Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Our State Fair

Our State Fair starts this week. I get to go twice, once this Sunday and again on Friday, September 2nd. This Sunday I’m going to help man a booth in the Arts and Crafts Building promoting needlework. I’m to represent Embroiderers Guild of America, so I’m supposed to bring a piece of needlework to work on. I don’t think I’ll get much done because I’m a very slow needleworker, prone to mistakes even when I’m focused in on the work. How I’ll do with people stopping by to ask questions, I don’t know. Maybe I should bring my knitting instead. I’ll bring some counted cross stitch that’s finished to show off, and of course a copy of my latest book.

On the second, I’m going with two friends to properly see the Fair. I want to see them judging the paint horses (you know, pintos), wander through the poultry barn, go see the biggest pig, then look at the exhibits in the Arts and Crafts Building, see the vendors and hawkers (“it slices, it dices, it crawls on its belly like a reptile. . .”), wander up the Midway, see what’s new this year in the Bazaar, and eat some amazing and mostly unhealthy food. You can do bad things to your cholesterol just walking by some of the vendors. Deep fried Snickers, anyone?

Do you go to your State Fair? What’s your favorite thing to see or do?

I finished the “first pass” typeset copy of Threadbare. I found a disappointing number of errors to be fixed. In one place I had Betsy ordering sandwiches to feed the people who would be helping with inventory, and then later, during inventory, she sends them out on a lunch break. I’m glad I caught that one, it’s embarrassing when I get caught with that kind of error in the final version. Maybe I should have let Dee take a quick look at the manuscript, she might have found things I missed. But I have found that no matter how many pairs of eyes look at a manuscript, something is missed, some error (or two!) goes uncorrected.

Anyway, I’ve done my best, now back to work on And Then You Dye. I admire you authors who work on several books at once, it’s all I can do to get my one book a year finished. So many things are happening to my running characters in Dye: Godwin is tempted to leave Crewel World for a partnership in a new business, Jill is thinking of going for a PI license, something will complicate the romance between Connor and Betsy, even Sophie the cat will get a surprise. It's hard to keep track. All that and a mystery, too!

11 comments:

Sandy said...

Congratulations on finishing Threadbare! I can't wait to read it.
I loved going to the New Mexico's State Fair when we lived there. My favorite will always be Arts & Crafts especially the Quilts exhibit with Needle-crafts following a very close second.

Carol S said...

Oh no, Godwin can't leave Crewel World! Can't he do both? We are anxiously awaiting the next book.
My favorites at the Okla State Fair include the miniatures (doll houses and store fronts) in the Arts and Crafts building, the farm animals: goats, rabbits, chickens, and for DH, the new cars and antique tractors. My goal is to get a blue ribbon someday for one of my quilting projects. My baby quilt got a second place last year, so I am getting close!

Linda O. Johnston said...

The state fair is too far away for me to visit, Monica, but I occasionally go to the Los Angeles County Fair--and even less often the Orange County Fair. It's always fun to see the kinds of events and displays that are there--especially, for me, those related to animals. I admit to being one of those authors who works on more than one book at once--it's a matter of necessity!

Katreader said...

I've never gone to the New York State Fair. I only live about an hour and a half away, but it takes place in August and I always think it's too hot! I have gone to some county fairs-I enjoy seeing all the animals!

Beadknitter said...

I can hardly wait until Threadbare hits the shelves.

I go to the North Idaho Fair. I love the fair. It is so interesting and fun.

Last year they hired me for the job of Knitting Superintendent. I'm in charge of the knitting entries-taking them in, getting them judged, putting them up for display, helping patrol the building while the fair is open, taking the displays down, and returning the items to their owners. It's a big job for very little money and lasts about a month, but I love it. There aren't very many people in the world who can say they are Superintendent of Knitting. :-)

Julie said...

If the Minnesota State Fair has the hot beef sundae, give it a try. Surprisingly good. And not greasy, so you can have that fried-specialty-du-jour with a clear conscience. Can't wait for Threadbare!

Julie said...

PS: Take a relatively simple piece of needlepoint. Easier to see the holes than cross stitch. I love the sheep barn at the Indiana State Fair, they have a gift shop!

Monica Ferris said...

What a GREAT set of comments this time! Carol, we have just a few miniatures in the Crafts area, but they are amazing. So are the Polish chickens with their strange feathers on their heads. Beadknitter, I may wish to contact you some day about being Knitting Superintendent; that is, if I ever get around to setting a mystery at our State Fair.

Unknown said...

ur state fair here in Oregon begins this week too. and i am anxiously waiting to go and see the needlecrafts barn.
and i am waiting expectantly for that new book of yours....

Betty Hechtman said...

I like the Orange County Fair. I love to see the animals and the arts and crafts pavilion. It's not far from the ocean, so the air is cool for summertime.

wilddog-1978 said...

Glad to hear you have finished Threadbare. Can't wait to read it. The one thing I really like to read about in your books is the different needlework patterns, floss colors and different fibers. Also like the secondary characters such as Godwin, Shelly, Irene, Jill, Alice, Phil, Doris to name a few. What has happened to Martha? Yes, I have went to the Iowa state fair a few times. However, we have one of the largest county fairs around right here in Spencer, Iowa. You should come sometime.