September 27 will see the launch of the inaugural Asian American Bookcon, an event intended to raise visibility for Asian American and Pacific Islander authors. The event, organized by the Asian American Book Club in partnership with the Asian American Writers' Workshop and the Brooklyn Book Festival, runs from 12:00-6:00 p.m. ET at Hana House in Brooklyn, and will be followed by a dance party from 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.

We spoke with Charles Kim, cofounder of the Asian American Book Club and Third State Books, about what to expect at the event. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

Who is the target audience for the Asian American Bookcon, and how does the event cater to their interests?

Our target audience is readers of Asian and Pacific Islander ancestry and their allies in the NYC area. We will offer a wide variety of books, from fiction and nonfiction to comics and children's books, all authored by AAPI writers.

What inspired you to host this event in September, and is there any significance to the chosen date?

It was an idea hatched by us at the Asian American Book Club with one of our partners, the Asian American Writers' Workshop. Jafreen Uddin, executive director of Asian American Writers Workshop, is involved with the Brooklyn Book Festival, which is right across the street from the AABC's event space, Hana House. So we decided to ask the Brooklyn Book Festival to partner with us and have the BookCon be an official Bookend event.

Can you highlight some of the prominent authors appearing at the event? What can attendees expect from their sessions?

We will have nearly three dozen authors signing and participating in panels and meet-and-greets, including Kat Tang, Loan Le, Marie Myung-Ok Lee, Vanessa Chan, Emeline Lee, Ying-Hwa Hu, Maham Khwaja, Winston Tang, Cathy Linh Che, Louie Chin, and Michele Wong McSween.

Which publishers will be represented at the event, and how does their participation contribute to the overall experience?

Simon & Schuster is our Big Five partner, and Jonathan Karp has been very supportive of the Asian American Book Club and of the BookCon. Third State Books, the only publisher in America dedicated exclusively to Asian American writers, is also participating. (Editor's note: Kim is the cofounder and president of Third State.) Lee & Low, the multicultural children's book publisher founded by two Asian Americans, will be there, and so will Levine Querido, Arthur Levine's wonderful publishing house. Ingram will be represented both through its IPS–distributed publishers, such as Grove/Atlantic and Tuttle, as well as its wholesale division. Newcomers Yellow Peril Books and Dungeon Books are coming to show us the future of Asian American publishing and bookselling.

What specific topics or themes related to Asian American literature will be explored during the event?

The main component is essentially a marketplace for readers of all backgrounds and ages to discover books by new and popular AAPI writers alike. AAWW is hosting a series of panels on such topics as Asian American cookbooks and cooking, K-pop and Bollywood, and more.

How does the Asian American Bookcon aim to promote diversity and representation in the publishing industry?

We want the publishing industry to know that AAPI readers are enthusiastic book buyers and lovers of literature of all types. Too often, Asian American audiences have been lumped in with white readers or otherwise ignored, and there is so much passion for books in our communities. The BookCon is a place for us to come together and celebrate the joy of reading.

Are there any interactive elements or unique features of this Bookcon that set it apart from other literary events?

We will have an afterparty at the same site, Hana House, featuring K-Pop, Bollywood, and '80s music, so that Brooklyn Book Festival authors, publishers, and attendees can relax, have a drink and a bite, and have fun. It's going to be a very long day and evening, but we're looking forward to it.