Some Takeaways from Last Night's Book Launch
Last night ASP hosted a book launch for its 2019 titles at The Writer's Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Here are some takeaways from the party.
The Indie Community is Thriving in the DMV
Over eighty people came out to Bethesda last night to see Reuben Jackson, Linda Watanabe Mcferrin, and Joanna Biggar read from their new books. The applause was thunderous and laughter spread infectiously through the crowd lending a warm, room-filling atmosphere to the night.
The ASP Legacy Book is Becoming a Bona Fide Institution
Linda Watanabe McFerrin's Navigating the Divide makes three. With Richard Peabody, the first writer canonized in a Legacy Volume, and Grace Cavalieri, the second writer so--and our Maryland Poet Laureate-- in attendance, we sold many Legacy Books at our books table and were afforded the opportunity to preach the mission and doctrine, so to speak. Grace Cavalieri, as well, highlighted the mission of the Legacy Series--publishing devotedly independent authors and literary citizens who boast large bodies of work--in her introduction for Linda.
The ASP team is like a family
ASP founders, Rose Solari and James J. Patterson, have brought so many people together in order to make these books feel and read and look special, that there were points last night where the party felt like a sort of family reunion. There is an incredible amount of effort and hours and division of labor that goes into these books. The long list of people Rose thanked in her introduction last night was only half the story. But, no matter how many people work on the books, those who listen to our authors, who attend our events, who buy our books, who are literary citizens of the indie community, know that they are receiving something authentically ASP.
Rose Solari Knows How to Throw a Party
Food and wine, beer and books, a playlist from James J. Patterson's personal collection designed to fit the moods of our 2019 books, an introduction from The Writer's Center's always entertaining Amy Freeman, book swag, author signings, lots of literary mingling, and a whole host of credentialed presenters and readers, one thing is for certain, ASP Co-Founder, Rose Solari, knows how to throw a party!
