Exciting festival of Rochester authors this weekend!
I'm back from Japan!! And I want to tell you all about it, I really do. If you've been following me on social media, you know I had an absolutely unforgettable and awe-inspiring experience. I visited at such the perfect time, and everything was just so beautiful: the cherry blossoms, the shrines, the people, the culture...
Doing the trip justice requires an extensive blog post. I've got to find the pictures I want to share, moments I want to highlight, etc... I'm being honest, I just don't have time at the moment. I'm sorry. But it's for an exciting reason!
I'm coordinating a local, self-published book festival at the Barnes and Noble in Pittsford this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., hosted in collaboration by B&N and the self-published, children's author group Kids' Writers and Illustrators, or, KIWI.
This cute graphic is from our own Tricia DellAnno!
By local authors, for local families
I got involved with KIWI shortly after publishing my first book. KIWI is a group of self-published authors in the Rochester area who, like me, have decided to step outside the traditional publishing process. If you're local and enjoyed Welcome to Wis' Apothecary, then I highly encourage you to see what else if available in the self-publishing sphere!
15 local authors/illustrators will be there to chat and sign books, and we have a full day of readings and programs planned. The books at the festival will range from picture books for small children, to reads like mine for intermediate readers. I'm excited to introduce the following authors and their works:
J.N. Courtney with her CLOUDSCAPE series
Maureen Currie with Every Time That I Hold You and Wonder With My Grandpa
Tricia DellAnno and the Dog in My Yard series
Andrew Freeman, yours truly with Welcome to Wis' Apothecary
Joanne Insull, a seasoned author with many works including her latest Asinella the Nanny Donkey
A.C. Lemonwood and the Jumbo Minds ABC's series
Tess Padmore with Remembering Rudy and Twin Tails (also available in Spanish!)
Sadie Peers with Rockies in My Pockies
Margaret Pence and Tiffany Polino with their Jumpin' Junior: A Bush Baby's Tale
Dr. Unseld Robinson and his Bayside Bunch series
Sally Valentine, another seasoned author with multiple titles all about Rochester!
Eva Zweifler with Ben Wants More, Bunny and Buck, Bunny and Buck and Gabby Too, and Pool Dogs
We'd love your support!
The authors and illustrators of KIWI are all so great and talented, I'm so glad to be coordinating a festival to highlight them, and I'm honored to be sitting beside them. If you've got any time at all Saturday, it would be great to see you there! Come to hear a reading, stay to purchase a book and support a local author.
And if you notice the schedule above, I'll be making a brief presentation about character creation. So if you're wondering how I came up with characters like Madame Wisteria Amberfinch, Becca the Vampire or the Hybrid twins Ailu and Kyon, well, that might interest you too!
I promise we'll talk about Japan next time! I have so much to share, and I'm still enjoying the afterglow of such a phenomenal trip. But right now my focus is this festival, as all the authors represented have worked so hard to be here. I really hope you can support us as well!
Until next time! Thanks for reading, and hopefully... see you Saturday?