BOOKSNJ AT PARAMUS PUBLIC LIBRARY
BCCLS Welcomes Acclaimed Authors and Avid Readers Alike

The Paramus Public Library and the Bergen County Cooperative Library
System (BCCLS)
are proud to announce BooksNJ2009, a celebration of books and the readers
who love  them, on Sunday, June 14 from 1 to 5 pm. A classic rock n’ roll
performance by The  Retros will wrap up the festival beginning at 5:30 pm.

The festival will showcase writers from the state of New Jersey and
invites all  lovers of literature. You can expect a parade of popular and critically
acclaimed authors born and bred in the Garden State. Modeled after the annual
National Book  Festival in Washington, DC, there will be outdoor areas devoted to poetry,
fiction, non-fiction, children’s literature, and books for young adults.
Participants can attend panel discussions on a variety of topics and meet
the  authors up close and personal. Other activities include storytelling,
author  readings, a poetry slam, book signings, and much more. Thanks to New York
Life’s  sponsorship, the Children’s ID Bus will also be at the festival, providing
free ID  cards.
So far over 90 authors have committed to attend, and more are signing on
as word  spreads and June 14 approaches. We are excited to welcome some of the best
and the  brightest in the area:
– Sung Woo, first-time novelist who has received terrific reviews for his
first  novel, Everything Asian, about a Korean family in New Jersey
– Chris Grabenstein, whose mysteries are set at the Jersey shore
– Vince Gargiulo, whose book about Palisades Amusement Park is a
perennial favorite
– George Witte, Editor-in-Chief of St. Martin’s Press and published poet
– Susan Beth Pfeffer, winner of a Garden State Book Award and YA One Book
NJ 2009
for her novel, Life as We Knew It
– Joshua Henkin, author of Matrimony, which was one of the New York Times
Top 100
Books of the Year for 2007
– Steve Doocy – author and anchor on FOX-TV
– Dan Dahler – author ad CBS-TV news anchor
– Mary Jane Clark, best-selling mystery writer

It’s no coincidence that BooksNJ is happening in 2009. BCCLS marks its
30th anniversary this year. What better way to celebrate than to bring together
the  talent of authors and the passion of readers? After all, that’s the
mission of the  Paramus Public Library, and every member library of BCCLS.
BooksNJ2009 is being sponsored in part by Berkeley College, the NJ State
Library,  New York Life, and the Town News.

Visit www.booksnj2009.org for the latest news.