SANTA MONICA, Calif., March 23, 2006 — George Beahm, the author of two Harry Potter companion books, will be appearing in person Saturday, March 25 at Whimsic Alley in Santa Monica, to greet fans and autograph copies of his books. Also appearing are 5-time Hugo Award-winning illustrator Tim Kirk and fellow illustrator Britton McDaniel, who will be drawing sketches and presenting prizes.
Whimsic Alley is a themed environment catering primarily to fans of the Harry Potter books and movies. Built by Hollywood set designers to resemble a scene from a Harry Potter film, Whimsic Alley contains shops catering to a fantasy-loving clientele. One shop on the alley, for example, sells nothing but hand-crafted magic wands. Another carries sweaters, scarves, robes and ties to outfit the typical wizard student. Still another carries quill pens, parchment and sealing wax. Since its inception in 2003, Whimsic Alley has been attracting tourists from all over the world, many of whom claim that it ranked higher than Disneyland on their list of places to see while in Southern California.
Unlike other stores that carry a small number of Harry Potter branded toys, books and candies, Whimsic Alley carries hundreds of such items, as well as the types of things one would expect Harry and his friends to actually go out and buy in their own fantasy world, or the types of things one might expect to find in Professor Dumbledore's office. Visitors feel that they have actually entered Harry Potter's world once they step through the door.
George Beahm has authored 19 books, including the two Harry Potter companion books, Muggles and Magic, and Fact, Fiction, and Folklore in Harry Potter's World. He also penned a companion book to the popular Chronicles of Narnia series for people new to the world of C.S. Lewis, called Passport to Narnia. All three of those books were illustrated by Tim Kirk and one of them was also illustrated by Britton McDaniel.
The signing will be held from 5-7 p.m. this Saturday at Whimsic Alley, 2717-1/2 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90403. There will be give-aways and prizes. The phone number for Whimsic Alley is 310-453-2370. Online shoppers can obtain autographed copies of those three books, along with just about everything else Whimsic Alley carries, at http://www.WhimsicAlley.com.
CONTACT:
Stan Goldin
Whimsic Alley
310-453-2370
FAX: 310-453-2374
Email
http://www.whimsicalley.com (photos available for download)