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 the academy of writers, and immersing yourself into the book loving community, it is best to be prepared.

My first experience was at The Baltimore Book Festival of 2012. I was so excited! I’d just completed my debut work, “Elephants and Chopping Blocks Retain Their Natural Color.” After a grueling editing process I created the perfect book cover, and ordered copies of what was certainly destined to be a best seller. But as festival day arrived, my books still hadn’t.

Undaunted, and determined to make the best of a bad situation, I exhibited at the festival anyway, without any actual books to sell, seriously.

I printed excerpts from my book and attached a tiny book cover to each excerpt. These were offered with my business card so those wanting to buy a book would know how to contact me. I wore a tee–shirt that displayed my book cover, had bookmarks for my absentee books, props that represented my book, and I offered candies to draw people to my bookless table. People came to eat my candy and talk briefly while eating my candy, and a few actually pre-ordered copies of my book. It was a positive learning experience and I had fun.

It was inspiring to be in the thick of the world of book promotion and selling as I saw it. At one point, a woman with a microphone appeared out of nowhere, jammed it in my face and asked me what my book was about. I knew, but hadn’t a clue how to communicate it succinctly, so I rambled on incoherently until she thanked me and moved away. I was thrilled with my first interview! My family was supportive, as were my friends. My mother was present and feeling proud. This momentous event is memorialized on my website, authorjhawki.com. Just click on the photos to take a peek.

The subsequent years have taught me a lot and I expect a different experience at the Gaithersburg book festival. This time I have two actual books for sale–Elephants and Chopping Blocks Retain Their Natural Color, and its sequel, Catch an Elephant by the Tail. I’ll have post cards, book marks, probably candy, and am anxiously prepared to share my work and enthusiasm for thrillers with anyone I meet.

I’m not sure if family members and friends will travel to Gaithersburg for the festival, but my mother, who passed away in 2015, will be with me in spirit. Thankfully I’m more experienced now and better prepared; a lighter shade of green perhaps, though no less excited. I’ll have fun and I hope to meet many who share my love for books, psychological thrillers in particular. The joy of shared loves and experiences is connective, like a sticky substance that binds us together, and is more challenging to find in our current, divisive environment.

But our love of books has the capacity to transcend all of our divergent views. So God willing, I will be in Gaithersburg on May 19, 2018, prepared to meet you and share our common love for books. The key word is prepared. I’m looking forward to seeing you there! Until then I send my best wishes.