I attended the National Book Festival last Saturday. It was amazing to see all of the people that showed up! I was excited to see so many children there as well.
I didn’t end up getting any of my books signed. However, I did manage to get pictures of Salman Rushdie as he was hurriedly rushed away after he spoke at the Fiction Pavilion; Katharine Paterson, author of Bridge to Terabithia, among many others, as the staff attempted to pull her away from a flock of young children, begging for authographs; and finally, Dionne Warwick, who spoke to at the Children’s pavillion about her book, Say a Little Prayer (Running Press, September 2008), a picture book that encourages kids to find their best talent in life and embrace it. I just missed seeing Geraldine Brooks and Philippa Gregory.
Want to know why I didn’t get my books signed? Well, I thought ahead and brought copies of the books with me. However, the book signing lines were forever and a day long! Each author signed for an hour, and I don’t think many of them even made a dent in the lines of people waiting. And let’s not even talk about the lines in the book sale pavilion. I don’t know why people stood in line so long to buy books that they can get at their local book store. Perhaps they wanted to get them signed…but after standing line to buy the book, and then stand in another line to (maybe) get the book signed by the author is just not worth it to me. Granted, I’m cheap, almost never buy books at full price and have no problem writing my favorite authors for their autographs.
Overall, it was a wonderful experience. We got copies of official 2008 National Book Festival posters. I may (hint hint) be giving one away. My friend Jackie and I decided to make it an annual tradition to to to the National Book Festival together.
So, have you ever met one of your favorite authors? Share the details!
Side note: I’ll be posting the pictures I took as soon as I figure out what I did with my camera!
Tags: Blog Post
Looks like everyone is talking about the book festival.
I have never met an author, let alone my fav author, but I am going to a book launch on Saturday
DO post the pics.
Left Coast Crime was in Denver this year so I took advantage and went to my first! Won’t be going next year as it is in Hawaii, but I wish I was! I got to meet a tone of authors that I have been reading lately, JT Ellison, Laura Benedict, Alexandra Sokoloff, Toni McGee Causey, Michelle Gagnon… so many others, it was a blast! I’ve also been to a few signings, Harlan Coben, Joanne Harris, Jasper Fforde, and Neil Gaiman next week. I think I’d die if I ever got to meet Stephen King, haven’t ever had the opportunity though.
Oh Stephen King is one author I’d definitely stand in line for!
Jenn.. this was great to read. I look forward to seeing your pictures. Sounds like a lot of book buzz was in the air.
I’ve seen a few posts on the festival and the line ups sounded crazy, that’s for sure. Glad you got to go and had a good time-that’ll be a nice tradition with your friend. Can’t wait to see the pics.
I’ve gotten to meet lots of cool authors at the Frankfurt Book Fair – Ken Folett, Neil Gaiman, Jasper Fforde.
This year, Libba Bray is going to be here – so excited.
I missed Scott Westerfeld in Bologna this year because sadly, I did not know who he was yet…
I got to meet David Sedaris this summer, it was AWESOME!
This sounds so exciting to me. I have never been to a book festival, outside of those children ones when I was a child. *grin* But next weekend I’m planning on going to my first. I’m sure it’s will not be as exciting as the National Book Festival, but I’m really looking forward to it. I know at least three of the authors that will be there and I’m excited to meet some more.
I doubt that I would have stood in those lines either. I have plenty of autographed books, but none that I got in person. That would be a different experience, but then maybe not. With my previous experiences it is has been through long personal emails, and I feel like you’d be rushed through in person and the author would never remember you. But who knows.
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