Stories with a Twist
Barrett Book Shop Judith A. Barrett Books
When the Weekend Plans Go Feral and the Author Keeps Dancing
If you’ve ever watched a weather forecast like it was the season finale of a thriller, you’ll understand my week. One minute, I was calmly preparing for the upcoming Christmas festival on Saturday, and the next, the forecast promised three straight days of rain and thunderstorms, which makes tents sag, vendors, especially authors, sprint, and paperbacks cry.
Cue the pivot.
The organizers shifted the event to the next week on the Sunday because there’s already a Christmas festival happening on that Saturday in a nearby town. Same county. Same crowds. Same readers juggling hot cocoa, handmade crafts, along with the sudden desire to buy another book for themselves, and some additional books to give as presents to their family and for a work or book club secret Santa.
And just like that, my quiet weekend became a double-header challenge. We’ve never done two book events on consecutive days before, but if I can wrangle imaginary murderers, secretive suspects, mobsters, ghosts, cranky sheriffs, and rogue tech moguls on the page, surely Senior Staff and I can wrangle two festivals in one weekend.
Here’s my schedule that is actually a plot twist in action!
Celebrate another successful fall and holiday festival season!
Last year at a festival, a young woman came to my booth looking slightly overwhelmed. She wanted to buy three books; two were gifts for her mom and her grandma, and the third was a treat for herself. We chatted about their hobbies, what kinds of stories they each gravitated toward, and which types of characters hooked them fastest. I paired each one with a Book 1 from a different series.
A few weeks after Christmas, she emailed me. “You nailed it! Even my picky grandma loved her book!”
Moments like this are why I love going to the festivals. The stories may be mine, but the joy of matching the right book with the reader is where the real magic happens!
I may be spinning through a whirlwind weekend with two festivals, one truck, one patient man, and a mountain of books, but I’ll land exactly where I love being: in the middle of conversations that matter, in front of readers who love stories, and in the heart of a community that shows up.
Flexibility isn’t just a fancy dance move; it’s adjusting your footing mid-air and finishing the spin with flair, even if you wobble a little.
You keep reading; I’ll keep writing!
p.s. Can’t make it to either of the festivals?
Visit Barrett Book Shop! https://barrettbookshop.com
When I meet readers at the arts and crafts festivals, I’m frequently asked where my shop is so they can drop by to chat, browse the shelves, and purchase more books.
More and more readers have discovered and enjoy the convenience of shopping at Barrett Book Shop, online and under a canopy tent at one and two-day arts and crafts events in the spring and fall, but a physical storefront that is staffed by the Barrett Book Shop team? There’s a story for that…
I love the opportunity to explain that they can buy a paperback, ebook, or audiobook from the online Barrett Book Shop anytime. Ebook and audiobook links are instantly emailed, and I’ll sign the paperbacks before we ship them. As a bonus, readers can buy the entire series or trilogies in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at a bargain price that other retailers can’t match.
Of course, the question about the brick-and-mortar bookshop sent my imagination into overdrive, so I had to have a photo of our Barrett Book Shop. If Barrett Book Shop were physically real with an address on Main Street in a small town in Georgia, this is how I imagine it would look. Wind chimes near the front door, which is always open, and lots of books.
Hang onto your imagination and let’s go inside.
The air smells faintly of coffee, cinnamon, and old paper; a familiar scent that whispers, “Stay awhile.” Sunlight streams in across a row of worn wood tables stacked with paperbacks, each cover promising danger, mystery, a killer or two, and the twist you never see coming.
A small sign by the door reads “Not your typical author; not your typical stories.”
Behind the counter, a tall man, whose official title is Senior Staff, adds more paperback, ebook, and audio books to a shelf labeled “The Rest of the Stories,” which is where the next book in each series lives. The brown dog at his side is the supervisor. The shelf is dedicated to readers who have just finished the first book in a series and are wondering what happens next.
The shelves along the wall are dedicated to the Judith A. Barrett Books. Each series has its own shelf: Maggie Sloan Thriller Series, Jenna Ross Thriller Series, Wren and Rascal Mystery Series, Riley Malloy Mystery Series, Donut Lady Cozy Mystery Series, and Grid Down Survival Series.
In the back is a reading nook with mismatched chairs and a lazy old black and tan lab asleep nearby. There’s a sign overhead, “You keep reading; I’ll keep writing.”
You’ll find me sitting alongside the readers with my feet propped up and a computer on my lap as I alternate furiously writing the next scene in a story and staring into space. You’ll hear the quiet rustle of turning pages, chuckles from e-book readers and audiobook listeners, and then a burst of laughter when someone discovers a new favorite line, which must be shared. And we all laugh.
But for now, Barrett Book Shop exists in pixels and imagination in a cozy corner of the internet where you can still explore the shelves and find your next great read. You can visit anytime, from anywhere, and with your favorite beverage in hand.
So come on in. Browse, shop, enjoy!
See what’s waiting on The Rest of the Stories shelf because the adventure doesn’t end with Book One.
And if you could spend an afternoon at Barrett Book Shop, which shelf would you visit first?
You keep reading; I’ll keep writing!
This was our second year to be at the Strawberry Festival in Reynolds, Georgia. We were excited when we saw we had been assigned a vendor spot that was very close to where we were placed last year: in the middle of the road!
You can see how close the 10’x10′ vendor spaces are. The 10’x10′ canopy tents are snuggled so close together that there is no wiggle room for a bit of expansion at all. My series of books have grown to where I can barely place all the series on the front tables that fill the 10 feet across.
You might notice there are no table signs, and there doesn’t appear to be any way out after we’re inside our canopy fort. Crawling out from under the tables is not an option. Having nice vendor neighbors is a tremendous bonus when the space is tight because they don’t mind if we slip out the sides for an occasional, quick portapotty visit. It sure beats trying to scoot a table a few inches and then putting all the books that we knocked down back into place when we return.
Does that mean I plan to slow down writing and publishing books or take fewer series and books to the festivals? Spoiler alert: No.
Middle of the road typically means dull or even conventional (gasp!), but here’s our twist: middle of the road at the Strawberry Festival is a prime spot because we can set up with a “front” on both sides!
We actually planned for middle of the road with our fingers crossed. We took two banners for our canopy, and enough tables and books to have both sides of our booth set up with all the books and series to catch the eye of a reader who is strolling along either side of the road.
Speaking of neighbors, I always visit surrounding vendors to chat. Vendors are amazing people who love to share what they know. When I visited the vendor behind us (in front of us?), he told me he had googled me earlier in the day because he kept staring at my banner, and I was all over the internet! He bought the book from me that he’d selected online.
Have you heard of king of the hill? We’re Middle of the Road!
p.s.
Did you notice my pink hat? I forgot my writer ball cap but found my pink hat in the camper trailer, so I pretended it was my middle of the road strawberry hat.
You keep reading; I’ll keep writing!
We’ve hauled my books to local Christmas arts and crafts festivals every year since 2019 and had fun all along the way!
A photo from a festival in 2019 popped up in a feed on social media, and the contrast between then and now made me smile.
My main books were the two Donut Lady books. My T-shirt says Sprinkles are for Winners.
When life was simple: one table and one bin for books.
I love how tidy my tables were in 2019.
Elevate Artisans Market was my first arts and crafts event, and I instantly fell in love with being outside and talking to readers. We brought a second table from home after we set up the evening before the event because I was on a corner. That was my first of many learnings in the arts and crafts events world.
I didn’t use my tent a month later at the Mistletoe Market because my assigned spot was on the sidewalk, and we couldn’t anchor the tent. I added a Christmasy tablecloth and went for efficiency with one table. It was a little nippy, but my hands were cold. My pink gloves add a festive touch, don’t you think?
I love Elevate Artisans. Our weather was perfect, and I chatted with oodles of readers. The younger crowd is discovering my books!
Our tent is on the street, not the sidewalk, but if the wind blows, we have weights for the tent to keep it from becoming airborne. We did put our back table on the sidewalk, though, because it was too low on the street for people to browse.
By 2024, I increased to 4 tables with books semi-neatly arranged everywhere on tables and my bookrack. I added a sidewalk sandwich board – Meet the Author, a Barrett Book Shop garden flag, and a second banner for my tent to accommodate any spots that had two paths of traffic for shoppers.
I’ve discovered there is no better research than meeting with readers in person. I can spot a reader because they slow down and search for a book that interests them. Their gaze becomes more intense when they spot a book they like, which is great cover feedback. I listen as they tell me who their favorite authors are, which helps me understand what they like to read. All great research!
It’s a thrill when a reader tells me they bought a book or an entire series from me last year and asks me what they should read next. That’s easy because I know exactly what they like!
Mistletoe Market 2024 took the award for being the absolutely coldest event we’ve ever attended. It was 21 °F when we set up that morning, and I wore long johns and an extra three layers for warmth. After Senior Staff Man took this photo, I immediately put on my heavy winter coat.
Maybe I should have put more thought into the color of my sweatshirt because with all the layers, I look kind of marshmallowy. But who cares? Layers are for Winners!
You keep reading; I’ll keep writing!
Arts and Crafts Festivals swing into high gear during the Fall and Winter Holidays. We will be going to a festival almost every weekend from October through December. My excitement every Saturday when a festival opens for visitors rivals Christmas morning for a six-year-old. Talking to readers is my jam. After all, my motto is You keep reading; I’ll keep writing!
GEORGIA PEANUT FESTIVAL
The morning was windy and cold, but we had our river rocks to keep the book pages from blowing. It warmed up by afternoon, of course! We experimented with our corner booth and added a few books on the side table.
ELEVATE ARTISANS MARKET
The person who had reserved the space next to us was a no-show, so since we learned about the advantage of having a “corner” booth, we moved a large table into the space. We loaded down the side table with duplicates of the series we stacked on our front table and added the new books from this year that we didn’t have space for on the front table.
We sold almost as many books to readers who stood at the “side” table (see the table with the black tablecloth?) to browse the books as we did to readers who looked at the books on the front table.
Lesson learned: people are comfortable taking their time to look at books if they don’t feel crowded.
What we’ll do: Double booths, so we can have two “side” tables in addition to our front table. We have a second canopy tent, and I had already ordered a duplicate banner after the Georgia Peanut Festival that we planned to use when we had a corner booth.
Our next event, Calico Holiday Festival in Moultrie GA, is November 9 and 10 and is inside, so we won’t need our tent(s). However, when I submitted our vendor form in June, I requested two booths next to each other as an experiment. We carefully planned our set up, and I have a sketch of it taped on the side of my bookcase that is next to my desk, but the sketch will be changing to two side tables and two front tables similar to our Elevate Artisans set up.
I’ve added a Gift Shop to Barrett Book Shop with reader-related merchandise that was inspired by different Judith A. Barrett books. Check it out. Barrett Book Shop Gift Shop
Our event after Calico is the Seafood Festival in St. Marys GA. As another experiment, I asked the St. Marys festival organizers if we could sell our reader-related totes in addition to all our books, and they approved them!
Here’s a sample:
Maggie Sloan Thriller Series readers will recognize Tonya and Kiki, her fierce, tiny (imaginary?) dragon that sat on her shoulder.
Browse, shop, and enjoy the NEW Gift shop!
You keep reading; I’ll keep writing!
Toby and TJ are celebrating National Dog Month of August in the time-honored canine way of relaxing on a sofa because August is also the Dog Days of Summer. Both of them are rescue dogs and both of them are excellent family guard dogs, but sometimes even canine heros need a break from the Georgia heat and humidity.
My version of hiding from the heat is along the same lines. Do you see how much space TJ is giving the sofa to his left? That’s my writing spot. I grab my laptop, put up my feet, and write the stories that are clamoring to get out of my head. Sometimes I stare out the window that is on the other side of Toby and ask, “What happens next?” And the story continues.
If you ever see a book I wrote and there is no dog in it, you’ll know I’ve been kidnapped and am sending out a call for help. Of course, I will also leave clues in the book so you can rescue me. Or just ask TJ and Toby; they’ll know where I am.
I’m writing Book 1 of a new mystery series, and the star dog is a golden retriever named Katy. The book is in preorder right now on Barrett Book Shop (BarrettBookShop.com) with a release date in September. I’d originally planned for Book 2 to be released in October, but November is more realistic.
What happens next with Katy and her person is nudging me, so it’s time to light my writing candle, put up my feet with my laptop in my writing spot, and write!
You keep reading; I’ll keep writing!
I see stories everywhere, but nothing throws me into a tizzy faster than a Big (heh heh) Story.
I may have hit the pinnacle of fangirling when I spotted a Dancing Tube Man on our way to the grocery store. That wacky, wavy, inflatable arm-flailing tube guy danced with reckless abandon and flopped around like he’d just heard the best news of his inflatable life.
Thank goodness we had stopped at a red traffic light when Dancing Tube Man waved at me. I immediately lowered my window and leaned out to take the best possible shot I could before the light changed.
I am absolutely fascinated by the infectious enthusiasm of the tube guys. They’re a reminder that joy can be found in the most unexpected places, and sometimes, it’s the silly things in life that are strikingly memorable.
Here’s to Dancing Tube Man*, Waldo*, and Piggly Wiggly’s Mr. Pig* for the smiles!
What unexpected joy have you encountered?
*see below for details
* The Recent Big Piggly Wiggly Post: A Couple of Hams
* Here’s the post from August 2022: Where’s Waldo?
*Tube Man made his first appearance in 1996 at the Atlanta Olympics. Are you interested in who invented the Tube Man? Here’s a short video! Origin of the Tube Man
Thank you for reading my story! Interested in longer stories? Barrett Book Shop
The local Piggly Wiggly Super Market was a sponsor of the Ellaville Spring Festival. The Big Boss showed up to see how things were going. My tip: Never pass up the opportunity for a photo op with a Big Celebrity. Can you tell I’m in Hog Heaven?
This spring has been a great season of Arts and Crafts Festivals for us! We’ll be taking the summer off because it’s too hot in Georgia to spend an entire day out in the heat and humidity with the summer gnats.
What I’ve learned this Spring
BONUS: Our Fall Event Schedule is starting to fill up!
If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled? ~George Carlin
When we arrived at the Strawberry Festival at 6:00 am, we had to have an extra splash of coffee when we realized our assigned site was in the middle of the road, and Strawberry Festival visitors would be walking past our booth on the “front” side and the “back”.
Challenge accepted, Strawberry Festival! Not all the vendors had the luxury of being able to take advantage of foot traffic from the front and back of their tents, but we revised our “usual” set up to be approachable from both sides.
We had our tables and books organized and were on our way to grab a bite of breakfast when the cafe on the corner opened at 7:00 am. Note how relaxed I appear in our early morning photo. “We got this.”
Our usual, smooth routine is that I chat with readers and sign books while FarmerMan processes payments and puts the book(s) into one of our spiffy Barrett Book Shop sacks that are prefilled with a Barrett Book Shop postcard. It’s quite nicely orchestrated, and we’ve done it many times.
Our chaotic routine at the Strawberry Festival resulted in the two of us switching sides regularly, sometimes midstream. FarmerMan had the double duty of talking to readers and managing payments while I talked to readers and signed books. Both of us grabbed Barrett Book Shop sacks and popped in books, sometimes at the same time for the same book.
Our one saving grace was that for the first time ever, I had the brilliant idea to sign every single book, a total of over 175 books, while we waited for the Strawberry Festival to begin. After each sale, I only had to add the person’s name and a short note, which was usually my tagline: You keep reading; I’ll keep writing.
In addition to the Strawberry Festival, I was also participating with 41 other authors in a group online Thriller Sale. (The answer is 42. For more explanation, read my blog about the sale, For Thriller Readers.)
I had emailed Draft to Digital (D2D), my favorite distributor of my books to retailers, telling them about the thriller group. Somehow, my thriller, I Always Wanted to be a Spy, was inadvertently left off the list of books. By me: I was the guilty party.
A kind-hearted D2D promotion coordinator, Megan, sent me an email to say she didn’t see my book on the list. After a brief, private moment of embarrassment, I sent her the information. Crisis averted, thanks to Megan.
When a lovely young woman who was the same height as me, approached my table and smiled, I said, “You must be a reader.”
She said, “I better be; I’m promoting your book this weekend.”
<INSERT LOUD SCREAM> again me.
What are the odds? Megan and Me.
Side note: any respectable Promotions Coordinator from Georgia would wear a hat crocheted like a strawberry and a Strawberry Shortcake shirt when she took her daughter to the Strawberry Festival, ammi right?
Judith A. Barrett - Author 