As book publishers adjust to coronavirus-era restrictions, the virtual world Second Life is launching the Second Life Book Club, a new “virtual world book tour” initiative that enables authors to have real-time book readings, engage in meet-and-greets with their fans and promote their publications in front of a live audience within the Internet’s largest user-created virtual world.The Second Life Book Club, which debuted on April 8 at 10 a.m. (Pacific), kicked off with a multi-author panel that discussed the new reality of writing and selling books in the age of COVID-19. The event featured a live Q&A with best-selling authors Matt Ruff (“Lovecraft Country”), Ken Liu (“The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories”), SL Huang (the Cas Russell series) and CB Lee (the Sidekick Squad series).
Since the premiere, the Second Life Book Club has continued weekly with high-profile authors such as Premee Mohamed, LL McKinney, Shiromi Pinto and Christopher Brown.
Upcoming shows will feature guests such as Cory Doctorow, Chana Porter, Charles Yu, Kit de Waal, and Roseanne A. Brown.The Second Life Book Club is hosted by virtual world personality Draxtor Despres, who is also producing the series in partnership with Linden Lab (creator of Second Life).“When I first reached out to authors, some of them very high profile, I was surprised to get super enthusiastic feedback like: ‘Of course I will come on the show. Can I be a tentacle monster? Can I be a parrot? Can I fly?’,” says Despres. “It’s a dream come true for a book nerd like me!”Linden Lab CEO Ebbe Altberg adds, “Second Life offers a safe, fun retreat during a time of great anxiety, stress, and social isolation. Through the virtual world, people can stay connected and engage in friendly conversations and fun social activities such as visiting live music performances, virtual nightclubs and deejay events and now even book readings. Virtual world interactions offer a much deeper connection with other human beings than for example video conferencing: through the avatar and the shared space we feel as if we are fully present together.”To participate in the SL Book Club events, attendees can download the free Second Life Viewer at secondlife.com and then enter the virtual world to remotely attend the event using voice and text chat, which will be held on the new Second Life Book Club Island located in Second Life.Anybody with a Second Life avatar can join this event, mingle with fellow book lovers and get up close and personal with internationally bestselling authors. All Second Life Book Club events will be streamed live across all official Second Life social channels.More information about the Second Life Book Club can be found here. Images and b-roll associated with the Second Life Book Club are also available here. General Second Life images for use by the media are available here.
ABOUT LINDEN LAB:
Linden Lab develops platforms that empower people to create, share, and benefit from virtual experiences. Founded in 1999, the company first launched Second Life, the groundbreaking virtual world enjoyed by millions around the globe, in 2003, which has since gone on to boast nearly two billion user creations and a vibrant $500 million (USD) economy. For more about Linden Lab, its products, and career opportunities, visit its website.
MEDIA CONTACT:
To interview participating authors or speak to host/producer Bernhard Drax (a.k.a. Draxtor Despres), please contact drax@draxtor.com.To speak to an executive at Linden Lab, please contact presscontact@lindenlab.com.