Delaware Author Fair

Book it now: Delaware Author Fair starts a new chapter in literary events

Peter OsborneCulture, Arts Spotlight, Headlines, Town Square Live

Delaware Author Fair

Wilmington will see a “Boozy Book Fair” on steroids on Oct. 23, when the Huxley & Hiro bookstore hosts the Delaware Author Fair with 50 local writers in attendance.

What organizers are modestly referring to as “Delaware’s Literary Event of the Year” will be held from 5-8 pm in the Olympia Room at the Queen Theater at 500 Market St. The event is free and open to the public.

“Boozy Book Fairs have been all the rage in bigger cities, but at Huxley & Hiro we wanted to do something even better,” said Huxley & Hiro Owner Claire van den Broek. “As part of our mission to highlight our wonderful talent here in Delaware, our first Delaware Author Fair allows everyone to meet more than 50 local authors. We invite everyone to come discover great books while enjoying a coffee drink from Dueling Rabbits or a literary cocktail.”

She said the authors will have swag and some giveaways, speak directly to visitors, and sign their books for anyone who wants to purchase one.

“I’ve encouraged them to do some fun stuff that would keep people entertained and interested in their book, van den Broek said. “We will also have dueling rabbits, a Wilmington-based exotic coffee roaster with beans from unusual locations like Australia. And there will be live music and literary cocktails downstairs at the Queen Bar.

The nearby bookstore will be open late with a table featuring other local authors who were unable to participate in the fair but whose books are particularly interesting, she added, mentioning Josh Hitchens’s Haunted Delaware.

More than 40 of the 52 authors registered for the event are from Delaware, with a few others from New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including Chris Morkides.

“We have pretty much said no to anyone who is not actually living in Delaware or at least working in Wilmington,” van den Broek said. “It was important to us that we highlight the people of Delaware and not let Wilmington be reduced to a suburb of Philadelphia.”

 

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