Dehradun: Booknerds, the prolific Doon Valley-based book discussion community, organised a sequel to their acclaimed event, Booknerds Halloween Hangout. Celebrating the spooky season on Halloween, the Booknerds Halloween Hangout was a coming together of bookworms to discuss books from the horror genre. Priyakshi Rajguru Goswami, freelance book editor, translator and a voracious reader of the Booknerds community, was featured as the Lead Discussant, while Anuj Tikku, actor and author, joined as the guest author whose book Puttli was among many to be featured during the discussion.
Dehradun-based influencer Shikha Chhabra was featured as the Official Halloween Cosplayer and spooked horror book enthusiasts. Some of the books discussed at the session were Doctor Sleep by Stephen King, Puttli by Anuj Tikku, A Murder in Mussoorie and Other Tales by Ruskin Bond.
Doctor Sleep is a 2013 novel by American horror-suspense author Stephen King. Taking place in the same timeline and universe as his most well-known work, The Shining, it picks up in the distant aftermath of the traumatic events that take place at the Overlook Hotel. Puttli explores the story of Sushant Gupta, a middle-aged archaeologist who runs into an ancient evil doll while Ruskin Bond’s short story collection explores everything from Kipling to the Savoy murder and the eeriness of the mountains.
The discussion encompassed all things horror and paranormal in literature at Terra Pizzeria, Dehradun. The book enthusiasts had a blast with a series of fun activities like a horror treasure hunt, Dreamland Publications Halloween Coloring and Pumpkin Decoration. The scary photobooths and spooky pumpkins added eeriness to the Halloween Book Hangout . The conversation around horror, folklore and the undead left the booknerds with an aftertaste of the paranormal.
Neha Raj, Booknerds co-founder felicitated book lovers with the Booknerds Community Awards Ceremony 2022 on the seventh anniversary of Booknerds’ founding. The winners Booknerd of the Year(Dr. Sunil Parab), Hindi Booknerd of the Year(Dr. Geeta Shukla ), Little Booknerd of the Year (Dhunn Saluja), School Outreach Partner of the Year (Manava Bharti India International School), Book Hoarder of the Year (Rabbi Singh) and Lead Discussant of the Year(Dr Chetana Pokhriyal) were awarded gift hampers from Dehradun Chocolate Company and The Cotton Story, the Gifting Partners for the session.
A horror-themed pop-up bookstore by Book World Dehradun, the Bookstore Partner, and a temporary tattoo booth by Amaranthine Tattoos, the Tattoo Partner, had the horror readers and enthusiasts regaled.
