Tuesday, July 5, 2016

The Future of Book 'Em North Carolina

Our last Book 'Em North Carolina Writers Conference and Book Fair was held on Saturday, February 27, 2016 at Robeson Community College in Lumberton, North Carolina.

I founded this event roughly seven years ago and 2016 marked the Fifth Annual Event.

I have truly enjoyed meeting so many authors, publishers, literary agents and even Hollywood producers and rock stars through Book 'Em North Carolina. Though the event was visible to the public only on one day a year, I worked twelve months a year in order to pull it off. There were countless hours spent on the website, this blog, registering authors and performing all the duties from those that make a huge impact to the little things no one ever saw. But I could not have accomplished the event without the dozens of volunteers who came forward each year to help make it a success.

In those first five years, Book 'Em North Carolina received many awards: one for the Friends of the Robeson County Public Library, two for Robeson Community College and two for myself.

After the 2016 event, I turned the reigns over to Robeson Community College. With the college behind the event, it can grow far beyond what one person could ever seek to make it. With the changing of the guard, there will be changes, all of which are designed to make it bigger and better. That takes time, and for those who have followed this blog or interacted with us on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest, we appreciate your patience while a new, improved system is put into place.

For now, we're discontinuing this blog though it might reignite in the future if volunteers are willing to maintain it. I will try to pop in periodically and let you know how things are going.

We hope you stay in touch with us on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/bookemnc/), our Twitter feed @bookemnc (https://twitter.com/bookemnc) and the website (http://bookemnc.org/). The website will be redesigned in the coming weeks to reflect the next event.

And thank you for participating or supporting Book 'Em North Carolina!

p.m.terrell is the founder of Book 'Em North Carolina. Learn more about her at www.pmterrell.com and about Book 'Em North Carolina at www.bookemnc.org.