Every once in a while, I’ll see a display with little sign saying something like “drop your card in the bowl and win a prize,” and if it doesn’t look too fishy, my card goes into the bowl. Why not? What do I have to lose?
Much to my surprise, after dropping a card in a bowl in Central Park, I received the following e-mail.
Congratulations – You have won one ticket to our Bestsellers Brunch, this Sunday!
New York is Book Country – Bestsellers Brunch
The Waldorf=Astoria
301 Park Avenue
Sunday September 28th
11:30 AM to 2:30 PM
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Enjoy a fantastic brunch and meet six current and future bestselling authors as they discuss their latest works. You’ll hear from:
- Lawrence Block EDGAR AWARD WINNER, Hit and Run
- Harlan Coben EDGAR AWARD WINNER, Hold Tight
- Marlo Thomas GOLDEN GLOBE-WINNING ACTRESS, Free to Be…You and Me (35th Anniversary Edition)
- Dionne Warwick GRAMMY-WINNING SINGER, Say a Little Prayer
Plus, debut novelists sure to hit the bestseller lists in the years to come…
- Rivka Galchen, Atmospheric Disturbances
- Matthew Quick, The Silver Linings Playbook
We are pleased to announce the event will be moderated by Carol Fitzgerald, President of The Book Reporter Network.
How could I resist? I have to admit that I was eager to get an up-close-and-personal look at Marlo Thomas and Dionne Warwick, and to hang around and drink coffee in one of the fanciest hotels ever built in the City of New York.
To my surprise (and delight), after they spoke, all of the authors hung around and signed copies of their books. I walked away with a pile of books tucked securely into a Waldorf-Astoria shopping bag, and now have enough reading material to last the rest of the season.
The brunch featured chefs making omelettes
Most of the panel (they didn’t all fit in the frame)
Dionne Warwick speaking to a fan
Marlo Thomas speaking to a fan
Lawrence Block and Harlan Coben
The Waldorf-Astoria hotel
Lawrence Block, Hit and Run
Harlan Coben, Hold Tight
Marlo Thomas, Free to Be … You and Me
Dionne Warwick, Say a Little Prayer
Rivka Galchen, Atmospheric Disturbances
Matthew Quick, The Silver Linings Playbook