Festivals!

The word itself evokes such a feeling of excitement and anticipation...FESTIVALS! Over the past couple of years while the world hid away in fear and grief, all the fun and community we experienced during festival seasons was just gone from our collective psyche. What we lost in those long months and years was such a valuable release and connection. But the good - no - GREAT news is that, with the fog clearing and the world recovering like she is prone to do, the festivals have returned. We are once again coming together to celebrate our favorite music, crafts, food, and BOOKS!

Because Cold Daughters debuted in the fall of 2019, I was just getting up and running when the plague hit. Then, Just DIY came out during the second year of the whole thing, so none of the plans I made to attend book fairs and festivals came to fruition. But this year is different!

Thank you Universe!

I am finally going to see what WVPopCon is all about on Augutst 27-28! I cannot wait! Jon and the crew from Comics Paradise Plus are teaming up with LPGWV to bring West Virginia's premier Pop Culture event back to the finest fans in the world! The event will be at

The Expo Center at Mylan Park in Morgantown, WV. I'm told there are world famous artists and local celebs from every genre available for selfies and autographs. I am humbled and honored to get to share my works among them. It's sure to be a ball!

I attended my first WV Book Festival in Charleston while I was finishing Cold Daughters three years ago and I was so impressed with the speakers and presenters. I remember feeling such a visceral connection to the writing community as I sat in the audience surrounded by struggling writers just like me, listening to successful authors talk about when they were struggling writers...just like me! And this year I get to attend as a vendor, selling the novels I wrote, alongside some of those same artists. The WV Book Festival is the love child of the Kanawha County Public Library and will be held October 21 and 22 at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center in downtown Charleston, WV. My heart is full!

I am so grateful to the people behind these and all the festivals that have been revived since the worst of the pandemic has passed. I cannot imagine the work that goes into creating these events; the manpower, resources, and time it must take. I don't know any participant whether attending or presenting that isn't glad to be back to it. So many lost so much more than just a chance to meet the author of their favorite book in the past two years that it may seem insignificant to go on about missing out on these opportunities. Without getting too hung up on the comparative suffering of it, these events are part of our modern culture and we need what they afford us in connection and community. If we're ever to get back to what brings us together, we have to come back together!

I hope everyone gets back to their favorite festivals SAFELY and with their whole hearts. And if you can't attend, look for other ways to support the events; volunteer, share on social media, send donations. Engage in your culture and enrich it with your own contributions. Every single one of us makes our own ripple in the collective vibe. Let's get together again and make those nothing but good vibes!