PRÆY Vol. 1 Launch Party

Ever since I got to the point where I knew that this book was really happening, that it was really going to be in print and I would be able to sell copies of it - I wanted to have a launch party for it. I wanted a small intimate party with friends and family, like a stepping stone before my book started to be purchased and read and critiqued by strangers. It is a very, very strange feeling to release your first creative work. It was like sharing my diary with the world because it all came from a small handheld notebook, the whole PRÆY world.

So, anyways, that’s what I did. I planned the party, saved money as best as I could and got the word out. I had maybe about 50 people come out to support which I am so thankful for. I really spent a very long time working out all of the details and filling the space and creating good pacing and all of that. It was the first time that I planned and successfully executed a party on that large of a scale.

And before I get into the actual details of the party, I wanted to first mention the terrible string of events that threatened to shut the whole thing down. First, the day before, the printer in the office space that I was using for the party went down and I don’t have a printer at home so we had to dust off an old printer that didn’t do the best print job but it essentially got the job done. Then the A.C. went out for the entire building and let me tell you, it was HOT. The fans we brought in really didn’t make much of a dent. Then, the final boss reared it’s ugly head – the toilets. Maybe 30 minutes before the party started, the toilets started to not work and then water started to pool around them, it was, or well it could have been a disaster.

But it wasn’t. The people who helped me plan and orchestrate the party and myself handled it. Even with all of those things happening, it was still a massive success – in my opinion anyways. We had strong drinks, good food, amazing music (it was my playlist hehe), and a good group. I guess that party wouldn’t have felt so worth it if everything just went as planned.

Here is a quick description of what we had at the launch party. I'm going to be real with you – myself and the people who helped me throw it completely forgot to take many pictures. Oops. But we did get a few that I wanted to share! Here's what we had at the party:

Themed drinks, including Pete's Punch and Emma's Elixir.

A museum-like display called "The Relics," featuring six different stations showcasing various moments from the book.

 A custom-made playlist and cookies with one of my logos printed into the frosting.

Merch, including books, keychains, and enamel pins.

An author's station, a section for inspiration, door prizes, and more.

A station where you could put on headphones and listen to a song that inspired one of the poems, along with a breakdown of the song and poem.

And, of course, the amazing, supportive friends and family who came out — I appreciate you all so much.

It was a lot of work but it was totally worth it. I am already brainstorming what the PRÆY Vol. 2 launch party will be like.

More photos of the night.