Tag: SignedPaperbackBooks

The Latest Twist

My Author Year Seven: The Year I’ll be Predictable

You know when a joke is hilarious in your head? Thank you for laughing at mine.  

Boozy Book Club Nov 2024 

2024 An Exciting End to a Great Year

After a year full of exciting events, my last one was not my usual arts and crafts festival. I met the co-leaders of a local book club at an arts and crafts festival in November. They asked me if I would be interested in talking to their book club. I might have squealed a little. HECK, YEAH!

After we met at a local tavern, I talked a little and listened (and laughed) a lot. They were definitely a fun group!  One of the Bookies (is that an okay name for a Book Club member when the Book Club doesn’t have an “official” name?) said she reads the first few pages of a book, and if it doesn’t grab her, then she drops it.

Challenge Accepted. I read the first page of I Always Wanted to Be a Spy, and she stopped me before I could turn the page.

“I WANT TO READ THAT BOOK!”

I learned a new skill; I shut up.

FarmerMan was recently dubbed Labor by a vendor at an arts and crafts show. He said she wasn’t wrong, but I think Senior Staff would look better on a T-shirt. Ammi right?

Senior Staff sauntered out to his truck and returned with eight copies of I Always Wanted to Be a Spy. The eighth Bookie left early, but she had her book with her, in case you’re an editor or love numbers, and counted the Bookies in the photo. 

I track every event we attend and mark them as Do Not Return/No Fun or Must Go/Fun. Book Clubs are officially on my Must Go/Fun list.

An Exciting Beginning to 2025

Barrett Book Shop

Superhero fighting inflation

Inflation is hitting us all. It’s definitely on my Do Not Return/No Fun List, but I’m fighting it, one book at a time.

For starters, when the printing costs for paperbacks rose, the retailers and book distributors raised their prices, and thanks to that stuff-rolls-downhill effect, my costs for paperbacks went even higher. I’ve fought back. 

All the paperback books, signed by the author, are available on Barrett Book Shop with FREE SHIPPING. (US Continental) 

Another cost saving for readers (and listeners!) on Barrett Book Shop is Bundles of books. You’ll find Paperback (NEW!), Ebook, and Audiobook (NEW!) bundles. 

In fact, would you like a bargain bundle of four or more paperback, ebook, or audio books that you don’t see? Send me an email! That’s what two other readers did over the holidays, and there are two new bundles available for everyone on Barrett Book Shop! 

2025 Events

  • March 15-16 CALICO SPRING ARTS & CRAFTS, Moultrie GA
  • March 29 FIRE ANT FESTIVAL, Ashburn GA (New!)
  • April 26 GEORGIA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL, Reynolds GA 

Paperback books are always bundled for you at all events, and custom bundles are a breeze! 

That’s it for this month, at least so far. I have plans…

The Latest Twist

It’s (Almost) Fall, Y’all

Fall is absolutely the best season of the year, with spring being a close second for arts and crafts festivals! My September goals are all about preparing for the Fall events.

One of the 8.5″x 11″ flyers I had on my table reminded readers I would sign their book(s). 

Flyers - Meet the Author 

Not bad, except no one noticed it, no matter where I put it on a table or on the book stand in front of my booth. My favorite critic said it was a great idea except it was too busy with too many font styles; it couldn’t be read from two feet away, and the clutter of books hid my face. No argument from me or FarmerMan who had noticed how surprised people were when they realized I was the author, not a random hawker of unputdownable books.

At the last event we attended in the spring, the vendor across the street from us had a chalkboard-style sandwich board sign in front of her tent. I was in awe. It was eye-catching, and FarmerMan and I watched while passersby slowed then stopped to pick up and smell the soap, then buy a bar or two. Boom!

 FarmerMan said I needed a sandwich board sign. I spent the entire summer researching styles of frames for signs. I couldn’t use the typical sidewalk-sized sign like you see in front of cafes because I’m limited by the amount of space allotted for each vendor at events. I couldn’t find a sandwich board that wasn’t too big, wouldn’t fall over with the slightest breeze, and not be so clunky that it detracted from my booth and the books.  

Sometimes my logic escapes even me. Since I couldn’t find a sandwich board I liked and found a great sale on printing 11″x17″ posters, I created and printed two posters.  

  Author Book Signing Judith A Barrett Books     Meet the Author Judith A. Barrett Books     

Talk about build it, and they will come! Two days before the posters arrived, I found a sandwich board that was 13″x 36″ with a 12″x 24″surface for the signs. I’ve ordered it, and we’ll have it next week. 

Our first arts and crafts event for fall is September 28 in Fitzgerald, Georgia, the town that’s famous for its wild chickens. If wild chickens and a Fall Festival sound interesting to you, come see me. I’ll be the one with a sandwich board in front of a tent with some random author hawking her own books.

If you can’t make it to Fitzgerald and would like a signed book, visit Barrett Book Shop and pick out a book or two. I’ll sign it, add a few goodies, and mail your book(s) to you.   https://barrettbookshop.com/collections/paperbacks.

Use this code, good for paperback orders only until September 30, for 15% off each paperback you order: SEP15.  

You keep reading; I’ll keep writing!

Signature cropped

 

 

Ideas, QuickJAB, The Latest Twist

Hog Wild About Festivals

Mr Pig Ellaville May 2024 smaller

Two Hams

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

  • There are still a lot of paperback readers that love meeting an author and buying  signed books
  • I talked to several people who enjoy audiobooks; I added the goal to have all my books in audiobooks by the end of the summer.
  • People are nice (but I already knew that)
  • Always buy lunch from a food truck
  • Vendors are a helpful bunch and are willing to share what they know
  • Size matters: I had changed the font size of many of my books to a slightly smaller font to avoid raising the price for my books (printing costs are skyrocketing!), but there are many people of all ages that need the little larger font, so I switched back to the  original size and narrowed the margins instead.
  • My feet hurt after standing all day on concrete. FarmerMan’s solution: the chef’s mat we have in the kitchen. He’s brilliant.

BONUS: Our Fall Event Schedule is starting to fill up!

If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?  ~George Carlin