to create excitement around the incredible selection of local writing talent the Fraser Valley has to offer.
The Local Author Festival will see more than a dozen writers converge at the popular downtown booktique, giving fans from the area the perfect opportunity to rub elbows with their favourite B.C. authors.
“We’ve had local author events before in the past,” said Amber Price, who owns the book shop. “But I found for smaller events, they’re often such niche markets that it’s hard to draw larger audiences, and we never like for an author’s event to be under-attended, we want them to feel special and great.
“So our idea was to amass a larger list of local authors and then hold a larger event that will appeal to more people and draw them in to have the community show support for their local B.C. authors.”
The event, which takes place on Friday, June 8, starts at about 4:00 p.m., with the first author speaking at 4:30 p.m.
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“Each author will get about 15 to 20 minutes to talk about and read from their books,” explained Abrianna Leaming, who’s not only the event coordinator, but also one of the presenting authors.
“Our local authors need the attention,” continued Leaming. “I think when people look at the Fraser Valley authors they see us as a niche, but from my experience as a local author, there’s lots of excitement (about our work), but there’s not enough advertising, not enough attention.
“People aren’t fully aware that we have this huge amount of talent right here in the Valley, and I think this Festival will be the perfect opportunity to reach out to people who like to read and say, ‘Look! We have so much right here, you don’t have to go to Amazon.'”
“But it’s also about inspiration,” added Price. “When you meet people and talk to people … you might realize, ‘I can totally do this!’ So having that many people in one place—making connections—could perhaps unleash your own creative genius that you haven’t gotten in touch with.
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“I think, too, having people have that interest generates sales, and those sales support people in their passion. And I think anybody who supports somebody in their passion and keeps those dollars local, that always has a more positive economic effect in your own community.”
Which is why Price says 100 per cent of the book sales made by authors participating in the Festival will go back to the authors.
In the days leading up to the Festival, which will see authors from a variety of genres present their work, The Book Man will tease audiences with a series of Festival-focused giveaways on their Facebook account. And on the night of the actual event, there will be door prizes, and an assortment of food and refreshments provided by local businesses.
For more information, or to include yourself as an author in the next event, please email The Book Man at info@bookman.ca.
