A Bookish Festival

By Claire Booth
I spent yesterday at the Great Valley Bookfest. It was fabulous. It kicked off with a marching band winding through the whole festival, which was a lot more entertaining than the coffee cart line these kinds of events typically feature. I also was able to realize  my childhood dream of meeting McGruff the Crime Dog. (If witnesses say I chased after him, I'll deny it.)

Appropriate for this close to Halloween, there were several comic book characters in costume who walked around and interacted with the kids. And speaking of kids--there were tons of them. Many of them walking around with books clutched in their hands. Hallelujah! It bodes well for the future--of books and of America. 

There was a pretty steady crowd for most of the day. My favorite parts of these events are the people I meet. This time, I got to talk to several aspiring writers, lots of mystery fans, and even a woman who just returned from visiting family in Branson (where my books are set). Books do make the world smaller, don't they?