Author events come in all shapes and sizes. Recently, I celebrated the release of my 12th novel at my local bookstore. It has become something of an annual November/December tradition. I was blessed with a large turnout of supportive reader-friends, writer-friends, and family who came to hear me talk about the new book, The Ladies of Ivy Cottage.
I also had three special guests who talked about the making of the costumes and cover for the new book.
Beth Schoenherr (costume creator), Jennifer Parker (cover designer), and Raela Schoenherr (editor)
There were prizes drawings and a small gift for everyone: a bar of fragrant “Ivy Hill” soap handmade by my friend Beverly Snyder. (Soap-making plays a role in this book.)
Reader-friends and basket of soap.
That night, I signed a lot of books and talked to a few writers and a lot of readers. It was a good night.
Tonight, I participated in a new event, a Festive Fellowship & Book Fair, held at a church here in Minnesota. Local Christian authors displayed their books for sale, and there were prize drawings and refreshments. It was well-organized and promoted, but you just never know what the turnout will be, especially at a new event, and the turnout was small.
So, tonight I didn’t sign many books, but I talked to a few readers and a lot of writers. It was a good night, too.
Stacy Monson and Brenda S Anderson with their books.
Actually tonight was probably more typical for most of us—a big turnout is something of a rarity. I’m learning it’s best to go into these things just hoping to make a connection or bless someone—whether it turns out to be one someone or many. Tonight, I think I spent all of my profits buying other writer’s books, and there’s nothing wrong with that. 😉 Writers are readers, too, you know.
Chawna Schroeder, Jennette Gudgel, D. P. Cornelius
So, in the spirit of supporting my fellow writers, here are books by the people I talked to tonight, all motivated to touch lives through the written word. (Sorry, I know I missed meeting a few folks.) If any of these titles appeal to you, I invite you to consider ordering them to support these authors as well:
Nonfiction:
Mandy and Michael Daniels
Becoming Mr. Right: A Young Man’s Guide to God-Honoring Relationships by Michael Daniels
8 Steps to Getting Real with Cancer: Empowering newly-diagnosed patients and those who love them by Marianne McDonough
Billy Sunday: Baseball Evangelist by Craig Bishop
Live Pure and Free, a 90-day devotional for men who want to win in their battle for purity by Dave Howe
Write With Excellence 201 and The 500 Hats of a Modern-Day Woman by Joyce K. Ellis
I Stand With Courage: One Woman’s Journey to Conquer Paralysis by Kathryn M. Holmes
Fiction:
Rebecca Kanner
Planting Hope (and other novels) by Brenda S. Anderson
The Color of Truth (and other novels) by Stacy Monson
The Beast (and other titles) by Chawna Schroeder
Book Pursued by Woody Dahlberg
The Bonfires of Beltane by Mark E. Fisher
Sinners and the Sea and Esther by Rebecca Kanner
The Baker’s Daughter by D. P. Cornelius
Civil Evil by Jennette Gudgel
Captive of Raven Castle and Sufficient Grace by Jessica Greyson
Have you ever discovered a new author at an event like one of these?
Leave a comment and I will choose one person to win a signed copy of my friend Brenda Anderson’s newest novel, Planting Hope.
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I’ve never been to an event like that! Sounds really neat. Wished I lived closer so I could have gone.
I discovered you by seeing you on KARE 11 talking about your first book! It was a wonderful discovery!
Then I’m glad I made myself say yes to TV, Cathy. A scary prospect, for sure.
Thanks, MH!
I would have been in reader’s paradise at an event like that. It makes me wonder if my church could sponsor something like it, actually. And I am always “in the market” to discover new writers. How fun!
Thanks, Rebecca. Nice to hear from you!
I haven’t been to an event like this. There’s an annual book fair in a town near me, but I’ve never attended. The attendance you had at your local bookstore was amazing!
Thanks, Sherri. It’s a blessing I know.
I always try to attend author’s events to encourage them and sometimes to meet new authors. Thanks for the opportunity to win!
Thank you for supporting new authors, Linda!
Congratulations on the new release. I’m looking forward to reading it in January with two friends.
How nice of you to promote other authors!
Hi Betty. Thanks for your email. I hope you and your friends enjoy the new book.
I love discovering new authors, and I think it is wonderful when you promote each other. After all, for those of us who read vocariously, books are like Thanksgiving dinner – they take much longer to prepare than they do to ingest! If we stuck to the same authors all the time, they’d never be able to keep up with our hunger for more, lol!
LOVE this analogy, Linda. As a mom with two teenage guys who finish eating before I’ve had two bites, I really relate to this comparison. I often want to gently ask readers to read more sloooowwwly or read the book again to give me time to keep up. 🙂
We live in a small rural community so I’ve never had the opportunity to go to such an event. I would love to though.
Thanks for the chance to win a signed copy Brenda Anderson’s newest novel, Planting Hope.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
You’re the winner, Kay! Please send your mailing address to me: julie at julieklassen dot com
Thank you!
Replied to your email. 🙂
Excellent examples! I’ve been to both types. 🙂 Merry Christmas!
I love attending author events, both large and small. I am a reader, not a writer. It’s so much fun to meet writers and hear their stories of how they began writing, where they get their plot ideas, and what’s ahead. I was introduced to author Jan Karon many years ago at a book signing and her Mitford series has remained near and dear to my heart. Keep writing and attending all sizes events—your readers will be so grateful you did! 🙂
I have never been to an event like this but would love to attend one! It reminds me of the book fairs we used to have back when I was in elementary school (a very long time ago). I would love to go and look at all the books and decide what books I would buy with the money I had earned doing chores just for the purpose of going to the book fair 🙂 I’m definitely going to have to see if there are any events like this close to me!
So, this is hilarious (for others) and cringeworthy (for me), but I “discovered” Susan May Warren, Susan Meissner, AND Liz Curtis Higgs last July at the Northwestern conference. I had no idea who they were! 😳
Oh no! Funny, Patrice. I’m sure none of them would mind. Glad you were able to meet 3 such wonderful women.
I recently went to one authors release party and she brought several authors I hadn’t heard of, we played charades with their book covers. I had only heard of one of their books but I am so excited to get to read all their books too! I even won one! So fun!
I enjoy going to book signing events and meeting the author.
I’ve never been to an event like you described but it looks like it would be a fun time.
So interesting to see the costumes. Now I know what the front looks like. I got my copy of The Ladies of Ivy Cottage before the official release date! So excited to read this, but have not had the time to savor it just yet. I have enjoyed all of your books.
Julie, loved your recap of both events. Wish I could have heard you speak and get an up-close look at those costumes. And how generous of you to include the titles by the authors you met at the church fair! Great idea. Supporting our fellow authors is always in season, isn’t it? 😉 You do a fabulous job.
Thanks everyone. Our winner is Kay Garrett.