There have been a number of times in my life when the proverbial dream came true; while nothing can truly match the day my wife agreed to marry me, getting a chance to sit behind a microphone on a panel at the Tucson Festival of Books is a close second. I know it sounds a bit like hyperbole, but for me, as a independent author with a profile so low you kind of have to dig slightly underground to see it, having a chance to crawl out into the sunlight and meet with readers (and fans! I actually have fans!) is truly a one-of-a-kind experience.
Okay, so maybe my profile is a bit higher than that — my stats do show that a fair number of people know who I am these days, and a significant portion of them eagerly preorder my novels the moment they appear online. I’ve watched with ever growing awe at how those numbers continue to climb, a hint (I fervently believe) that I’m on the right track with what I’ve been doing. Making an appearance at an event like the Tucson Festival of Books kind of validates that even more, especially this year when people were truly seeking me out.
Did I mention I have fans? I’m still processing that.
I’ve mentioned in earlier posts about how I applied for this year, and then what it was like getting the email that I’d been selected for a panel; I knew going into Saturday that the day would be jam packed, but I also took great pains to try and soak in the moment(s) as they happened. The day wound up being unseasonably chilly and heavily overcast; sprinkles of rain caused my friend and I to dash across the University of Arizona’s mall to get to the Indie Author Tent before the books I’d brought to sell could get damaged. True to form, the rain stopped the moment we slipped beneath the canvas, but it took pretty much the rest of the morning for the sun to finally break through the clouds and begin to warm things up.
Traffic was pretty brisk during my time in the tent, driven in part by an amazing feature the Arizona Daily Star published about me. The Festival has been increasing the visibility of Independent Authors nearly from its inception, and I was extremely flattered they asked me to participate in the interview. Bill Finley is an institution in our small town, and I was a bit star struck when we sat down at the UA’s Poetry Center for our chat. He was immensely kind and extremely patient with this very anxious author; Bill also did the impossible and made me sound far better in print than I’m sure I did in person. (Thanks, Bill!)
I met so many wonderful readers Saturday, but I am especially horrified that I forgot the name of one who has faithfully sought me out each year I’ve been at the Festival. Chalk it up to my nervousness about the panel I was about to do, but I also promise to greet them properly next year.
My schedule was pretty tight, but the amazing volunteers that manage the Indie Author Experience were ready for the challenge and had me at the Author’s Lounge right on time; not long after, I met my fellow panelists G.K. “Gene” Jurrens and Nancy Nau Silverman, then got down to business talking about Vengeance. Our moderator was Jo Perry, an incredible mystery author in her own right and the perfect person to tease answers out of writers used to hiding the truth. She had some tough questions about Sean as a character and Windeport as a location, then took time to delve into why I’d chosen to write my stories in first person; that generated a spirited discussion with Gene, who does all of his work in third person. We agreed to disagree on that particular topic, but I’ve also come away from the experience knowing I made two new friends in the world of mystery writing.
To my absolute delight, the panel was very well attended; my only regret is that with such a short amount of time — about fifty-five minutes — we had very little opportunity for the audience to ask any questions. We did get two good ones though right at the end, and then, just like that, it was over; well, almost. Nancy, Gene and I were given the chance to sell/sign books for anyone who attended the session, allowing the three of us to continue to get to know each other for the balance of the afternoon. And then it was over; as the day finally began to wane, my friend and I schlepped the books I had left back to our car and then decided a cocktail to celebrate the successes of the day was in order.
The afterglow of the experience extended to Sunday, and, frankly, will probably last for a few weeks. Still, a tiny part of my brain has already begun sorting through the novels I have in the pipeline, trying to decide which one will be the submission for next year. There are number to choose from, so it won’t be an easy decision. Luckily I still have a few months before the application opens for the 2026 Tucson Festival of Books.
Keep your fingers crossed — hopefully I’ll see you all again in person next year.
Leave a Reply