Nori Horvitz of Moorestown is no ordinary teenager; instead at age 18, the 2016 Moorestown High School grad is already the CEO and founder of UBUbiz, a company that hosts events while promoting a love for literacy and charity. Hosting her second charity book event, “Bookitcon: Chapter Two,” she hopes to further promote her love of reading to the underprivileged youth.
“My event is called Bookitcon because it’s a book convention. You can think of it like Comic Con, except it’s all about books and on a much smaller scale,” Horvitz said.
The event, being held on Sunday, Aug. 7 from 3:30 p.m. until 6 p.m., will take place at the Moorestown Community House located at 16 E. Main St. In attendance will be numerous authors including Josh Berk, Martina Boone, Albert Borris, Anna Breslaw, Emma Chase, Julie Chibbaro, Karole Cozzo, Barbara Dee, Julie Eshbaugh, S. Usher Evans, Beth Fantaskey, Amanda Foody, A. V. Geiger, S.J. Goslee, Kit Grindstaff, Sandy Hall, Kathryn Holmes, Charlotte Huang, Lee Kelly, Lisa A. Koosis, Kendall Kulper, Mackenzie Lee, Claire Legrand, Jodi Meadows, Nancy Norbeck, Phoebe North and Mia Siegert.
“I actually have 28 authors participating in the event. Most of them write young adult books, but I have a couple of middle school and adult authors participating as well,” Horvitz said. “To find additional authors, I contacted various publicists, some of whom I knew from blogging and others I have met through attending various book conventions.”
Bookitcon will include book signings, meet-and-greets with the participating authors and two author panels. Attendees are able to purchase VIP tickets that will grant them early access to the author meet-and-greets as well as admittance to an after-party with dinner.
In addition to hosting this charity book event, UBUbiz is partnering with multiple K-8 schools in Camden to supply them with new books to add to their libraries. With help from the non-profit, Grace in the Mud, a book drive will be hosted concurrent to the charity event and all books donated will be distributed to the schools and the nonprofit. Additional profits from the event will also go to the schools and Grace in the Mud.
“I met Donna Romani-Kane, the founder of Grace in the Mud through a mutual acquaintance. After I heard about Grace in the Mud and the work she was doing with mentoring young girls, I knew that I wanted to get involved,” Horvitz said. “Donna said the same thing happened with her when she heard about Bookitcon and UBUbiz.”
Growing up an avid reader and lover of the library, when Horvitz learned there were schools within an hour’s drive from Moorestown with virtually no library, she knew something had to be done. With a desire to increase the normalcy of reading during childhood, she decided to put together her first event to allow her to raise money to help the schools with libraries that have no books — the reason she founded UBUbiz.
After Horvitz took her first business class in ninth grade, she knew she wanted to pursue a career in business and ultimately to become an entrepreneur. One day, she started thinking about how she could combine her three loves — books, business and community service — giving her the idea for Bookitcon. She held her first Bookitcon even on Aug. 9, 2015 also at the Moorestown Community House.
“Ever since I was young, reading has been a huge part of my life. No matter where I went, I brought one or two books with me. Reading truly shaped my childhood, and it both horrifies and saddens me that other kids might not have the same opportunity to read books as I did,” Horvitz said.
UBUbiz is selling tickets and accepting donations for Bookitcon on its website. Those unable to physically attend the event are still encouraged to view the online book sales also available on the company’s website.
After her second charity book event concludes, Horvitz will begin preparing to enter her freshman year at Babson College In Wellesley, Mass. There, she plans to take advantage of all the business opportunities available to students and grow a bigger network. Eventually, she hopes to be able to start a new business that will continue to make an impact on the world.
