Things are slowing down. Yes, I've been waiting to say that since March. Whew! We're finally here. Which means, at some point in October, it's time to get back in the writing groove. More on that in a moment.
Last month I finally had time for podcast interviews. I did a reading of The Summoning from Everyone Dies on Indie Reads Podcast YouTube / Spotify I also had a chat on C's Creative Corner Spotify / Apple If you have a podcast and would like to chat, shoot me an email (info on my About Me page).
As event season winds down, there are a couple of tidbits I'll share for anyone looking to get into in person event selling in 2025.
1. Book your events NOW. Yes, I know it's still 2024, but you know what? I've booked half of my 2025 events already. Many cons and art festivals book tables/booths nine months to a year out. Research your audience and where you can interact with them and secure yourself a spot in those places or at least write them down to watch for when applications open up.
2. Where do you find those mysterious places where your readers might be? Research. In theory, you likely write what you like to read. So where would you go to meet an author of the thing you like? There are Facebook groups for everything. Search for your area, your state, comic cons, festivals, library, craft and vendor events, etc.
3. Consider what you need for your table set up and get on that now rather than waiting until two weeks before your first event of the season. It seems like every year I update or upgrade something in my set up. If you're starting out, start basic, a table cloth, a stand of some sort to get your book(s) vertical, a credit card processing device, business cards or bookmarks with your name, socials, and book cover(s) on them. Level 2 would be adding a table banner or a stand up banner or both. If you have several titles, consider getting a book rack instead of individual table easels. Amazon sells many wire book racks, but I don't like those as they hide too much of your cover if you have to use all the spaces. I designed a rack that works perfectly for me and maybe it will for you too. This one breaks down flat for easy storage and transportation in my event kit, and it allows 90% of the cover to be on display, while also keeping your books from blowing over in the wind (a real problem at outdoor events), and provides hidden storage in the back for your food, water, bags, cashbox, etc.
Back to that looming writing thing. November brings my annual writing frenzy month. So what's on the agenda for year 19?
1. Perhaps add words to i9. I haven't added much to this since last November, but I have been working on edits as the existing chapters work their way through my local critique group.
2. Godmother - the YA fairy tale I outlined but never got to last November.
3. The Adventures of Nugget the Space Chicken - Early chapter book to add to my children's chicken offerings. This one is outlined and illustrations (by my artsy daughter) are in progress.
Yep, I have plenty of options. The more important ingredient is ambition. And that's where I'm guttering at the moment. We'll see how October pans out for refilling that well.
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And that brings us to this months Insecure Writer's Support Group question: What's your favorite classic ghostly tale?
Ok, so not your typical 'classic' horror tale, but this twisted story did make a grisly impact on me as a teen reader and has stuck with me through the years. Was I reading age appropriate stuff? Was there parental guidance on reading selections? This was the 80's, people. Definitely not. *Not for the faint of heart or those sensitive of violence toward women.
