This week, an author greets his fans before a movie premiere; writers get cozy in Tennessee; booksellers welcome an author with a big “aloha”; middle-grade book characters meet their maker; an author and illustrator channel Beatlemania at their book signing; and Star Wars aficionados tell readers what they need to know.
It’s a Maze-ing!
James Dashner was in the maze of the Times Square on September 15 for the red carpet premiere of Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials at the Regal E-Walk Theater. Here, the author signs books for fans before the evening’s festivities begin. The film hit theaters nationwide on September 18 and held the top spot at the box office its opening weekend.
A Worship of Writers
At the Society of Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators MidSouth Conference, which took place in Franklin, Tenn., from September 18–20, YA authors palled around while waiting for the announcement of the Crystal Kite award recipient (Courtney Stevens for Faking Normal, HarperTeen). In the front row (l. to r.): David Arnold, Dave Connis, and Brooks Benjamin mug with (back row, l. to r.): Ashley Blake, Lauren Thoman, and Sarah Brown.
A ‘Juniors’ Jubilee
Hawaii-based author Kaui Hart Hemmings enjoyed a whirlwind tour of the Seattle area to celebrate the publication of Juniors (Putnam), her first YA novel. Among the events she attended was a dinner on September 21 with Seattle booksellers – who wore leis to honor Kemmings’s stomping grounds and the book’s setting – at the restaurant Bell + Whete. The author (center, wearing the lei crown) and guests talked about brick and mortar bookselling over custom-made “Junior Jubilee” cocktails that Penguin sales rep Colleen Conway arranged through the restaurant.
To Be Frank… Klink, and Klank
Jon Scieszka visited the Walden School in Deerfield, Ill., on September 9 while on tour for Frank Einstein and the Brain Turbo, the third title in his middle-grade series. At the school, where he spoke to an assembly of third to fifth graders, he was greeted by a window display of familiar characters from the books: Frank Einstein and Klink and Klank.
A Fabulous Duo
Author Susanna Reich and illustrator Adam Gustavson celebrated the release of their new picture book, Fab Four Friends: The Boys Who Became the Beatles (Holt) at Village Bookstore in Pleasantville, N.Y., on September 18. The pair signed copies of the book and performed Beatles songs for the crowd, who sang along and danced.
In a Bookstore Far, Far Away
DK’s Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know co-authors (l. to r.) Michael Kogge, Cole Horton, and Adam Bray were joined by members of the 501st Legion at the Learned Owl bookstore in Hudson, Ohio (okay, not so far away) on September 12. The authors just completed a 10-city book tour that kicked off on Force Friday on September 4. The authors will reconvene for the fourth annual Star Wars Reads Day events on October 10.
