You're here! I'm so happy to see you and spend some time with you and share all the fun behind the scenes moments of the Bindery Spring Launch Party! 🎉
I apologize that it's been a bit since an update. In the weeks since I have been back, we've been walking through the loss of a close family member. All of our hearts are still healing, but I'm finally home and deeply appreciate all the love sent our way.
Now, let's recap, shall we?
Arriving in NYC was so exciting, knowing in just a few hours I would be reunited with some of my favorite Bindery and online friends. The real fun began as we met up at a local brewery for a little welcome party and pre-celebration.
Being surrounded by the Bindery team and all these incredible tastemakers always gets me teary. I'm just so proud of these humans. There's SO MUCH WORK that goes into the publishing process, and to know we're all gathering to celebrate all the hearts and radical shifts in the industry feels both overwhelming and fulfilling. This little hang was sweet and got us all amped for the night to come!
The next morning Marines (@mynameismarines), Natalia (@nataliahernandezauthor), and Rachel (@readswithrachel), and I grabbed breakfast and headed out for a day at the natural history museum!
If you haven't been in NYC, I couldn't suggest it enough! We were all giddy, running around like 7 year-olds having the time of our lives in each exhibit. Honestly, it brought out the best in all of us and was such a lovely little spot of joy in our day. It also gave us more opportunities to celebrate Marines and the launch of The Unmapping that day.
Next up: It was party time!
We headed down to P+T Knitwear where everything was decked out in Bindery trim and trappings! As always, I was so anxious walking into a big crowd. However, this time I was immediately greeted by our own Sara (@sarasbookishmacarons)! She surprised me with custom Cozy Quill macarons including our dear mascot, Quilliam. The best part? Some of these macarons were made out of my Cliche tea! What a gift Sara is to our community and to all the authors she baked for that day. It was a joy having her with us.
We all gathered to listen to the Spring authors and tastemakers share their experience working with Bindery, as well as writing and launching these stories.
If you're not familiar with the Spring launches, they include:
BLACK SALT QUEEN by Samantha Bansil, Published by Violetear Books
CRUELER MERCIES by Maren Chase, Published by Fantasy & Frens
THE UNMAPPING by Denise S. Robbins, Published by Mareas
OF MONSTERS & MAINFRAMES by Barbara Truelove, Published by Ezeekat Press
I've almost finished every book on this list and can honestly and enthusiastically say they're incredible. They're all so unique, each a fresh breath of air into their genre. I highly recommend working your way through the Bindery titles this year because, truly, they each bring something new and exciting to the page. Longer form video reviews coming soon! 😉
The party continued and I loved getting to spend time with the people working so tirelessly behind the scenes to make these dreams come true.
Matt Kaye is the co-founder and CEO of Bindery. His vision for this work is really what led me to my big "yes" and he's such a beautiful encourager to the tastemakers.
Meghan Harvey (right) is the co-founder and president of Bindery. She's such a gift, as well, steadily guiding all our ships and giving us big breaths as we take on this new venture. And we all know Charlotte Strick (left), our creative director here at Bindery! She's the genius behind our stunning cover designs, as well as a HUGE support system as we begin the publishing process.
And finally, a crowd favorite: CJ Alberts, marketing director extraordinaire. Basically every book box, big creative promotion idea, or party planning falls into her hands. She's always readily available with the most creative ideas and pitches, helping us showcase our authors with heart and impact. We adore her!
This party truly feels like a family reunion each year. So many relationships have been built through this opportunity, from authors to content creators.
It was such a lovely night of celebrating these authors and all the work that went into these launches. As always, I was just really grateful to be in the room where it happened.
But the fun didn't end there...
The next day was also filled with joy! It started with a little jaunt around Central Park with best friends.
Then Lizzy (@bumblebeezus) and I met up with some other friends for a private tour of Harper Collins! What a DREAM!
They showed us around the local office and at the end brought us to a table FILLED with books! As they handed out tote bags, it hit me...we got to fill them up with any and all books on that table. SO GENEROUS!
It was such a special afternoon, day, week, ahhhh! Every time I am around the Bindery crew I'm reminded how rare and special this group is. It feels very precious and I'm just deeply grateful to be a part of all of it. Congratulations to all four of the amazing authors releasing this month, as well as the tastemakers! It was a joy celebrating you!
Now, I can't believe I get to say this — it's time to start planning OUR release! Recipes for an Unexpected Afterlife by Deston Munden is launching in just a few months, can you believe it? Pre-orders are still open and yes, it's on Netgalley for those of you looking to give an early review. It helps so much with the promotion process, so thank you to everyone already investing in this cozy story. We're so grateful!
Alright my friend, I'm off to dream about the dress I'll wear for the event in October! Any suggestions? Should I keep it cozy fantasy or go full glam? Help!
