Booked

Canada’s book community presents this first-ever event offering a unique opportunity to connect with the author personalities behind the books you love!

The BookExpo Canada (BEC) Task Force is pleased to announce the official name for the three-day readers’ fest that will bring internationally acclaimed authors, buzzed-about new writers, dynamic media personalities and some of the biggest names in books together with fans in myriad events to coincide with BookExpo Canada in Toronto this June. BOOKED! Three Days Between the Covers promises to delight booklovers from June 7 to 9 with an array of book-centric entertainment.

BOOKED! will encompass everything from readings and interviews to interactive demonstrations and kids’ activities in venues large and intimate across the Greater Toronto Area. There will be premier ticketed events and free, informal festivities featuring celebrated fiction and non-fiction authors from home and abroad. BOOKED! will offer something for everyone, creating great excitement around books by bringing them to life on a large scale for the public. Attendees at public events will be able to purchase books.

BOOKED! Three Days Between the Covers was conceived by the BEC Task Force (consisting of representatives from the Association of Canadian Publishers, Canadian Booksellers Association, Canadian Publishers’ Council and BookExpo Canada) in partnership with International Readings at Harbourfront to introduce a public element to BEC’s conference and tradeshow programming which already brings many authors and much of the book industry to Toronto in June. By inviting book readers and buyers to join in on the fun of previewing upcoming releases and meeting with some of their favourite authors in lively and engaging events, BOOKED! will bridge the book business with its marketplace. The objective is to draw a more diverse line-up of talented writers and to generate more attention for their books.

"With the lists of authors and books presented for year one, we know that BOOKED! is going to grow into a major book celebration from the start,” commented Geoffrey Taylor, Director, International Readings at Harbourfront and member of the BEC Author Selection Committee.

BEC Task Force sub-committees devoted to Marketing and Author Selection are currently at work finalizing event specifics (timing, venues, featured authors, etc.) and promotion plans. Details to the trade are forthcoming. A Press Conference to introduce BOOKED! to the public is planned for May.

An event website is currently under development at bookedbetweenthecovers.ca, and will support all activities by providing information to the public.

For more information on BOOKED! please contact:
Dahlia De Rushe, Event Director
BookExpo Canada
Tel: 416-848-1663, ext. 203
dderushe@reedexpo.com

Geoffrey Taylor, Director
International Readings at Harbourfront
Tel: 416-973-4760
gtaylor@harbourfrontcentre.com