Busy Weekend Ahead

It's a very writerly weekend for me. Tina Crone, one of those talented Pennwriters I'm lucky to know, arranged a booksigning at the wonderful Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg, PA. I'll be signing The Keepers of Sulbreth and my romance novels. 

The Midtown Scholar carries new books and supports local authors but they also carry a large selection of used books.  The used books are not for the casual reader of genre fiction but rather a sprawling collection of books from decades and even centuries ago.  I've added a few of their old volumes to my keeper shelves.  One can browse for hours in their fiction and then drift downstairs to the nonfiction areas. Once you gather an armful of books to puruse, grab a great drink or snack from the coffee bar and climb the open stairway to the second floor and the comfy sofas that overlook 2nd street. It's really lovely.  Lots of customers move through the store though I don't expect tons of sales. It's always fun to talk to other book lovers.

Also on Saturday, TBR blog, started by Cate Masters, will feature a blurb fest where romance authors can post a promotion and links for one of their romance novels.  A few weeks ago, TBR hosted fantasy authors and it had lots of comments and visits. I'm hopeful it will be as successful this time. 

Will you be doing work or having fun this weekend? Do you have Monday off for President's day? Are you shopping for some new reads online?

Author Panel Today

Today I'm appearing live, from Noon until 2:00 pm at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore second annual bookfest.  Catherine, the owner of the store, was kind enough to ask me back to be part of an incredible panel of authors to answer questions and share information for the reading and writing public. 

I'm also looking forward to the all natural granola snacks and a tall drink of something cold and caffeinated.  I'll have a chance to purchase a few books from my fellow panelists and pick up a used book my sister admired last time we were at the Scholar.  It will be her Christmas surprise.

My daughter and a few of her friends may attend.  There are great places for customers to lounge in the lovely building housing the bookstore. It's a book lovers dream.

Does you local area have any kind of bookfest? Have you attended or been part of it?

Support Your Local Independent

I've been very fortunate to be invited back to the Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg, PA.  I'll be part of an author panel on Saturday, November 12th, from noon until 2:00 pm.  Nearly all genres of writing will be covered by our panel.  I'm every excited and we'll be signing our books for anyone interested after our presentation. 

The owners of the Midtown are hoping to make this book festival an annual thing.  Though this is only the second year, I have high hopes that it will be going on for many more years.  You can check out the flyer at the Midtown's website.  I know most of the readers of this blog don't live near Harrisburg but hopefully you have an independent store near you.  Visit them.  Support them.  With the demise of Borders and the current struggles of B&N, we may soon see the last of the 'big' stores.  As readers we'll only be able to get our browsing through the stacks 'fix' at those wonderful independent bookstores and libraries.  Even though I'm now making almost all my book purchases as ebooks, I still love being in a bookstore.  As an author, I have an even bigger interest in keeping the stores alive.

For authors like me, published with small independent publishers, those small, owned by real people, bookstores, are our only avenues for booksignings. So though I don't expect you to introduce yourself to me in Harrisburg on Saturday, I hope you visit a bookstore today.  Buy a magazine, a cup of coffee, a muffin or even better, a book. 

I'll report next week on all the good advice my fellow panel experts share.  Have you ever been part of an author panel? What was the toughest question a member of the audience asked you? 

Busy, Busy, Busy

From FB

So much to do, so little time. The housecleaning will have to wait. I'm traveling to University of North Caroline today with my daughter for a college visit.  We did a lot of visits this past summer and this is the last school on her top three list for us to check out. Financially it's the best fit as compared to George Washington University and University of Boston.  And it is warmer.  I'll be out of blog touch for two days until Saturday.

When I return, I have to jump on my edits for my next fantasy romance. Courage of a Tiger will be released in mid December from New Concepts Publishing.  I hope to have the edits done by Monday. Then I need to dive back into the edits for Beyond the Gate, second book in my epic fantasy series, The Futhark Chronicles. 

Two weeks from Saturday, I'm part of an author panel at a local independent bookstore, The Midtown Scholar.  I'll be speaking on writing fantasy and romance. I'm excited but I have to put together a 5-7 minute talk and be ready for questions. I'll also get to sell my books. (Remember all those remainders)

It's the end of the grading quarter at work so I have some extra work at the day job.  But I love being busy and having deadlines.

How busy are you for the upcoming month? Have you visited your local independent bookstore lately?

Big Book Event

This ninety degree day seems like a good time to bring up one the big snowstorms we had way back last December. Like so many of the durn things, it was over a weekend and didn't even have the decency to get us off of a day of school. It also canceled a big local authors event at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore.  Catherine Lawrence has gathered loads of local talent and organized a great literary showcase. There's too much going on Saturday and Sunday for me to list it all so go here and read all about it. If you're local, I hope you'll stop in. If you're not local but someday you pass through Harrisburg, PA, I hope you'll stop in and give this independent book shop your patronage. Great times, wonderful people.

I'll be there selling my books, romance and fantasy. Hope we have some nice weather and big crowds. Do you shop at any independent bookstores?

Book Event Snowed Under

I spent hours preparing promotional material but Mother Nature had other ideas. We're at about 10 inches of snow and it's still falling. I'm sure it will be lovely in the morning but I would have liked to see it arrive tomorrow night.
Catherine at The Midtown Scholar Bookstore made the wise decision to postpone the huge author event she had arranged for today. She's going to put it together again in the spring. I'll be reminding everyone then and depending upon the date, I'll have another new book to sell.
Everyone be safe and don't let those men shovel snow.

Book Signing Event!

I believe book signings are helpful for authors to get their name out there to the public and perhaps more importantly for making friends with booksellers. But for an author, signings can be hours of sitting, talking and selling oneself without moving a single book. I've sat, stood, paced around at numerous book events and wondered if my time wouldn't have been better spent sitting at my desk at home and writing.

But this Saturday I'll be part of the biggest signing event I've yet to attend. The Midtown Scholar Bookstore-Cafe in Harrisburg, PA., is hosting a varied and talented panel of authors for readings and promoting their works. There will be poets, literary fiction writers, nonfiction authors, one YA author, and closest to my heart, romance writers. Cate Masters will be joining me in promoting our published novels along with fellow Susquehanna Writer, Don Helin selling his suspense novel.

Catherine, owner of the Midtown Scholar has put together a terrific holiday affair including a free holiday concert.

I am a bit nervous about reading from my work and have yet to select the passages I will use. I hope those of you local to Harrisburg will consider stopping by sometime between 2:00 and 5:00 this Saturday afternoon.