L.A. Times Festival of Books

Last week I blogged about an event I enjoyed attending over the prior weekend. Now, I’m about to do the same!

This sort of dovetails with part of Monica’s post this week, by the way, since I’m a fan of the old standard form of publishing, print books. Yes, I’m a dinosaur. I may modify my habits eventually. But for now, well...

Last weekend was the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, held on the UCLA campus. I’ve been attending for quite a few years now, and each time the event feels wonderful.

I heard the statistics afterward. Around 130,000 book lovers attended! That’s amazing, especially in these days of e-books becoming popular. Why did so many attend? Because 400 authors also were there. Some were on panels. Many more, like me, were at various booths to sign books and chat with fans.

My husband came with me on Saturday. While I was helping to staff the Mystery Writers of America, SoCal Chapter, table at the Mystery Bookstore booth, then signing at the Mysterious Galaxy bookstore booth, I set him on some assignments to locate booths that I wanted to visit myself when I had the time.

On Sunday, I signed at two more booths--the one sponsored both by Sisters in Crime and the Flintridge Bookstore, and then I returned to the Mystery Bookstore booth.

I saw a lot of friends and acquaintances from various writing organizations and stores. I met a lot of other people--writers and fans alike. Unfortunately, I didn’t run into my fellow Killer Hobbyist Betty Hechtman. Were you there, Betty?

I was interviewed by some students who filmed my responses to their interview questions for a campus website, I believe--including my stumbling over some names out of nervousness. I asked them to edit that out, and certainly hope they did!

I sold and signed some books at those booths. I handed out a lot of bookmarks. And, I had a great deal of fun.

Long live the L.A. Times, and long live the L.A. Times Festival of Books!

Are there book festivals in your area? Do you ever attend?