Happiness Is Being at a Book Festival

Ann with authors, Virginia Smith and Jan Watson

I love to write. I love even more when a book is all finished, edited and in readers’ hands or on their e-book readers. And I love book events where I get to meet some of those readers. I get that pleasure again this Saturday, March 25, 2023, at the Southern Kentucky Book Fest at the Knicely Center in Bowling Green, Kentucky. I’m sharing some pictures from other years at the Book Fest. As you can see by all our smiles, it is a smile worthy event.

Ann here the same year with authors Allie Pleiter and Shelley Shepard Gray

Due to the Covid pandemic, the Southern Kentucky Book Fest skipped a couple of years. I missed the event as I know many others did too. One of the best things about the Southern Kentucky Book Fest is all the panels a reader can enjoy during the day. There’s a great line-up of author talks and panels you can check out on the Southern Kentucky Book Fest website where you can also see the line-up of authors. In the past I’ve been on one of those panels discussing Christian fiction or mysteries or historical fiction. This year I’m doing something a little different. I’m teaching a class about “Fiction is People.” I sort of wish I’d decided on a better name, but it’s all about finding ways to come up with characters that jump off the pages of fiction. My class is first thing in the morning at 9 a.m. CST. I plan to drive down on Saturday morning which means I’ll have to get a soon start as the people in my Appalachian stories said. And hope for good traffic. I drove down last year without a problem, but I didn’t have something happening at the dot of 9. Prayers needed!

More prayers needed because I’ve worked up a Power Point presentation. My first ever even though I’ve taught writing classes a number of times at events. So, I’m hoping I’ll know how to make it jump up on the big screen. Then maybe I’ll look as though I really know something. LOL Of course, I have done classes where not many showed up. So we’ll see how this one goes. I have heard from a few people who hope to come.

I must be saying something worth listening to since the other authors on the panel are being attentive or maybe wishing I’d hush and let them talk. 🙂

But once my class is over at 10 a.m., the fun will really start as I’ll get to talk to readers and other writers. That’s always the best part of a book event. I’m always happy when some reader comes by and decides to take a chance on one of my stories. That makes the day better. I love it when a reader shows up with her book where she keeps a record of all the books she’s read to help her not buy a book she already has. I think she had some of my books listed there. At least I hope so.

From the pictures I found from years past, it looks as though red is a favorite color for me. Maybe I’ll give red a try again this year.

The hardest thing about going to a Book event is wanting to buy every book in the room and knowing you just can’t do that. I have found some gems at book festivals. One of those was a book of letters a man had written home while he was a soldier in World War I. It’s been several years ago and I don’t remember the name of the book which is a shame. I think it was compiled by the man’s grandson. It was an invaluable resource while I was writing my book Angel Sister with the flashbacks to Victor serving in World War I. There’s nothing like a journal or letters from the actual historical time to bring the history to life. Another time, I found a book about Kentucky’s unknown heroes where I first saw the story about Louis that inspired my story, River to Redemption. Perhaps I should look around Saturday and see if I can find some new inspiration for another story.

It’s fun taking pictures with other writers at the book event too. In this last picture, I’m posing with two of my favorite people to see at book events, Lonnie Brown and Roberta Simpson Brown. Lonnie writes fun stories he remembers from growing up in the mountains and Roberta writes stories that can make you worry about what might be out there in the dark. Or daylight! She does know how to write a scary story. Both of them, like me, are adding on a few years and can’t make it to all the book events right now. But their books are still available online and maybe at your library.

Here I am with two of my favorite Kentucky writers, Lonnie Brown and Roberta Simpson Brown

If you are able to make it to the Southern Kentucky Book Fest, don’t leave without coming by my book table to say hello. I would love to see you.

Have you ever been to book festival? If so, what was the most fun for you? If not, would you like to?

Oops. Before I go, here are the winners of my Spring Newsletter Giveaway.

Brenda Murphee was my 1st place winner and gets the candles and her choice of one of my books. I haven’t heard from her yet.

Lana H from Bowling Green, Kentucky (Now isn’t that a coincidence) is my 2nd place winner. She chose River to Redemption for her prize.

I’ll be doing a giveaway here on my blog soon and will be sending out another newsletter with a giveaway around the first of May before In the Shadow of the River releases. As always, thanks for reading.