It was a bright, warm and usual day for Southern California. I make this observation because, although this is not my first book fest, it is the first one I attended on the west coast. As with all festivals I have participated in the past few years, the crowd was a good size and for the most part in good spirits. I participated as both an author, and a quick spin around, as a publisher.

First, let me thank Matt and Jackie for the wonderful job they did organizing and running the booth. These events can be quite hectic, and their management of time and authors kept the days flowing smoothly. I also like to give them a special note of praise for keeping the event affordable. As I have stated, this is not my first rodeo and the price of renting a booth is daunting and out of reach for a lot of authors. There are companies in this business that prey on the need of authors to emerge from our dark places where we craft our art for that all-important day in the sunshine meeting the public. Thankfully, AuthorsDen did not take advantage of this and gave us a four (4) hour signing window at what I calculated as their cost to rent the booth. I doubt if Matt and Jackie made any monetary profit from this at all.

However, it was profitable for everyone involved. The authors had a weekend of meeting with others who practice the art. A chance to share idea and dreams, we often work alone as writers and do not get the opportunity to meet professionally. Matt and Jackie had a great time, the smiles on their faces a testament to the love they have for helping authors. They imparted wisdom and tips on how to improve our pages on the site Authorsden.com and get a larger following.

And let’s not forget the main reason we writers travel to these festivals, to meet and make new fans and readers. I always tell people; my book is not completed until it has been read. I get a kick out of seeing the wonder in the eyes of the young and old as they imagine the story that awaits them behind the book covers.  They can feel the love I have for the people in the books, my friends, who I am honored to introduce them to. Here is the thing with writers, it is not that we want people to love us, we want them to love the people we have fallen in love with by telling their stories.

I want everyone to get to know Morris MoJo Johnson and Maria; Jeremy, Shera, and Rehema; Zack and Zuri; and the many others whose lives add to ours. And I absorb the stories and lives of the people I meet at the festivals, for every contact, every moment of shared communication enriches our lives. Sunny Southern California is a great place for such an experience. Look for me here on AuthorsDen at http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?AuthorID=187399 and in the coming months at the San Diego Festival of Books.