Authors draw fans to ... a casino?
Many may go to a casino for gambling, partying with friends, or to see a musical act.聽
But how many go to see their favorite author answer questions?
The Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., has welcomed a number of well-known authors to its casino floor through its Winning Authors program. Bold-face names like Nora Roberts, Lee Child, and Mary Higgins Clark have all participated in the series.
Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority CEO Mitchell Etess, who helped found the series, told the that welcoming authors is just one more way to attract visitors.
鈥淲e try to use [authors] as a way to drive people into the casino,鈥� Etess, who used to co-own an independent bookstore, said. 鈥淧eople come to see famous people in whatever their trade.鈥�
The series works best with authors who have their own following, according to writer Abbi Glines, who participated in the Winning Authors program in November. Glines, Jamie McGuire, and Colleen Hoover are all authors who write books in the new adult genre and said that the fact that their readers aren鈥檛 your average fan mean they鈥檙e more likely to be come to unusual venues as well.
鈥淥ne of the things about this genre is that we have countless, countless readers who tell us that they鈥檝e never read a book before, or they didn鈥檛 enjoy reading,鈥� Glines told the Globe. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not your literary reader 鈥� it鈥檚 people who enjoy the escape, the excitement, and the passion.鈥�
For their event, Glines, McGuire, and Hoover attracted a crowd of about 200 fans who participated in the question-and-answer session and book signing afterward, which lasted for at least three hours.
