Hey, we did good, kids!
After almost a year's planning, the Western Authors Book Look & Shindig was a great experience for all participating authors. Most of us got to finally meet in person people we've known online (in some cases, for years) and we got to chat and share our stories and learn from each other.
Our Irish and English visitors were impressed by the venue! Mudd Hole Espresso in Prescott AZ is not as you'd expect, a little hole in the wall that serves coffee. It's a roomy place, with plenty of comfortable couches and chairs to sit and talk books (and bookselling ;>) They also have online access there, so those of us who were away from home and our desktop computers could keep in touch as needed. One author pointed out that it's the only book event she knew of that didn't restrict authors by genre or means of publication, and so she was glad to be part of it, and get to know other authors from the West.
Some of those living in the Phoenix area were stuck in a surprise gas crisis, which kept them home, and so our public attendance was not quite what we'd hoped. We did have the support of local media, such as KNOT radio and the Prescott Daily Courier, so this was encouraging. We're already planning another WABL&S for Yuma AZ in January, and one again next year in Prescott! Now we've got one event under our belts, the next ones should be bigger and better.
What's going to be different about the next event is that because it's in Yuma, which is a major retirement destination, we'll have authors right here from all over the US and Canada, (who come to spend the winter) so it's going to be interesting to see how that all works out! I'm going to be visiting some of the various RV parks in person come November to promote my workshop at AWC (more on that later as the details are firmed up) and so will be able to make the WABL&S available to a whole new group of people!
