fes·ti·val
ˈfestəvəl/
noun
a day or period of celebration.
"The written word surrounded me at The San Diego Union-Tribune Festival of Books.”
Writing a first novel carries with it the opportunity for numerous other ‘firsts.’ One of the first firsts among firsts for me was attending my first book festival. And what a celebration it was!
Hundreds of authors, publishers, bookstores, literacy organizations, and, of course, our very own San Diego Public Library were in attendance at the San Diego Festival of Books on Saturday, August 25. Writers crawled out of their creative caves to talk about how they do it. You know: be authors. An uncharacteristic joy washed over me as I realized I had found my people.
As I wandered around with my mouth agape and my credit card at the ready, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of…books!
Homebase was the Acorn Publishing, LLC table, where authors Holly Kammier, Jessica Therrien, Gene Desrochers, and E.P. Sery plied their wares. From the 'other side of the table,' I watched in amazement as discerning readers honed in on their targets. First, they’d engage with a book’s cover, sometimes just caressing it. They’d crack open the binding of a hardcover to read the interior flap, or a turn over a paperback to view the back cover blurb. A volume cradled lovingly on the forearm with fingers curled around it meant a commitment was made.
Will people hold Flygirl with the same care and wonder? Will readers choose to spend their time with my characters, in a setting I conjured, reading word after word in a sequence I created?
I hope so. And as long as there are people like me out there who love a good story, I’ll keep writing for them.
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