by Exhibiting Author J. Hawki Exhibiting at a book festival is an exhilarating experience that favors the well prepared. If you hope to achieve the intended purpose of marketing and selling your work, exposing yourself as a creditable candidate in… Continue Reading
Author Archives: Jennie Cottrell
Getting Real with Karina Yan Glaser
from Committee Volunteer Melissa McDonald As a lover of children’s books (which is a good thing because I am an elementary school librarian), I was delighted to be handed a copy of “The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street” by Karina Yan Glaser . This debut… Continue Reading
Ray Bradbury, ninjas, and cartoons
by Exhibiting Author Grant Goodman “I have never listened to anyone who criticized my taste in space travel, sideshows or gorillas. When this occurs, I pack up my dinosaurs and leave the room.” -Ray Bradbury I will never forget the first… Continue Reading
Open Doors to Opportunity — How? “Write to Influence!”
by Exhibiting Author Carla D. Bass Oprah calls it, “a heart song” … I call it, “a passion.” And, I’ve been blessed with two. The first — a career in Air Force intelligence, a path I chose in 7th grade, following… Continue Reading
Inspiration for anti-Trump satire
by Exhibiting Author Philip Becnel When Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election I snapped a picture in the dark. This black square became my Facebook profile, a symbol of the bleak future I saw for America. I then took a… Continue Reading
Why My Main Character’s Name Means “Thanks”
by Exhibiting Author Jeff Minerd Ideas for stories usually come to me in bits and pieces, as I’m daydreaming or taking a walk. But not the idea for my novel The Sailweaver’s Son. This fantasy adventure and coming-of-age story came… Continue Reading
Lessons in Writing Steampunk from Geneology
by Exhibiting Author Laurel Wanrow I’ve been asked why I chose to locate my steampunk series, The Luminated Threads, in the countryside instead of London or another city, the gritty setting of most steampunk fantasies. Well, I’ve never been to… Continue Reading
Gaithersburg Book Festival: How did I get here? And why does it matter?
by Exhibiting Author Amanda Moskowitz I’ve been a long-time proprietor of the Gaithersburg Book Festival. It’s a great event for families, especially those with young children. You get to interact with local authors, eat great food, and inspire a love… Continue Reading
A Storyteller and Cancer
by Exhibiting Author Antoinette Truglio Martin Stories fill our lives. We wake up, meander through our routines, and return to the day’s end. Along the way, stories collect. They are born from our observations, interactions, and adventures. We celebrated the… Continue Reading
How to Turn Creative Writing Class Assignment into a Novel… Or How to Succeed By Not Following Directions
by Exhibiting Author Heather Cumiskey I’ve never been good at following directions. I often like to do my own thing and go with my gut a lot. Though my family can tell you, it doesn’t usually bode well when I attempt… Continue Reading