By LAURIE COKER
Special to the NEWS
McALLEN, TX—Book lovers and enthusiasts from all parts of the Rio Grande Valley came together to support the 1st Annual South Texas AuthorCon, held here on Saturday, April 20, at the city’s Creative Incubator.
The event aimed to showcase the talent in the Rio Grande Valley, and it succeeded in drawing nearly 500 attendees, including adults and children from as far as Brownsville and Rio Grande City. The convention featured 31 authors, poets, and illustrators who presented their work and interacted with the audience.
One of the highlights of the event was the opportunity for attendees to take home a free book written or illustrated by the authors present. Additionally, the event’s founders, David Leija of San Benito, and David Norec, generously donated over 200 books to Super Rami & Friends, an organization that provides services to children’s hospitals, and The South Texas Literacy Coalition.
As previously reported in the NEWS, Leija, a Resaca City native and CEO of TKO, (Tolerance Kindness Overcomes) a San Benito-based organization dedicated to combating bullying and promoting self-esteem among children, spearhead the initiative with co-organizer Norec after attending a number of author conventions throughout the state.
According to Leija, the convention included six presentations catering to both children and adults. Among these was a Story Time session for the children, featuring four children’s book authors and two poetry readings for young adults and adult audiences. The authors also organized games and provided coloring sheets for the kids, adding to the family-friendly atmosphere.
“Thank you to the City of Mc Allen and the entire Rio Grande Valley for making the 1st Annual South Texas AuthorCon a huge success,” Leija noted on his Facebook page. “My heart is full after the response we received from the RGV. Not only were we able to provide books for the children in attendance, we were able to donate books to our friends at the South Texas Literacy Coalition and to SuperRami & Friends, Inc.,” he added.
Six raffle drawings were held throughout the day, offering attendees the opportunity to win various prizes. Local authors and poets, including Rich and Easton Gomez, Claudia Villarreal, Daniel Garcia, Ordaz, Eliza M Garza, Rosa Esthela Mora, and Dr. Isais C Rodriguez, gave presentations.
Thanks to the support of sponsors such as Illusions Hair Salon, Texas Funeral Associates, J & J Auto, Blanquitas Restaurant, J Maya Designs and Graphics, Judge Adela Kowalski-Garza, Rock and Roll James: #PVT, Montalvo Brothers, Teague and Morin LLC, Ice Monkeys, Villalobos Law Firm, and The Wrestling League, 120 copies of TK’s First Lesson were purchased for distribution.
The event’s success was not just a celebration of literature, but also a testament to the strength and vibrancy of our local literary community, Leija remarked.
Organizers expressed their pride in representing their hometowns and their commitment to fostering a love for literature in their region. Plans are already underway to bring this event to San Benito, further enriching the Valley’s local literary scene and proving that Valley book lovers don’t have to travel north to be a part of or attend a first-class author event, said Leija.
1 comments
Thank you Mr Leija, I remember your YOUTH DAYS coaching at the Boys n Girls Club of San Benito. You truly are a MAN of the COMMUNITY. You continuously give to the youth and others, May God continue to Bless you and your TK ORGANIZATION. Lots of Fine People coming out of San Bene!