Event Recap

I spent an enjoyable weekend working at the GSR Fine Art Festival in Mankato. Thank you, Mankato for coming out to show your appreciation for art and literature. This is one of my favorite events of the year because the venue is perfect for an art/book show. Also, it’s well run (thank you Tom and Sacha Bliese for making it happen!). The perks for the artists are pretty darn good too–a free lunch and beverage each day (wine and beer included!). In addition, there is a full slate of musicians who perform each hour through the day, adding a festive ambiance to the experience.

Foot traffic was down a bit compared with 2019, but I had respectable sales of both Straight River and Castle Danger. As usual, I met some nice folks, both previous fans and new buyers. I wish I’d been able to have copies of Dangerous Straits available for sale, but the timing wasn’t quite right.

To that point, I received my proofreader’s correction on the manuscript today! I should be able to go through those this week and get the book uploaded into the distribution system very soon. I’m gearing up for a book launch in early 2022. I might be able to get the eBooks out sooner, but I want a 2022 publication date on the book so it’s eligible for 2022 book contests and award programs. The main reason for that is most 2021 contest entries are closed, so I’ve already missed out on those. Stay tuned!

Bonus

To further say thank you Mankato, my new friend Bob Metoxen, who is an amateur videographer and staunch supporter of all arts and all artists, put together a short video documenting the great vibe at the GSR Fine Art Festival this weekend. I play a cameo in this video, but Bob promises to edit an exclusive interview he did with me and post it on his YouTube page in the future. Thanks, Bob, for helping spread the good word about GSR.