The 2014 Writers Expo sponsored by the Palm Springs Writers Guild and the Rancho Mirage Public Library was held in the beautiful Community Room at the library this past Wed. from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Research based on library attendance had indicated that it was the best day and time of the week for such an event.  Indeed, a good-sized crowd did turn out to meet the 41 authors who participated this year and to browse their newest books in all different genres.

I was one of many “newbie” authors who hadn’t appeared at a book signing of this scale before, and we all felt a bit overwhelmed and nervous at the start. But soon everyone got swept up in the excitement–the thrill, really–of meeting and interacting with book lovers of all stripes as well as potential new readers.  After all, we had spent way too many lonely hours at our desks fighting the  much-cursed writer’s block, and this social event offered us a rare reprieve  from isolation, not to mention the opportunity to spout off about our books to new parties actually interested in hearing about them.

Aside from the general excitement, I had the nicest surprise happen to me midway through the afternoon. A gentleman approached my table, struck up a conversation about my book, and promptly offered to purchase four copies. My single biggest sale of the day! As I happily signed the copies for him, he smiled and told me he was a friend of my brother’s. He had seen my post on Facebook about the Expo and had driven all the way from LA to come meet me. We shook hands and I thanked him warmly for his wonderful  support, then he hurried off to drive back to LA in the midst of rush hours. It was the culmination of a fantastic afternoon during which I got to meet many great folks who came to show, in deeds as in words, their support for authors and their books. Guess where I’m planning to return to next Spring?