QUEENS — Queens book lovers rejoice!
The Forest Hills Library will host meetings with local indie authors and publishers this Saturday as part of the inaugural Indie Author Day, a series of events held at nearly 300 libraries in the U.S. and Canada.
The events, seeking to connect writers and libraries, will include panel discussions featuring local independent publishers (at 12:30 p.m.) and indie authors (at 3:15 p.m.), according to the Forest Hills Library's website.
Rita Plush, a teacher at Queensborough Community College, Mark Torres, who grew up in Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights-based Radha Vatsal will be among the writers participating in the event, according to the library, located at 108-19 71st Ave.
"This Indie Author Day is a great opportunity for the writers and small presses in Queens to come together and talk about what is happening here locally but also to be part of the national event," said Deborah Emin, founder of Kew Gardens-based Sullivan Street Press, who will be on the publisher panel. "I hope lots of writers and book lovers will come out in support of it."
Kevin Anglade of Flowered Concrete, Terrie Akers of Other Press and Iris Blasi of Pegasus Books will join Emin on the panel.
In addition to local programs, participants at each library will also join an hour-long digital gathering at 2 p.m. featuring Q&A with writers, agents and other industry leaders, the organizers wrote on their website.
During the events, visitors will get to meet authors and publishers. Books will be also available for sale and signing, the library said.
The Central Library, at 89-11 Merrick Blvd. in downtown Jamaica will also join the Indie Author Day celebrations. The events at the branch will focus primarily on authors reading to various group of readers. There will also be a panel discussion about "getting published and getting read," the organizers said.
For more information, go here.
