So, Saturday, I once again ventured into the LA Times Festival of Books. On one of the warmest days we’ve had in Southern California in a while.
With my usual luck, I managed to park in the furthest west parking lot, which meant a walk to the beginning of the festival, and that at the bottom of the hill! Yikes. At least I took the stairs up the hill that had a hand-rail.
As a writer, it’s encouraging to see so many people to publically turn out for a celebration of books. There are still people out there who are actually reading, and who still love the physical objects that you can take anywhere.
I made my way to the area devoted to children’s lit, since that’s where my friend James A. Owen was doing his signing. And sure enough, there he was, diligently autographing and then drawing in the books the fans presented to him.
James A. Owen signing
2008 LA Festival of Books
The fans were very patient, since James took time for each, and also chatted with them.
In the background, on the public stage, Ben Barnes was reading a chapter from C.S. Lewis’ Prince Caspian, where the Prince learns a bit of the hidden history of Narnia from his teacher. It’s perhaps fortunate that the movie hasn’t come out yet. The audience was enthusiastic, but not a mob scene. But I suspect that Prince Caspian is a star-maker role for Barnes. In any case, he was doing a very good job in reading the chapter, carrying the audience along in the story.
Meanwhile, back in the Simon & Schuster booth, James’ alloted hour of signing ended, and there were still patient fans waiting to have their books signed. I could see that some of them were anxious about whether they would get their books autographed, but there was no doubt. James took up a position to the side of the booth, and continued to sign and draw in books as long as there was someone with a book to be signed. Which went on for quite some time.
James A. Owen still signing
That picture’s a bit blurry, because I had to go sit down, and it was shot from a distance. James stood there nearly four hours. It was rather funny to watch, because this was also by one of the major walkways into the children’s lit area. So people would walk by, perhaps headed toward the stage, and notice this line of people waiting for this tall person to do something with their books. Then it would register that it was the author, and he was drawing in the books. And they might recognize the cover art. In short order, they’d go into the S&S booth, get copies for themselves and get in the line as well!
It was a lesson on building your audience as a writer. It’s a big event to the fans, so it behooves the author to give them all the time possible.
Especially interesting and charming was watching him speak with the children, especially the children who want to be writers. He gives them full attention and respect, and I can’t help but think that’s going to be a very important encouragement to these young aspiring writers.
Eventually, I needed to get some food. I’d had a nice chat with James, so off I went and had some Panda Express.
From there, I went on to the Writers Store booth. By now, it was late in the afternoon. So I missed my friend Blake Snyder, who had been at the booth earlier in the day. But I had a nice chat with one of the staff (yes, about my own book). And I picked up a copy of The Hollywood Creative Directory. I should have also gotten a current copy of The Writers Market, but I would have had to carry it back to the car with the Directory, and that would have been a bit much.
Yes, once again, I was not prepared for the BookFest. I’d gotten myself dehydrated again. Even though I had drunk a full 20 oz. bottle of water, plus having had a frozen lemonade, and a soda with my Panda Express, I was once again skirting the problem zone. I could feel myself start to get faint, and would have to find a place to sit down for a bit. But I paced myself so that I got all the way back to the car without actually collapsing. In the car was the remainder of another soda, and a bag of chips. SALT!!! I sat for a bit, recooping, before heading out of the parking structure and through the traffic to home.
Like I said, it’s good to know that there are still eager consumers of books out there in the world. On a couple of message boards, I have as my signature this phrase: “There will always be a place for storytellers.” I really do believe this. But it’s still nice to see big public demonstrations of that fact.
