Have books, will travel: events that bring authors and readers together are a new front in the evolution of the black book market

Black Issues Book Review, July-August, 2005 by Evelyn Palfrey

Authors Up Close

Readers who have attended any of these book affairs are enthusiastic. "I love to go to retreats because they combine two of my favorite activities--reading and traveling," says Alicia Thomas, a reader from Michigan who has attended 12 retreats and two cruises. "They provide an opportunity to discuss books in depth because I don't belong to a book club. The conversations are always interesting because people have different backgrounds, occupations and expectations through which they filter books as they read. I have had the pleasure of meeting authors and learning how each of them approach the craft of writing."

Lareeta Robinson, facilitator of the Sistahs of Color Reading Group in Little Rock, Arkansas, says, "We don't get many black authors in Arkansas. I went to two reader retreats in the past year and just loved the atmosphere. The fellowship and togetherness among the authors and readers was great!"

And what do authors get out of participating in these marathons of audience contact? Rochelle Alers, multipublished romance author, recalls initiating her own event because "I've never been one to do a lot of signings or book tours. I felt this gathering was a way for me and readers to interact on a more intimate level over a three-day period," she says.

"Seeing an author up close and personal quickly dispels their larger-than-life myth, while I was able to offer the readers more insight into who I am and how I create my characters. The first one was so much fun that I plan to host another retreat in the next two years," she adds.

Evelyn Palfrey, a veteran romance novelist, is an attorney in Austin, Texas.