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Last week, I asked you in the Read Harder 2024 Halfway Check-In Survey what you thought was the most difficult task in the Read Harder Challenge to tackle this year, and today I’m talking about one that was near the top of my list: Task #14: Read a book by an author with an upcoming event (virtual or in person) and then attend the event.
I don’t usually attend author events, and like many bookish people, I find big gatherings stressful. Still, I ended up having a good time attending a virtual event for one of my favorite reads of the year so far: Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun. I learned a little more about the book, and I even had a question of mine thoughtfully answered by the author.
So, today, I’m going to let you know about some upcoming virtual author events that you can attend from your couch, but of course, you can go to an in-person event instead — I just can’t recommend in-person events that all of you could get to. The most straightforward way to complete this task is to look up your local bookstores and libraries and check their upcoming events calendar. I also give you my official blessing to attend the event first and read the book afterward if there isn’t time to read it beforehand.
Some publishers and authors keep calendars of upcoming events, including virtual ones, like Penguin Random House and Hachette. There are also bookstores that regularly hold virtual events, like East City Bookshop, and it’s worth checking back often to see what’s been added to their calendar.
If you want to keep up-to-date with your favorite authors’ upcoming events, be sure to follow them on social media and subscribe to their newsletter if they have one. Authors usually hold events around the time a new book is released, so if you have an anticipated new release coming out before the end of 2024, check if there’s an event you’re able to attend for it.
Now, let’s get into some of the upcoming virtual author events I was able to find! This is just a small selection, but I wanted to provide some options in case you don’t have convenient local author events to attend nearby. Most of these are free!
The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville (July 23rd)
I thought I’d start out with a big name! Keanu Reeves’s novel written with China Miéville comes out July 23rd, and you can attend an event hosted by Penguin Random House on the 23rd at 7:30. This is a paid event, but it comes with a copy of the book that is mailed to you. The event will be a conversation between Keanu Reeves and China Miéville about their inspiration for this novel, and attendees can submit a question when they register to be answered by the two of them.
Marriage & Masti by Nisha Sharma and I’ll Have What He’s Having by Adib Khorram (August 29th)
One fun thing about author events is that you often get two or more authors in conversation! This one is a double book launch for Nisha Sharma’s Marriage & Masti and Adib Khorram’s I’ll Have What He’s Having, which share a release date. Like many of East City Bookshop’s events, you can attend this one in person or virtually. Attendees can submit questions to be answered by the authors.
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