Texas Book Festival 2022: Making Memories

The Texas Book Festival holds special memories for me. My first time there as an exhibitor in 2018 I made tons of librarian and teacher contacts, getting my Sophie Washington series books into the hands of children across the county. During my second visit in 2019, famed children’s author Kwame Alexander, stopped by my booth on his way to give a speech, bought some books, and later gave me a shoutout during his presentation that had me sold out by the afternoon.

After being away due to the pandemic it was great to head to Austin, TX for another stint as an exhibitor this fall. On the three hour drive from Houston, I enjoyed the sights, after the sun rose, and stopped at Buc-ees travel center (a Texas institution) to gas up and get snacks.

Once I arrived at the festival site, near the Texas State Capital, I felt the excitement in the air as vendors prepared for thousands of book enthusiasts to arrive. It was the perfect day for a book festival with sunny skies and a cool, comfortable temperature.

Book lovers came out in droves. I was on my feet and talking from the time the festival opened, and things got so busy by afternoon that I barely had time to eat. It was wonderful to meet readers and see their excitement about books. People enjoyed being out in the community. It was great to be back! I hope to return to this festival again in the future.