Decatur Book Festival 2010
When I found out about the Decatur Book Festival this year, held on September 3-5 2010 in Decatur, GA I had to check it out. This was my first visit to the festival. I visited several authors and venders of interest. There are many more vendors and activities than those listed here. To get a full idea of the the Decatur Book Festival experience you must view this year’s web page. It is full of workshops, book readings, musical events, and much more! This is a highlight of what I found interesting, and it was a great opportunity for networking with other authors.
First, I met with Gale Border, who just had her first book published, titled “Totally Buzzed.” She described it as a murder mystery, you can find more about her book on her book page and blog.
Then, I met with Diana Black, who has authored several workbooks and educational books for children, including “Little Bitty Kitty,”, and “No Words for Wendel.”
After that, I ran into a local illustrator and artist, Remi Bryant who illustrates children’s books, and also other graphic arts projects.
I also visited the table for “Chloe Pink Doodle and Dream Coloring Book,” which I was drawn to by the cover art, and also my niece, Chloe.
Of course a visit to the book fair is not complete without a stop at the Society for Children’s Writers and Illustrators (SCWI) table, where I found out there is a regional chapter for Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi, called Southern Breeze This is a must for children’s writers to network and improve their craft.
Finally, after a long day at the book fair, I popped in to a local children’s book store, Little Shop of Stories, for a little browsing, and of course shameless book promotion! This bookstore is full of children’s books, and also young adult books of all genres. The staff is friendly and helpful. They even have a room for the youngest readers (which would include my son who is 18 months old), where we checked out their variety of puzzles, board books and toys.
I had a truly inspiring day where I found the Decatur Book Festival a must see for any author for networking, workshops, entertainment and educating the public about their book. I hope to go next year as a vendor, I can’t wait to go back!
