Nutmeg Book Festival a success

The historic New Milford train station

I spent most of yesterday at what I hope will be the first annual Nutmeg Book Festival in New Milford, CT. The venue was the renovated train station, and 20 writers sat at tables around the room displaying our books. There was something for almost everyone, from young adult romance to mainstream fiction and from non-fictional inspirational anthologies to short story collections.

I cannot guess how many people came through during the day. There seemed to be a regular flow of women, men, and families, the majority I think looking for gift ideas. I had a wonderful time because I did not know anyone, neither my fellow writers nor any of the shoppers who stopped by my display, so it was an opportunity to talk about writing, books, my writing, and my books.

You can tell the author by his cap.

I don't believe you sell a book (I'm not sure you can "sell" anything these days, speaking as someone who's written an entire book on selling). And thinking back, I did not do my books any favors in that I talked more about their contents than asking about the interests potential readers might have. Nevertheless, I did manage to sell some books as did my fellow writers did around the room.

I was at least as interested in meeting the other writers and discovering both areas of common interest and points of difference. I learned about the Boroughs Publishing Group, which puts out e-book romances, charging $0.99 to $4.99 each, (and offering no advances to their authors). I talked to two writers who've had terrible experiences with Xlibris and with a writer who was pleased with the editing, book design, and cover design services she bought from CreateSpace.

The festival's organizers are already talking about the possibility of a second Nutmeg Book Festival next year. I think we all learned a lot from this first event, so if there is a second it will be even better.

PS: The New Milford newspaper, the Spectrum, ran a note about the event. The print edition has pictures. A lot of fun.