Lake County Festival of Reading


March 23, 2010
The Lake County Library System holds a week-long reading festival each year. It must be the best attended library event in the state.  Friday night, March 19, found my husband and I along with 20 other authors at a delightful Author’s Reception in Leesburg Library. Leesburg doesn’t seem like a big town, but the library is a two-story modern building with a café. While waiters circulated with canapes, we met library patrons, readers, staff members, and fellow writers. We had the opportunity to schmooze and hand out promo materials. It was a great event for mingling and getting to know everyone. I knew many faces: Agent and author Lucienne Diver from the Knight Agency, Authors Cynthia Thomason, Julie Compton, Dara Edmonson, Catherine Kean, Michelle Young, Dolores Wilson, Elizabeth Sinclair, Elaine Viets, Mark Schweizer, and more.
Nancy Cohen & Lucienne Diver
Nancy Cohen & Lucienne Diver
 
 
 

 

Nancy Cohen
Nancy at Reception

 

Cynthia Thomason, Elizabeth Sinclair, Delores Wilson
Cynthia Thomason, Elizabeth Sinclair, Delores Wilson
Dara Edmonson & Nancy Cohen
Dara Edmonson & Nancy Cohen
Elaine Viets
Mystery Author Elaine Viets
Julie Compton & Dara Edmonson
Julie Compton & Dara Edmonson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We crashed later that evening at the Holiday Inn Express in Tavares located on the tranquil Dead River. A quaint seafood restaurant, Fin’s, is nearby. It was about fifteen minutes away on 441 which was good, because my workshop started in the morning at nine o’clock back in Leesburg.

I spoke on How to Get Published: The Business of Writing. My talk covered the basics on manuscript preparation, query letters, synopsis, how to get an agent, the value of networking, contests and critique groups, self-editing, and more. We had about forty people in the audience, and they asked good questions. I enjoyed speaking to such an enthusiastic crowd.

Nancy presents workshop
Nancy presents workshop

For a lunch break, my husband and I cruised 441 and settled on the Red Lobster. Then we headed back to the library for my afternoon session, a panel entitled “Murder, Love, and Laughter” with mystery authors Elaine Viets, Mark Schweizer, Elizabeth Sinclair, Delores Wilson, and Nancy J. Cohen.

Panel
Nancy, Mark, Elizabeth, Elaine, Delores
Nancy enjoys speaking to group

Kudos to Judy Buckland, Lake Co. Library System’s Program Coordinator, for a terrific turnout and a great event.  Thanks, also, to Raintree Books for selling our work.

 

 

 

 

 

And now for the plug: Support your local libraries! Take out books and DVDs, join Friends of the Libraries, attend their events. I can’t tell you how many readers have written to me to say they first discovered my mysteries on the library shelves. Libraries are more like media centers these days with videos, computers, even digital downloads. Take advantage of this public service and visit your local library. Hugs to all librarians!




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0 thoughts on “Lake County Festival of Reading

  1. So good to see Elaine Viets looking so good and doing what she has always done…

  2. What a fabulous local library event. I can’t wait to showit to my town librarian in Colchester, CT. Who is the sparkplug behind the scenes? Somebody smart and energetic, I’m betting.
    Good luck to yu all and tons of sales.
    Ellie

  3. This is a great event, and Judy (and her crew) do a fantastic job organizing it. The community really turns out, and Raintree Books (independent!!!!) is phenomenal.
    So glad you had a good time. The pics, with the smiles, speak for themselves.

  4. Judy Buckland is the driving force behind this event, along with the other librarians in Lake County. They really make writers feel welcome. And Raintree Books, bless them, carried our back lists.
    It was fun to be on a panel with Nancy.

  5. This library system could be a model for others with how they support authors, organize this event, and garner publicity. It must take a tremendous effort. Kudos again to Judy and her wonderful staff.

  6. This was truly a great event. Thanks for writing it up, Nancy. What I like about the Festival of Reading is that there are workshops for everyone, from the novice writer to the avid reader. Lake County and Judy Buckland, take a bow!
    Cynthia