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!