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Another lifetime achievement award

edited May 2007 in General news
Today Reed Exhibitions posted some much-awaited details on BOOKED!, the author festival that’s running just before the BookExpo Canada convention and trade show next month. The most notable event is a gala tribute to horror giant Stephen King on Friday, June 8 (which is also happening under the Luminato banner); according to the website, King will, incredibly, make his first public appearance in Canada to accept a lifetime achievement award from the Canadian Booksellers Association.



A GALA TRIBUTE TO STEPHEN KING

John Bassett Theatre 7:30 pm (starting at $25)

Join master storyteller and multi-million-copy best-selling author Stephen King (US) as he makes his very first public appearance in Canada to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Canadian Booksellers Association. Enjoy a night of tribute from surprise celebrity guests, and an intimate on-stage conversation with one of the world’s most famous writers. Presented by Luminato in partnership with Booked!
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Comments

  • Woohoo! I am so there! Tickets go on sale May 3rd.



    Thanks for posting this Bev!
  • Fantastic -- hope you have a blast. I'm surprised they're billing it as King's first ever public appearance in Canada, because I know he went to Toronto to promote something, but perhaps that was only for TV appearances, not a ticketed event.
  • Awesome Lou - I expect a full report!
  • Stephen King, Naomi Klein, Ami McKay, Christopher Hitchens, Sherman Alexie, Louise Penny, Kenneth Oppel, Jeannette Walls, James A. Owen: just a sampling from the broad range of over 50 authors participating in a brand new festival for readers in Toronto. Taking place over three days from June 7th to 9th, BOOKED! is a unique, inclusive festival catering to the tastes of ALL readers. BOOKED! events include every possible reading genre: from horror to chick-lit, from comic books to current events-this is not your typical Canadian literary festival.



    BOOKED! was created by members of the publishing community to give booklovers access to the authors behind the books they love, with readings, presentations, forums, panel discussions and two full days of children's programming. Free events will be held at bookstores and locations throughout Toronto, while ticketed events (ranging from $5-$25) will be held at Fort York, Harbourfront and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.



    And, BOOKED! is proud to announce a gala tribute to master storyteller and multi-million-copy best-selling author Stephen King-his first-ever public appearance in Canada-to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Canadian Booksellers Association. The event, to be held at the John Bassett Theatre at the MTCC on Friday, June 8 at 7:30 pm will include an on-stage interview with a surprise celebrity guest. Presented by BOOKED! in partnership with Luminato, International Readings at Harbourfront and Simon & Schuster Canada.



    Tickets to all events go on sale Thursday May 3 through the BOOKED! web site www.bookedbetweenthecovers.com and the Harbourfront Centre box office 416-973-4000.



    For details on other events, a listing of all participating authors and locations, and for more information on BOOKED! and its sponsors, visit www.bookedbetweenthecovers.ca on May 3rd.
  • From the Globe and Mail:



    Hard to believe, but in Stephen King's 59 years - 30 of them as a fixture on the bestseller lists of North America - he has never had an official public appearance in Canada. This anomaly will be rectified next month when the creator of The Shining and Carrie makes his first visit to Toronto.



    He's coming on June 8 as the guest of Booked!, a new authors festival that is going to coincide with - and be a part of - both the inaugural Luminato festival of arts and creativity (June 1-10) and BookExpo Canada, the annual "Woodstock" of Canadian publishers and booksellers (June 8-11).



    King is just one of an estimated 50 writers expected to participate in various ticketed and free events at Booked! Others on tap include contrarian author and columnist Christopher Hitchens, The Birth House author Ami McKay, novelist-short-story writer-comedian Sherman Alexie, memoirist Jeannette Walls (The Glass Castle), neuroscientist Daniel Levitin, children's author Kenneth Oppel and novelist David Gilmour, winner of the 2005 Governor-General's Award.



    Running June 7-9, Booked! -- its working moniker until recently was "Book It!" -- is the brainchild of something called the BookExpo Canada Task Force, set up last year to find ways to increase public participation in BookExpo. Organized by Reed Exhibitions Canada, BookExpo has traditionally been conceived primarily as a restricted trade show/convention focused on publishers pushing their wares for the crucial fall season to booksellers.



    In recent years, however, Canadian publishers have complained that BookExpo has not been worth their investment or time, and some have threatened to withdraw .



    Booked!, subtitled "Three Days Between the Covers," will "encompass everything from readings and interviews to interactive demonstration and kids' activities in venues large and intimate," including the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Fort York and sundry bookstores. Much of the event is being held in conjunction with International Readings at Harbourfront, which has been running its own International Festival of Authors every October for more than 25 years.



    The ostensible reason for King's appearance is to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Canadian Booksellers Association. This will occur in the John Bassett Theatre at the convention centre on June 8, starting at 7:30 p.m. Individual tickets are $25, with the event including an onstage interview. Details are to be made available today at http://www.bookedbetweenthecovers.com.
  • Nothing online yet. :(
  • Try the Harbourfront Centre box office 416-973-4000.
  • Tickets acquired!
  • Congrats. We'll expect a full report!
  • It will be my pleasure!
  • Among those paying tribute to King will be Margaret Atwood and Clive Barker, while Chuck Klosterman is handling the evening's on-stage interview.
  • A contest, with books and tickets to see King as prizes: http://www.torontoist.com/archives/2007/05/stephen_king_co.php
  • Thanks for the link Bev!
  • Update - did not win the grand prize but I was a runnerup and won the 4 book package :) - all of which I already own. :(




  • E-bay here he comes! Congrats on the runner-uppedness.
  • Last week, we asked Torontoist readers to submit their ideas for a Stephen King-esque plot, for a chance to win tickets to King's first public appearance in Canada ever (Friday night!), as well as a whole pile of books. Here are the winning plots.



    Grand Prize Winner!

    Mr. Jingles (of The Green Mile) returns as a zombie mouse to terrorize the inmates of E Block at Cold Mountain Penitentiary.—CHRISTOPHER MCGREGOR



    Runners-Up

    The letters in Campbell's alphabet soup spell out ominous predictions for horrible events that may or may not come to pass, and it's up to Jesse try and stop them.—JASON MOORE



    A grisly, yet strangely amusing series of deadly incidents rattle Torontonians following installation of new Astral Media street furniture. Let's just say you'll want to stand well back from the garbage cans . . .—GREG MILLS



    Torontoist graciously deems Mike DeBiasio the greatest King fan and awards him the cherished tickets regardless of his pitiful attempt at concocting a King story.—MIKE DEBIASIO



    The boy from the Shining and the girl from Firestarter marry and have twins that can link telepathically, amplifying their other powers as they take over the world.—LOUIS SYTSMA



    Honourable Mentions

    Squirrels that kill 'cause they're nuts!—DAN PURPURA



    A person recognizes their Soul Twin from a riveting past-life experience... but in THIS life, their Soul Twin is an unapproachable world-renowned celebrity.—AUDREY SPARKES



    A man gets an itch that won't stop until he cuts beneath the surface of his skin and finds out why.—RODERICK THEDORFF



    Thanks again to Simon & Schuster for hooking Torontoist readers up.



    >> Source
  • When asked whether King would be doing a signing in Toronto, King's MB moderator replied, "It's my understanding he will be pre-signing a limited number of books but I don't know how the event coordinators plan to distribute them. There will not be a book signing, however."
  • Bev_Vincent wrote: Last week, we asked Torontoist readers to submit their ideas for a Stephen King-esque plot, for a chance to win tickets to King's first public appearance in Canada ever (Friday night!), as well as a whole pile of books. Here are the winning plots.



    Grand Prize Winner!

    Mr. Jingles (of The Green Mile) returns as a zombie mouse to terrorize the inmates of E Block at Cold Mountain Penitentiary.—CHRISTOPHER MCGREGOR



    Runners-Up

    The letters in Campbell's alphabet soup spell out ominous predictions for horrible events that may or may not come to pass, and it's up to Jesse try and stop them.—JASON MOORE



    A grisly, yet strangely amusing series of deadly incidents rattle Torontonians following installation of new Astral Media street furniture. Let's just say you'll want to stand well back from the garbage cans . . .—GREG MILLS



    Torontoist graciously deems Mike DeBiasio the greatest King fan and awards him the cherished tickets regardless of his pitiful attempt at concocting a King story.—MIKE DEBIASIO



    The boy from the Shining and the girl from Firestarter marry and have twins that can link telepathically, amplifying their other powers as they take over the world.—LOUIS SYTSMA

    Honourable Mentions

    Squirrels that kill 'cause they're nuts!—DAN PURPURA



    A person recognizes their Soul Twin from a riveting past-life experience... but in THIS life, their Soul Twin is an unapproachable world-renowned celebrity.—AUDREY SPARKES



    A man gets an itch that won't stop until he cuts beneath the surface of his skin and finds out why.—RODERICK THEDORFF



    Thanks again to Simon & Schuster for hooking Torontoist readers up.



    >> Source


    Bravo Lou!!!!
  • Thank you sir!
  • Well it was an awesome time last night. The two hours just flew by and King was at his humourous best taking shots at Bush, praising AC/DC, Metallica, Judas Priest, and indicating that he and Tabitha would have no qualms if Maine became a province of Canada. Atwood and Barker gave great speeches as well.



    A splendid time for all.
  • Here are some pictures I took.



    Apologies for the quality. Best viewed with the slideshow options. I also have two videos which I am trying to post to YouTube. I'll add the link later once I figure it out.
  • Here's an article and photo -- King's wearing a tie!
  • Lou_Sytsma wrote: Here are some pictures I took.



    Apologies for the quality.  Best viewed with the slideshow options.  I also have two videos which I am trying to post to YouTube.  I'll add the link later once I figure it out.


    Fantastic!
  • Other articles:



    CBC



    Toronto Star



    Toronto Star (follow up with James Patterson)
  • Lou also reported elsewhere "He had handed his editor a new short story - Iana I think was the title - they are not sure where it will be published yet. Supposed to be a personal and moving story inspired I believe by the recent passing of one of Tabitha's parents."



    Tabby's mom died recently.
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