Karen Kingsbury's Bloomington-based fiction readers unite at IU Auditorium

New York Times best-selling author Karen Kingsbury visited campus for the first Baxter Family Reunion on Tuesday at the IU Auditorium in honor of her 18-novel series revolving around a fictional Bloomington family.

Hundreds of Kingsbury’s fans, a majority of them women, filled the Auditorium for the Red Carpet Book Party.

It consisted of performances from Kingsbury’s family, the people who inspired the characters in her books.

The Christian Youth Theater of Indianapolis also joined the family in recreating some of the musicals that were influential in the series, including songs from “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” “Seussical” and “High School Musical.”

Kingsbury also spoke about the themes in her writing: love well, laugh often and live a life with Jesus Christ.

Tuesday was also the book release of “Take Four,” the final book in Kingsbury’s “Above the Line” series.

During the event, Kingsbury gave away books and memorabilia from her multiple series.

She also offered a first look at the full-length trailer for “Like Dandelion Dust,” the first movie based on one of Kingsbury’s novels, which is set to release in theaters Thursday.

Kingsbury surprised her guests with a free showing of the film for the first 700 people who signed up.

Kingsbury’s fans were not disappointed by the surprises at the end of the event.

“I loved it — it was great,” Indianapolis resident Barb Beaver said after the show. “It was well worth the trip.”

Beaver was not the only Kingsbury fan who traveled for the Baxter Family Reunion. Jeanne Forrester and Katie Goode came from Alabama to see the show.

“We saw that there was going to be a reunion on Facebook before class one day and ended up buying the ticket at midnight when they came out,” Forrester said.

The two friends have been roommates for four years at Auburn University and have grown to love Kingsbury’s books together.

“It has become our resolution to read and own all (of Kingsbury’s) books,” Forrester said.

Kingsbury’s success and the popularity of her books come as no surprise to Kathy Cormer of Indianapolis.

“Her books truly are life-changing fiction,” Cormer said. “She relates it to real life.”

Cormer continued to say how Kingsbury’s books touch on the same concepts that the Bible teaches, yet the books can sometimes be more effective for her because of the context of the story.

She said she feels the books help enrich her spiritually.

“She is an excellent writer. I am sure that is a gift from God,” Cormer said.

The evening did have the occasional mention of the absurdity of a family reunion for people who do not exist. Kingsbury herself mentioned the quirk of the night while she was taking about the storyline and referring to the characters as real people.

“I have them all right here,” audience member Cari Estes said, gesturing toward her head. “They are real.”