The organizers of a Maryland event referred to as the ‘Frye Fest of BookTok’ by participants have issued an apology.
The A Million Lives Book Festival, which took place at the Baltimore Convention Center over the weekend, was hailed as ‘an ideal occasion to forge more literary connections.’
Ticket prices ranged from $50 up to a maximum of $250, providing entry to the ‘Lavender Romance Ball’.
‘The event will feature a vendor hall, panel discussions, a content creation space, fandom cosplay gatherings, a cosplay contest, and a ball,’ according to the festival’s website.
That’s not entirely accurate, according to several participants. Video evidence revealed an almost vacant gray space where both writers and book lovers wore elaborate costumes for the gala but wandered past unoccupied booths.
Some drew parallels to the notorious
Willy Wonka Experience
, a remake of the beloved classic that once left those children in tears and prompted their parents to call the authorities.
But ‘even the Willy Wonka Experience had decor,’ half-joked TikTok influencer and New York City journalist Chloe.
Others compared it to the Frye Festival.
This event was advertised as a luxurious musical getaway in the Bahamas.
In 2017. Upon arrival, though, the ultra-elite ticketholders found themselves faced with a different scenario.
They were met with no power supply, dusty grounds, waterlogged tents, and flimsy plastic seating.
.
‘The Million Lives festival was quite a disaster; the one positive aspect was forming strong bonds with my author colleagues,’ explained Jennifer Laubach, an adult fantasy writer, on TikTok.
Captioning the video as ‘AML survivor’, she said that while many authors attended the festival, only a few readers did.
Laubach mentioned that she only brought along 18 books and was among the 120 authors present at the event. She also noted various issues occurred throughout, such as unmarked author tables and sudden alterations to the timetable, according to her account.
“I lost almost $3000 on this journey,” she mentioned, accounting for expenses related to travel, accommodation, and books. Another writer admitted to losing “approximately $2000.”
The festival was organized by Archer Management, led by acclaimed author Grace Willows.
‘Please do not organize another event like this; it was an absolute catastrophe, and you deceived numerous attendees into spending their money,’ a participant remarked under the festival’s post.
Facebook
event page.
‘I can hardly believe the authorities weren’t contacted.’
Hope Davis, a fantasy writer, expressed feeling ‘betrayed’ by the event.
“I did have the chance to meet some incredible authors, so even though I suffered a significant setback at the event, I will do my utmost to remain optimistic,” she shared on Threads.
In a subsequent post, Davis outlined that writers were informed as many as 600 tickets had been purchased. “However, only roughly 50 individuals attended,” she stated.
‘Participants and sponsors were assured ‘swag bags,’ but they weren’t provided.’
‘There weren’t any decorations for the ball or any signings. The food was not provided as promised, and I didn’t spot a cash bar at the event as advertised,’ she mentioned additionally.
Fantasy romance writer Kris K Haines shared on TikTok today that both authors and sellers got an apology email from the organizer.
Haines mentioned that the organizer assured refunds would be issued by ‘the end of May.’ The email also stated that 603 tickets had been sold, but only 140 individuals attended.
In a Facebook group with 515 members where attendees connect, several people mentioned they enjoyed ‘a great time’.
‘Thank you for an incredible experience, this weekend was fantastic, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself at the ball,’ said Kate Springer. ‘Looking forward to the next one!’
Another comment read: ‘Thank you for the fantastic experience!’
In a video, Willows offered a ‘formal apology’ because the festival ‘did not meet the required standards’.
“There were numerous problems during the setup process, and it wasn’t done properly,” she stated. “I would like to apologize.”
;Should you wish for a refund, kindly reach out to me and I will process your refund right away.
Archer Management has been asked for their input.
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