Kerrytown Bookfest 9-9-12

I went to my first Bookfest last year.  Less than ten minutes after my arrival, and I knew this would be a yearly tradition.  🙂  Kerrytown is a fun place to visit anyways.  It’s in its own historic district of Ann Arbor, Michigan.  Lots of artists share their wares, ideas, etc in Kerrytown.  Twice a week they host a HUGE farmer’s market.  There are clothing stores there where EVERYTHING is handmade, wearable art.  Most of the food from the local restaurants are made with organic ingredients.  Creativity practically flows from the city.  But when you get thousands of writers and readers together in that kind of creative environment, you know it’s going to be a fun time!

I had been looking forward to Bookfest for months.  I wrote it on the calendar.  I made sure I took the day off work.  I planned what I wanted to wear.  Yup!  It made that much of an impression on me.

I didn’t get a pic of me all dressed up.  I suppose that’s what happens when you’re always the photographer.  He! He!  I did finally get a chance to wear the fabulous pin Dianne Faw sent me.  I wore it on my jacket.  So cute!  Pics don’t do it justice.  It looks like it was created out of porcelain, but it was actually crafted out of plastic spoons!  Dianne is so creative!!!  You can check out the link to her post…HERE.  I had a woman ask me about the pin and that made me pleased for Dianne and her incredible crafting abilities.

Long stories short, I learned a bunch and left the Bookfest feeling energized.  One of the writers quoted this line:

“Art is not a sack race.”  

~Charles Baxter

I have this image in my head of all my favorite authors, jumping up and down, heading for this mysterious finish line and it’s ridiculously funny!  Bottom line is this, at the end of the day, writers write for themselves.  Every published writer has a story to tell of their journey.  It takes time, and effort, and an understanding support system to go from blank pages to a published book.  Everyone’s journey is a little different.  I think that’s why I enjoyed meeting so many authors at Bookfest.

 I’m not as ambitious as some, but I have dreams and goals.  If I were in a writer’s sack race, I’d feel like a failure!  But it’s NOT a race.  I’m excited about the progress I’ve been making.  When I look back and see how much I’ve learned on my journey, I can’t help but be pleased.  Even my mistakes have been a good thing.  I’ve learned more from them than just about anything.  Life is good!!!

Have a great day!!!

Juli