Books in Bloom Literary Festival 2015

It was another great year at the Books in Bloom Literary Festival hosted by the Carroll and Madison Library System! One of my favorite things about this festival is that it takes place in Eureka Springs, AR, so it's a much less populated event than most book signings. With authors this year like Pete the Cat author and illustrator James Dean, Rizzoli & Isles author Tess Gerritsen, and NPR's Roy Blount, Jr., it's almost unbelievable how quaint and private this festival is. You can read about my experience at last year's event here.

2015 LINEUP

Kathryn Andries                                         William Bernhardt

            

Roy Blount, Jr.                                              Margaret Bolsterli

           

Abby Burnett                                       Robert Cochran & Suzanne McCray 

            

Jean Davidson & Jon Davidson                                       Steve Yates

       

James & Kimberly Dean                                              Tess Gerritsen

         

Nancy Hartney                                                        Amy Lillard

           

Sarah E. White                                              Amanda Eyre Ward

           

I arrived just in time to hear James Dean speak about the popularity of Pete the Cat and what it's like to become a children's author/illustrator. I think my favorite part was when he was asked if he knew what made Pete so popular, and his humble response was, "I honestly have no idea why kids love Pete the Cat so much!" Meeting him and his wife, Kimberly, was the highlight of my trip. They were so down to earth and personable, I would've loved to sit with them and chat for a while!

My next victim (pun intended) was Rizzoli & Isles' Tess Gerritsen. If you've ever read these books or seen the show, you know the writing is top notch. Be sure to check out her newest title, Die Again, where Gerritsen shakes things up with our favorite polar personalities, who step out of Boston and land on exotic soil. 

It was definitely another amazingly successful year at the Books in Bloom Literary Festival! I met a lot of incredible authors and snagged myself a fresh pile of signed titles to add to my summer TBR stacks. 

If you are in the area during the Spring, try to make a trip out to this event. It's definitely worth it, plus you can enjoy the rest of your afternoon wandering around the romantic town of Eureka Springs!

Books in Bloom Literary Festival 2014

A few weeks ago, a group of us ventured off to Eureka Springs, Arkansas to attend the annual Books in Bloom Literary Festival at the enchanting Crescent Hotel. There was a dynamic array of authors between Indie and big names like Terry Brooks, Kathy Reichs (author that inspired the show Bones), and Elizabeth Berg that we had the opportunity to meet and chat with. We also walked away with several signed books!

The view from the balcony...where the lemonade was..that was equally enjoyable:

Andrew and I with Terry Brooks. I walked away with a signed copy of his book for writers:

Our little haul from the day:

We had so much fun. Each author spoke, giving tips on writing and becoming published. It was a gorgeous day for a Festival and even a walk through downtown Eureka Springs! And of course, we had to stop at the small bookstore (apparently we didn't get enough before).

If you're a local author, you may want to consider getting on the bandwagon for this event next Spring! If you're a book lover in the area, I would advise also attending for the pure joy of it. :)

See the lineup for the 2014 Festival here.