Well, I am back from the Chisholm Trail Book Fest in Duncan, OK. It was quite packed, full of wonderful authors writing a variety of different genres, and I definitely felt in my element. I did sell a few books (during bad economy, a few is more than any writer can hope for, I suppose, unless you're one of the big names), but I had great fun. In the next few days, I'll be posting info about some of the people I met and their links to their sites and/or blogs.
If you're considering going to a book festival anytime soon, consider these following tips:

1) Arrive early: you'll have a plenty of time to set up, put out your books, and unwind before customers start coming in.

2) Have some freebies: customers like something free with their purchase. Have a small item ready for free when customers buy your book. It can be anything that is related in some way to the theme/genre of your book. For my book, Anika and the Magic Top, I gave out small wooden tops with the purchase of my book. You can buy these and other cute promotional things here: www.orientaltrading.com.

3) Talk to other authors: this is a great way to network, because you never know what will come your way. Exchange books, business cards, emails, make yourself available to not just customers, but to people in your industry as well.

4) Have an email list ready: encourage customers to sign your email list if they liked or were interested in your book. Ask their permission to send them updates about your works, appearances, and other stuff of interest.

5) Be civil, have a smile on your face, and have fun!

Well, a lot of water under the bridge has passed, and I haven't posted anything of value on this blog for a while. That said, I am going to change that and make some cool announcements.

1) Oct. 24th, 2009- my book, "Anika and the Magic Top," will be on display and for sale at the Chisholm Trail Book Festival at Duncan, Oklahoma. Check their site out at http://okwriters.blogspot.com/2009/03/chisholm-trail-book-festival-announced.html

It will be a nice event, with tons of authors selling books on every possible subject. Come out and see us, and if you buy a copy of my book, you'll get- shhh!- a surprise gift with purchase. The event runs from 9-5p.m., and it is bound to be loads of fun for the whole family. Come out for a fun afternoon!

2) In May 2009 I gave a talk in North Branch Public Library in Denton, TX on basics of editing. It was a success, but if you missed one of my talks, never fear- there will be more. Just watch my blog for more announcements of this sort in the future.

3) I am hard at work on my second novel, "Murder of Ravens," a historical pirate adventure. So far I have about 40 K words, I am working hard daily to get the other 20K or so in. So far so good, however, sometimes I have to almost chain myself to the computer to get things done. Writing is such a lonely endeavour, as most writers know.

Well, that is about it as far as announcements go for now. Watch this space for more updates about my book(s), and what's going on with me. Until next time!
Caroline