COLUMBIA, S.C. — Book lovers and authors traveled far and wide to attend Columbia’s first Book Lovers Expo.
The event, which originated in Washington, D.C., was created by the Bookbutler Publishing Company and has now arrived in Columbia.
“There weren't a lot of opportunities to connect with communities, so we decided to start opportunities for ourselves and that brought other authors our way,” Aaron Butler said.
Butler owns the Bookbutler Publishing Company. They’ve hosted several book expos around the Washington, D.C., area and have now made their way to the Midlands to support self-publishing authors.
“A lot of the authors had written books, and they were sitting in their basements, collecting dust,” Butler said. "They weren't even telling people that they wrote books because they didn't know how to promote them. They were hoping that the fact that they wrote the book would speak for itself, I suppose, and we wanted to give authors an opportunity to let the community know that they're living amongst creatives, and they should be out talking about their creativity and selling their book."
Dozens of book lovers and authors attended Saturday’s event to connect with readers and showcase their work. Gladys Stocks was one of them.
“My brand is inspired by my son, Jabari Lanier Stocks, which is where 'Just Love Self' comes from," Stocks said. "Unfortunately, in 2007, as a result of being in an abusive relationship, he was murdered. Sixteen years of dealing with depression and anxiety, I decided to take that pain and turn it into a passion, and so I created my brand.”
Stocks, who traveled out of state, said events like these help expose their novels and encourage readers.
"It helps me get my name out there, share my story and make sure that people you know understand that you can go through anything, but it's all about how you come out of it,” she said.
Columbia authors like Rodrick Fluellen said these events help combat the struggles that self-published authors face.
“I think the biggest struggle is just getting it out there," he said. "I feel like everybody can benefit from it, but they just don't know it exists yet."
Whether it’s self-help, children's books, autobiographies, or memoirs, authors brought all kinds of reads.
“I've been an avid reader since high school, and I do enjoy coming to events like this,” attendee Octavia Fletcher said. "It helps me get out of my comfort zone of what I typically like to read and just to see what's out here."
Organizers said this won't be the last time they come to the Gala Event Center in Columbia.
“First time in Columbia, and it's been overwhelming support from the community," Butler said. "They've already asked us to come back, and we'll be back in March of 2025."