Of Books and Festivals

It seems that fall and book festivals go together, at least in Texas. I have had the joy and honor of being a featured author at The Texas Word Wranglers Festival in Giddings in September, have signed in the Writer’s League of Texas booth at the Boerne Book Festival in October, and will likely sign at the Writer’s League of Texas booth at the Texas Book Festival in Austin in November. It has, indeed, been exciting and a bit tiring due to the numerous other activities (both book-related and not) going on. Spring was also a bit frenetic—but in a good way—as I signed at the Texas Library Conference in San Antonio and attended two multi-day conferences. Since its release in February, Ranch Girl and the Orphan Lamb Adventure has kept me on my toes, and I am truly thankful for that.

Additionally, I have another book (a sequel) on my publisher’s desk being considered. Such decisions proceed with the rapidity of black strap molasses dripping on a winter’s day, and then the publishing process is even slower—or so it seems to the anxious author. Traditional publishing is not for the faint of heart. In the meantime, I edit some of my adult novel manuscripts that I am forever working on and write queries and synopses to send to over-worked literary agents and acquiring editors who largely ignore me (as they do most writers—unless their names are JK Rowling or Ken Follett or Anne Tyler). Hope springs eternal though, and writing keeps me out of trouble.

Writing and waiting on publishers are solitary occupations. That fact may explain why I become quite attached to my characters and cried some weeks ago when I decided to kill off one of them. He wasn’t a guy with a sterling moral compass; but, for me, he had redeeming qualities. I am still a bit broken-hearted.

Anyway, I wanted to share a bit of what I have been doing lately in my tiny space in the world of books by posting pictures of some of the festivals, book signings, and library and school visits. Thanks for following my blog. I intend to start a quarterly email one of these days, but until then, I’ll add a bit of news now and then to my blog. If you would like to follow my blog, click on Books or Book Table and put your email address in the pop-up.