BookFest Edmond, OKlahoma
The BookFest in Edmond was alot of fun on Saturday. The organizers did a really good job with the setup, and the presentations. It is just a real shame that the public will not come and support these efforts by local citizens and authors. There was some public attendance but nothing like what I’m sure they hoped for and planned for.
Most of the time, I was sitting at our assigned tables for the Oklahoma Center for the Book and the Oklahoma Department of Libraries but I did manage to get away long enough to see Greg Rodgers, author of The Ghost of Mingo Creek and other Spooky Oklahoma Legends, do a marvelous storytelling presentation.
I talked to authors Vicki McDonough and Margaret Daley, who are always gracious and willing to share information about their new books. Jordan Dane and Merline Lovelace sold books and participated in author panels. Ed Murray was there. There were over 60 authors signed up to participate ….where is the public?
Should these book festivals/authors go to sporting events and put up a tent with tables? Should they try to append to the Metropolitan Library System booksale, where hundreds of book readers show up? What do you think happens that authors and books get short shrift in our state? Some states are able to support hugh turnout for book festivals. In Oklahoma, we’ll turn out for a politician who writes a book (probably by a ghost writer), or one actress/celebrity that writes a tell all, but we won’t support our own struggling authors, who support this state by their efforts.
Let me know what you think.
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Comments
Monday Night, 19 April 2010
Thanks, Kitty, for your kind remarks about Edmond’s inaugural book festival. There were 72 authors, 7 illustrators, and 5 publishing firms on hand (3 of those publishers took pitches during the day on 10 April). After a close-out meeting of everyone on the working committee in a couple of weeks, we’ll have a better idea on attendance. I was running around the whole day doing the photography and didn’t have a chance to stop & breathe, or count heads. We do know that over 300 people (but not everyone) filled out a door prize ticket given to them by the registrars.
We were so very proud that out of all the area library-related organizations in central Oklahoma, ODL elected to come and be a part of the BookFest. And no…I didn’t have to threaten Bill and Kitty to get them there, either! I was so proud to look over against the North wall during the day and see them AND Connie Armstrong greeting folks.
You wouldn’t believe how much publicity we generated during the 14 months leading up to the event. TV, radio, newspapers and other print media throughout central Oklahoma, and flyers to Oklahoma authors and as attachments to Emails (along with my infamous 7-page list of event activities and participants). We sent out numerous press releases, and had the full support of the Edmond Convention & Visitors Bureau, including its online-newsletter that goes nationwide. We made unending contacts throughout the area with citizens, business owners, schools, PTA’s, community organizations, etc. We also placed a huge banner on the Edmond Community Events sign board in the middle of Broadway Extended facing south (to get the coming home traffic), and smaller signs around town in high-traffic areas.
All of the above info, along with copies of press releases, flyers, and other written items were posted on a large tri-fold display at the BookFest so that the authors would have some idea of actions taken to encourage public attendance. Over five hundred books were donated for the Royal Family Kids Camp in OKC.
Kitty’s right – Greg Rodgers was great! He gave a mezmerizing (sp?) rendition of three of his stories! And Robby McMurtry was there, too; he brought along many of his original drawings. Have y’all read his latest book, “Native Heart: The Life and Times of Ned Christie, Cherokee Patriot and Renegade”? It’s wonderful.
If I were an author, I would not want to sit in a corner in the back of a dusty building at the state fairgrounds waiting to see how many of the hundreds of people raffling through used books would decide to walk to the rear in order to buy new and costlier books from authors. After all, the reason they show up in such large numbers at those used book sales is because they can get a used book for less than $1. And, I doubt MLS & its support organization would want any potential competition.
There was a lot more in addition to all the above that went on during the 3-day Heartland event in Edmond. But this has already turned into a mini-novel (sorry Kitty). Ha. Bottom Line – I fully agree with Kitty’s assessment on the state of book fairs in Oklahoma.
vehoae
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One of the comments I heard after the book fest was people drove by, saw the filled parking lots, and didn’t want to battle a mob inside. The problem was, the lots weren’t filled with vehicles from people attending the festival, but walking to the soccer games about three blocks away. Even when the drivers were notified that the parking was reserved for attendees for the book festival.
Guess we should have scheduled a ball game between authors and a team of publishers and illustrators. Then we might have had a full house — maybe.
I’ve found it very difficult to establish a functioning book collectors society in OKC. There are however lots of active book reading clubs- authors should reach out to them. Once you’ve plugged into one, generally you’ll find more as some members belong to more than one. The book sale also draws thousands, not just hundreds of people. If you can, I think it’d be great to join in that. Sure couldn’t hurt!