There's something deeply vulnerable about sitting behind a table with stacks of your novels—stories you've poured your heart into—waiting to see if anyone will stop by. Will they pick up your books? Will they connect with the characters who have lived in your head for so long?
As a self-published author who typically connects with readers through a screen, Saturday's Indie Author Book Fair in Huntingdon was a leap into the unknown. And what a magnificent leap it turned out to be.
Morning Nerves and First Connections
Hubby and I arrived at The Commemorative Hall ridiculously early, my hands slightly shaking as we arranged my display of all eight novels.
"Just One More" took center stage of course, being the newbie to my collection. I fussed with bookmarks, straightened my author banners, and triple-checked that I had enough pens for signing.
The doors opened at 10:00 am, and within minutes, the hall was buzzing with book lovers. One of my visitors travelled from London with her daughter, just to meet me! She had read four of my novels. She spoke about my characters, told me of her sobbing while on holiday reading Just One More, her daughter telling me how I have made her mum cry so much with my lovable characters. She then went on to buy the other four books to complete her T.A. Rosewood collection. In that moment, the nerves evaporated, my smile grew wider and my heart—this was why I write.
Unexpected Moments of Connection
Throughout the day, I experienced moments that will fuel my writing for months to come:
- An elderly gentleman bought a copy of Reasonable Lies for his wife, explaining that she hadn't read for pleasure since her eyesight began to fail. "But your stories sound exactly like what she needs to get back to books," he said. Heartwarming!
- A book club of six women who decided, on the spot, to make "Just One More" their next selection.
- A pair of ladies who bought 3 between them and then an hour later came back and bought 3 more because they kept thinking about the others.
- The aspiring writer who shyly asked about my publishing journey. Seeing the spark in her eyes reminded me of my own early dreams.
- The thoughtful reader who brought a copy of Last Choice for her best friend who was in hospital and needed a cute storyline to take her mind off her medical issues.
The Power of In-Person Connection
What struck me most was how different these interactions felt compared to online engagement. There's something irreplaceable about seeing readers' facial expressions as they discuss your work, hearing the emotion in their voices when they tell you how a particular scene affected them.
One lady explained how she'd read "Last Choice" during her mother's hospital stay last year. "Those chapters gave me somewhere else to be when reality was too much," she said. No number of online reviews could compare to witnessing that impact in person.
Lessons Learned
For any fellow authors considering their first festival, here are a few things I learned:
- Bring water and snacks. You'll be talking more than you realise, and breaks can be few and far between.
- Have a newsletter sign-up sheet. Many people wanted to stay connected but weren't ready to purchase on the day.
- Prepare your elevator pitch. Being able to describe your books concisely makes a huge difference.
- Take photos! Capture those 'meet the reader' moments throughout the day.
- Be present. The temptation to check sales or social media is strong, but the magic happens when you're fully engaged with the person in front of you. Take someone with you [aka Hubby] who can keep the socials going.
The Journey Home
By 4:00 pm, my voice was hoarse, my signing hand was cramping, and my book stock was significantly less.
The drive back to Essex was filled with a sense of community I hadn't realised I was missing. Writing is solitary by nature, but yesterday reminded me that we're part of something larger—a community of storytellers and story lovers, all seeking connection through words.
What's Next
This morning, I woke to several new subscribers, a handful of fresh reviews, and messages from readers I met at the fair. The post-festival glow is real, and I'm already researching other events in the region.
More importantly, I'm carrying these encounters back to my desk. Today, as I open my work-in-progress, the faces and voices of readers will sit beside me, reminding me why every early morning writing session matters.
To everyone who stopped by my stand at the weekend—thank you for turning my first festival into a day I'll never forget. Your enthusiasm, kindness, and genuine interest in my stories have enthralled my passion for this writing journey.
And to those I haven't met yet—I hope our paths cross at the next event. Until then, happy reading!
Have you attended a book festival, either as an author or a reader? I'd love to hear about your experience in the comments below.
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