I love going to book events and meeting readers and other writers. I was honored to take a photo with Woody and his new book at the Kentucky Book Fair a few years ago. His best friend, Leigh Ann Florence was a big help in his book writing and a lady with a million dollar smile. Woody was so popular at the book tables meeting readers and signing the books with a paw print that I had to wonder if I could get a dog co-writer to bring more readers to my table. Dogs are great draws at a book festival. But I’m pretty sure Frankie wouldn’t behave. He’d love it but he’d be out there bumping into people and wanting to be petted. He wouldn’t care a thing about talking about my stories.
I tried to find pictures from past book events. I have some. Plenty of them, but finding them is another thing since I can’t remember the dates of my previous book parties to narrow down the search through my many digital photos. I did find this one from 2011 (I think) where Lynda happened to be in Lawrenceburg on a trip from her home in Texas and took time to come hear me talk books. Since then her sweat husband has gifted her with many of my books. You have to love a man who buys books for his wife.
I’ve met a number of husbands who happily carry around the shopping bags for their wives at book festivals as they go about finding many new books to take home with them. They never even frown when the bag gets heavy. I took a picture with Mandy once at the Kentucky Book Fair when her husband surprised her with a trip to the Book Fair to get me to sign a book for her. He had us both smiling. Since then, Mandy has become one of my first readers and reviewers.
And of course some of my favorite book events were when the grandkids either came with me or showed up to enjoy the book atmosphere.
So, I love book events, book fairs and festivals. I’m going to be a featured author at the Columbus Book Festival in Columbus, Ohio, the weekend of July 12. I’ll be on a panel with a couple of other authors on Sunday, July 13th. I’m looking forward to meeting some new readers then. But first, I’m having my Hometown Book Party this Saturday, June 28th at 1:30 at the Anderson Public Library in Lawrenceburg, KY. I love seeing reading friends there, both those I’ve known since before I published my first book and others I’ve just recently met. That is one of the fun things of having a new book out – meeting readers and hearing what they think about my stories.
Saturday, I’ll talk books and probably forget to take pictures. If you’re in the area, I hope you’ll come. If you live too far away, I hope you’ll celebrate with me here by maybe asking the questions you’d like to know about The Pursuit of Elena Bradford or some of my other stories. I do plan to talk about getting ideas for my stories Saturday. I’m baking cookies and getting door prizes ready. Maybe if one of my grandkids shows up, I can let them take pictures.
Here is a picture somebody took a couple of years ago at my Hometown Book Party celebrating In the Shadow of the River.
If you were at my Hometown Book Party, what question would you ask me or what comment would you make?
