Though BookCon has been postponed until July 2020, they just announced their first ever Virtual Read-a-Thon! Taking place on their Facebook page on Saturday, April 11 from 12 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., 35+ authors will read passages from their books as well as answer questions. Though it’s not required, this all-day online event will invite viewers to make donations to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (BINC) to assist booksellers and bookstores affected by COVID-19. This organization will use the funds to help with serious medical expenses, eviction prevention, funeral expenses, disaster assistance, domestic violence survival, utility shut-off prevention, unexpected loss of household income, and more. You can donate here!
Here’s a look at the amazing Read-a-Thon line-up (all times EDT):
12 p.m. – Introduction and welcome by BookCon and BINC teams
12:15 p.m. – Lamar Giles (Not So Pure and Simple)
12:30 p.m. – Andrew Eliopulos (The Fascinators)
12:45 p.m. – Kacen Callendar (Felix Ever After)
1 p.m. – Justina Ireland (Deathless Divide)
1:15 p.m. – Justin Reynolds (Early Departures)
1:30 p.m. – Becky Albertalli & Aisha Saeed (Yes No Maybe So)
1:45 p.m. – Tobly McSmith (Stay Gold)
2 p.m. – Tahereh Mafi (Imagine Me)
2:15 p.m. – Layton Green (Genesis)
2:30 p.m. – Marie Lu (The Kingdom of Back)
2:45 p.m. – Zan Romanoff (Look)
3 p.m. – Melissa de la Cruz (The Queen’s Assassin)
3:15 p.m. – Cameron Lund (The Best Laid Plans)
3:30 p.m. – Laurie Halse Anderson (Shout)
3:45 p.m. – Ransom Riggs (The Conference of the Birds)
4 p.m. – Soman Chainani (The School for Good and Evil)
4:15 p.m. – Shaun David Hutchinson (The State of Us)
4:30 p.m. – Victoria Aveyard (Broken Throne)
4:45 p.m. – Kelly Yang
5 p.m. – Julian Winter (The Summer of Everything)
5:15 p.m. – Lilah Suzanne (Tack and Jibe)
5:30 p.m. – Makenzie Campbell (Nineteen)
5:45 p.m. – Emily Juniper (A Strangely Wrapped Gift)
6 p.m. – Hannah Templer (Cosmoknights, GLOW)
6:15 p.m. – Nick Tapalansky and Kate Glasheen (A Radical Shift of Gravity)
6:30 p.m. – Adam Silvera (Infinity Son)
6:45 p.m. – Joe Hill (Locke and Key)
7 p.m. – Benjamin Oliver (The Loop)
7:15 p.m. – Jennifer Donnelly (Stepsister)
7:30 p.m. – Claribel Ortega (Ghost Squad)
7:45 p.m. – Ally Carter (Dear Ally)
8 p.m. – Jennifer Nielsen (The Ascendance series)
8:15 p.m. – Lucas Rocha (Where We Go From Here)
In addition to the Read-a-Thon, BookCon also unveiled a Virtual Author Tour that will take place on their Facebook page throughout the spring! This virtual tour will include live author interviews, panel-style discussions with authors and publishers about debut books, and more. Tonight, April 8 at 8 p.m. EDT, will feature a panel called “Giving a Voice to the Voiceless” moderated by Jamilah King (Mother Jones) with panelists Maria Hinojosa (Once I Was You), Bishop Michael Curry (Love is the Way), and Angeline Boulley (Firekeeper’s Daughter). The authors will discuss their new books that give a voice to groups traditionally not heard. You can find the full Virtual Author Tour list here!