BARNES & NOBLE BOOK FAIR TO BENEFIT 2006 O.HENRY PUN-OFF

AUSTIN, TEXAS -

Barnes & Noble Westlake is sponsoring a Book Fair during the week of May 13–21 to promote the Pun-Off, and a percentage of sales during that week will be donated to the Friends of the O. Henry and Dickinson Museums. Special vouchers must be presented at the time of purchase to generate donations and will be available through the store, the O. Henry Museum, and at other locations. "We are pleased to support the Pun-Off and the Museums," said Jo Virgil, Community Relations Director for the Westlake store. "We support many local activities for readers and writers, and this seemed like an exciting and enjoyable way to celebrate a unique Austin event." The store is hosting two Pun-Off "previews" on Saturday, May 13 at 1:00 pm and on Friday, May 19 at 6:00 pm. (See "Extra Credit Events") Barnes & Noble Westlake #2757 at 701 S Capital of Texas Hwy (Bee Cave Rd at Hwy 360)

The annual Pun-Off World Championships attract contestants from throughout the U.S. and are open to 32 "punslingers" in two different categories of competition. Up for grabs will be the title of "Punniest of Show" through a 90-second freestyle competition for punsters using prepared material. In the "High-Lies & Low-Puns" competition, punsters battle in wordplay on a given a topic with strict time limits. The last punster left standing at the end of the grueling competition is declared the winner.