Coming Home: A Wonderful Weekend with Readers at Barnes & Noble Orange and Huntington Beach
- April Adams
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Last weekend was one of those weekends that reminds me why I love being an author.
As a Southern California native, there is always something special about coming home, and I was absolutely thrilled to spend the weekend meeting readers at two of my favorite Barnes & Noble locations in Orange County. There is nothing quite like connecting with fellow book lovers in person, especially being back home in Southern California.
On Saturday, May 30th, I visited the Barnes & Noble at the Outlets at Orange. Maya and her team were incredible to work with from start to finish. The store itself is a beautiful one-story location with a welcoming atmosphere and a fantastic science fiction and fantasy section. One of my favorite parts of the afternoon was discovering how many members of the staff were sci-fi fantasy readers themselves. Throughout the event, readers stopped by to talk books, ask questions about The GwenSeven Saga, and share recommendations of their own.
I am also hopeful that I'll be back at the Orange location this fall for a pre-holiday author visit in October.
Sunday brought me to Barnes & Noble Huntington Beach, where I spent the afternoon with Sunny and the rest of the wonderful store team. The store was incredibly busy, and the second floor was filled with readers throughout the event. I had the opportunity to meet science fiction and fantasy fans all afternoon, discuss favorite books, sign copies, and introduce new readers to The GwenSeven Saga.
For anyone hoping to pick up a signed copy, there are currently only four complete GwenSeven Trilogy sets remaining at the Huntington Beach location. If you've been thinking about starting the series and live in the area, now is a great time to grab one before they're gone.
One thing that stood out throughout the weekend was the incredible energy in both bookstores. Bookstores continue to see renewed enthusiasm from readers, particularly as fantasy, romantasy, science fantasy, dragon rider books, and character-driven speculative fiction continue to attract new audiences. Barnes & Noble has experienced significant growth in recent years, opening new stores across the country and benefiting from increased interest in in-person book discovery. Readers are once again spending time browsing shelves, exploring new genres, and connecting with authors face-to-face.
As someone who still loves wandering bookstore aisles myself, especially the sci-fi fantasy section, it is exciting to see so many readers returning to physical bookstores. Some of my favorite reading memories began with picking up a book simply because the cover caught my eye or because a bookseller recommended it.
I am incredibly grateful to be a Barnes & Noble author and thankful to every bookseller who has championed my work and introduced readers to The GwenSeven Saga.
For readers who are new to the series, The GwenSeven Saga is a completed nine-book science fantasy series featuring strong female leads, found family, low-romance character relationships, artificial intelligence, cyborganic dragons, intergalactic conflict, and morally complex heroes. The series begins with Drawing the Dragon and is perfect for readers looking for a completed sci-fi fantasy series they can binge from beginning to end.
Books are available through Barnes & Noble online and can also be found directly through my website at AprilAdams.me/books.
Thank you again to Maya, Sunny, the amazing Barnes & Noble teams, and every reader who stopped by to say hello. Your support means more than you know.
Next up, I'll be returning to San Diego County for an appearance at Barnes & Noble Carmel Mountain Ranch on July 11, followed by an event at Judging by the Cover in San Dimas on July 12.
I hope to see you there!
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