First Year Festivals!
In which I debrief a little bit about the lit festivals I went to this year!
It feels like I’ve lived a dozen lifetimes since January of this year and I’m telling you, I want off this carnival ride.
In just one year, I drafted a middle grade project that I’m sitting on for the moment; went off to teach three classes for the spring semester; did a full application and interview process for a tenure track job (if you’re an academic, you know that’s a whole job by itself); left my teaching job, moved out of my apartment and back home; started my role as “the Night Nurse,” helping my mom caregive for my dad; prepared for the launch of my debut novel; launched the novel; and then spent the fall doing a number of interviews, book signings, classroom/campus visits and festivals. All the while, I’ve been trying to figure out how I can make being a multi-hyphenate artist work for me as a career/sustainable income.
If it seems like I fell off the face of the earth this year, I did. I’m sorry I didn’t answer your texts or show up to meetings for volunteer organizations, I’m tired.
Even though everything is in flux right now, I am trying to sit in gratitude for the things that have made me feel like I’m going in the right direction. (I like to feel I am in control of things; surrendering to the air so I could ride it simply does not work for me, Ms. Morrison, but I am doing my best.)
Two of those things were festival travel for Love Requires Chocolate. I was able to go to Nashville, Tennessee for Southern Festival of Books and Charleston, South Carolina for YALLFest this year.
First, Southern Festival of Books. This was such a fun trip. Now, I don’t travel well. Traveling makes me really anxious, but getting to Nashville and back was one of the smoothest, uneventful travels I’d ever had. It made having fun when I actually arrived in the city a lot easier. I was on one YA romance panel with Jeff Zentner and Julian Winters, which went as well as it could go, in my mind. And then I was free to enjoy the festival the rest of the day.
I find doing panels for a literary festival much easier and more fun than I ever found presenting at academic conferences. I’m much more myself, I feel less like I’m performing, and I don’t have a pocket of dread forming in my stomach while I wait for someone to rudely attack my work during the Q&A. To be honest, I kind of love doing festivals right now because no one really knows me or my work. My book only came out three months ago. I don’t have a much of a reputation in the YA lit world right now, which means pretty much everyone in the room is there to see the other people on the panel. I know this might sound self-deprecating, but believe me, it’s not. It’s a big relief to have some of the pressure off! I can figure out how I want to navigate these spaces without folks monitoring my every move.
I have a little space to breathe.
This became even more glaring to me when I went to YALLFest. This festival is specifically for young adult literature and one of the draws is that you get to connect directly with young readers. I was delighted to get invited and so excited to be there.
But whew, when I tell you a lot of authors couldn’t just walk three steps without getting stopped by readers! I know that’s part of the point, but me and my socially awkward self? I was like, dang, that’s a lot. Folks with signing lines that wrapped around buildings and endless photos…
That’s not the norm, for sure. It’s an experience that I think few authors know. Most folks move around as usual, and everything’s fine.
But it made me really grateful that I could just do my two panels, talk to a reader here and there, and talk to everyone who came through my signing line. I could refill my social battery in the green room and not feel like I was missing anything. I could walk around with my author pals and just enjoy the day.
This is not to say authors who have that rockstar-like experience don’t enjoy their time! It’s mostly to say that I would be overwhelmed!!! I don’t know how I would actually manage, just knowing my brain and body.
And yet somehow, despite these musings, being at YALLFest confirmed I was on the right path. I was finally in a space with people I had been mutuals with on social media for years, who had followed my journey, who I had worked with in some cases, and who I deeply admired. When Karen Strong hugged me and told me she was proud of me, I simply didn’t have words enough for everything I felt. When I finally got to meet Leah Johnson, we had a few laughs it seemed like we’d waited years to have. When I got to see Tracy Deonn, it was wild to think that I got to casually chat with someone who’d meant so much to me and my work as a grad student. So many of the authors went out of their way to make sure I was included, and that meant a lot to me.
The weekend left me full. I met someone who worked with the festival that made a point to check on me all throughout the events; I felt so seen and valued. I’m hopeful that’s a friend I get to keep. I met a reader/volunteer who took the time out to write me a whole letter! I got passed friendship bracelets. I got some of my own books signed. I met heroes, new friends, sorority sisters.
It was everything I could’ve hoped for and more.
I’m powered down for the year and probably will not start going out for events again until February, but these last couple weeks have made me excited for all that might come in the spring, especially as I get ready to launch Love in 280 Characters or Less.
See you out there?
As one final note: I want to send a special shout out to Jill Tew and Julian Winters.
Jill, my imprint and debut year sibling, has been my emotional support buddy for social engagements through two festivals now. She has not shamed me for tapping out of conversations when my social battery is depleted. Jill, you will always be famous!
Julian was just so kind to me when I reached out before Southern Festival of Books. I’m so grateful he was willing to hang and impart some elder author wisdom on me.
I’ve delighted in getting to do this part of the work, the travel and meeting folks, but it also requires more energy and effort from me. I’m really grateful that I met people who tended to that softer side and have let me be me.
Glad you had a great time at Yallfest, I was there for a brief second and it was such a great time!I hope things in the rest of your life find some peace and I look forward to following the rest of your author journey! <3