PAP&RS, a Los Angeles-based book organization that hopes to unite local publishers, authors, publicists, book reps, critics, and booksellers under one community umbrella, held its inaugural event last night at the historic Culver Hotel in Culver City with George Slowik, Jr., president of Publishers Weekly, on hand to give the keynote address to nearly 100 guests.
Founding member Tyson Cornell of Rare Bird Literary Services said of PAP&RS, “Contrary to popular perception, not all American publishing takes place in New York. There are so many key players in L.A.’s thriving world of words and images, and we want to promote innovation and idea exchange in an otherwise diffuse literary environment by organizing events like this one that bring local publishing professionals together.”
It was an evening of literary camaraderie and excitement that included L.A. Times writer Carolyn Kellogg, book critic David Kipen, publishers Angel City Press, Red Hen, Slake, and HarperCollins; and authors Katie Arnoldi, Jervey Tervalon, and Annabelle Gurwitch among many local book editors, agents, and publicists. Slowik, who was greeted warmly by the crowd, purchased Publishers Weekly from Reed in April and had been the magazine’s publisher from 1989 to 1993 before returning to the fold 17 years later as its owner. His talk capsulized the growing importance of globalization on book publishing and how e-books have the ability to transcend the complexity of foreign restrictions on book imports and distribution.
Besides Cornell, the founding members of PAP&RS are Jen Bilik of Knock-Knock Gifts and Stationery, Colleen Bates of Prospect Park Books, author Hope Edelman, bookseller and author Diane Leslie, and PW’s West Coast correspondent Wendy Werris. PAP&RS will hold four events a year, with varying structures and themes, including guided conversations, celebratory and performative book events, literary panel discussions, and more. “Our events will be lively alternatives to the same old bookstore readings,” Bilik said. “Our Web site will host a comprehensive calendar of Southern California’s literary events and will serve as a gathering point for news about L.A. publishing and a linking resource for all our members.”
