Catching Up - Photos from the 2023 NaNoPierceCo TGIO and Book Exchange

 

Here we are in 2024 Sockmonkeys - 

 - and due to various hiccups and tech glitches, I'm finally getting a chance to post about the TGIO and Book Exchange we had in Spanaway on December 2nd, 2023!

Above is a photo of the table that was set up to greet Sockmonkeys as they arrived. It holds a sign in clipboard, our green Sockmonkey bucket, some small Sockmonkeys in assorted winter gear sitting around it, a roll of blue tickets and three small gift bags that were all part of the event. Everyone who attended took one ticket and the tickets were used three times - twice to decide turn order in the book exchange and once to randomly pick two Sockmonkeys as winners of one of the small gift bags. The third gift bag was given to the first Sockmonkey to win blackout in our TGIO Bingo game.

This photo shows the table holding the books that were part of the exchange (along with a vase of flowers). There were so many books that most in attendance were able to pick a second book!

The above two photos show the room before all of the Sockmonkeys who attended had arrived - and before we had the book exchange. There are three tables in a U shape with writers sitting on the far side of each of them from the camera. Everyone seemed to have a good time with not only the Bingo game, but also just chatting about NaNoWriMo and writing in general, along with other random topics that popped up.

These final photos were taken after people had begun grabbing food from the potluck tables. One Sockmonkey is back at the drink station that was set up next to the library's small sink. We had a good sized crowd - though it wasn't too big - and plenty of food to eat along with a lot of laughter and a number of silly writerly jokes.

Finally, while I will be posting a thank you on my personal social accounts, I wanted to post a photo here as well of my Book Exchange book (The Ministry of the Future) surrounded by the chocolate/cocoa themed gift I was given by one Sockmonkey writer and the bouquet of flowers with a gift card I was given by another Sockmonkey writer in appreciation of my volunteer Municipal Liaison efforts. Both gifts were totally unexpected and I thank each of them for their kind thoughts and generosity!