Soggy, Stiff & So Full-Hearted

Hello magical friends!

A Testament to Book Lovers

I'm currently drying out after a wild and wet day selling books at the OC Book Fair in Old Town Tustin. I had the good fortune of helping set up and selling in the Orange County Romance Writers (OCRW) booth, which I was grateful for!

The event brought together multiple indie bookstores, vendors of bookish goods, and civic organizations. Readings and presentations ran all day on three stages. Students from my son's creative writing conservatory at the OC School of the Arts had a booth and performed live poetry readings.

When I first heard the weather forecast, I was disheartened. It wasn't just supposed to rain—it was supposed to POUR. All day long.

If you're not familiar with how SoCal acts about rain, let me explain: The Costco frenzy started on Thursday, and by Friday the shelves were bare as we all shifted into imminent apocalypse mode. In fact, I was supposed to sell at two events this weekend. The second one, up in the mountains, was postponed.

Being from the East Coast and having lived in Oregon for seven years, I'm steadier than most when it comes to rain. In many ways I look forward to it—great excuse to stay home, make soup, and read. Plus, as an avid knitter, I have plenty of handmade hats to choose from, and I own an adorable pair of purple Hunter wellies that don't get nearly enough puddle time.

So I'm up for rain. I was not, however, thrilled about nine straight hours of monsoon conditions while trying to keep my precious book babies dry.

I panicked. I ordered a new easy-up tent with sides claiming to be fully waterproof. I pared down my kit. Worst case, we'd bail.

None of us thought people would show up.

WOW, Were We Wrong

The book fair was packed! The line out the door of our booth was nearly constant. It was a parade of adorable specialty umbrellas (I think people feel about their umbrellas how I feel about my boots). More than that, it was a testament to how much people love books.

I was touched that several people who bought my books at another event last week came back for the sequels. My husband had to go home midday to restock! I sold out of multiple titles and all the special sprayed-edge editions of the Natural Magic Series that I'd planned to add to my shop this week. 

Never fear—we're rushing to get more in for holiday deliveries!

Even though I'm stiff and sore from yesterday's event, my heart is full. I LOVE meeting readers, hearing which characters resonate with them, and learning what other stories they love. It's fuel for me, the thing that keeps me going.

Nevertheless, there will be soup, crafts, and burrowing today. I have an audiobook to finish and two new Kindle reads waiting.