Dan Brown Says "Thanks" to Independents at White Birch Gala

Dan Brown and Donna Urey at White Birch Books.

On Wednesday, June 23, over 225 people packed the Red Jacket Hotel in North Conway, New Hampshire, for White Birch Books' 4th Annual Valley Book Group Gala and the chance to hear featured speaker Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code (Doubleday). Before the gala, Brown spent an hour and a half signing books at White Birch Books, reported Donna Urey, the store's owner.

Having Brown appear at the store and speak at the Book Group Gala was quite a coup for the store, since the bestselling author has no immediate plans for any public appearances this year, Urey said. He agreed to sign at White Birch and speak at the gala because of familial ties to the area, and overall, it made for quite a hectic and very exciting day, she told BTW.

"We needed security," she said. "We had a local policeman that we hired [for the signing.] Dan's life certainly has changed [since the publication of the bestselling Da Vinci Code]!"

Urey noted that the store did not promote Brown's appearance except for a few posters in the store, but not surprisingly, word in the small town spread quickly.

Urey presents the 2004 Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Fiction to Brown at the Book Group Gala.

At the Book Group Gala, Urey presented the plaque for the 2004 Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Fiction to Brown. The winners of the 2004 Book Sense Book of the Year Awards were announced on June 4 during the Celebration of Bookselling at BookExpo America. [For more on the awards, click here.]

Brown, who spoke for about 25 minutes and answered questions submitted by gala attendees before the event, said of the Book Sense Book of the Year Award, "This generous award is reason for me to be thankful yet again to the independent booksellers," as noted in a White Birch Books press release. "Long before anyone had heard of The Da Vinci Code, the independent bookstores were handselling my first three novels. Nobody knows books like the independents, and to receive this award from them is a wonderful honor."

The Valley Book Group Gala is an annual event that was initially started to bring members from various book groups together for one night of good food, good conversation, and good books. The event has evolved into a celebration of reading. Previous keynote authors have included Jodi Picoult and Pulitzer Prize-winner Richard Russo.

"This year's gala event is without a doubt the highlight of all the author visits that White Birch Books has hosted over the years," Urey said. "Dan Brown has moved beyond the definition of popular author into the realm of cultural phenomenon. To have him come to our event and to be able to [present] him the Book Sense Book of the Year Award was indeed an honor and a privilege." -- David Grogan