Christmas Events at Tides Inn, PRAC, and More Make Busy Weekends

Showing Art and Signing Books at Tides Inn

What a busy few weeks it's been for artists and authors in our area. December 8, Tides Inn hosted its annual Christmas Marketplace. I look forward to visiting the picturesque location at least twice each year for the special marketing events. This year, I was able to attend the Labor Day weekend happening as well as Memorial Day and Christmas.

December 9, Arts Alive in West Point featured a festive holiday presentation of a barber shop quartet, and I was given the opportunity to sign books during intermission.

December 14, Petersburg Regional Arts Center hosted its annual Christmas Gala. This year, art and musical presentations spread from the main gallery onto the mezzanine level as well.

December 15, 20 Virginia writers held the Celebrate with a Book authors book fair at Regency Square Mall in Richmond. While we signed books, we got to see lots of beautifully dressed children en route to and from seeing Santa.

It's been fun, productive, and a learning situation on many levels.

 Entertainment at Petersburg Regional Arts Center Christmas Gala

Regency Mall Book Signing

Here's to Something I Haven't Done Before--Or Have I?

As an author for many years, I have done many book signings but never one featuring 20 authors. On Saturday, December 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., I'll be part of such a signing--Celebrate with a Book. The event will take place across from the JCPenny store in Regency Square Mall.

It will be interesting to see how folks manage with such a large group of authors. I've found that signings work best when authors stop passersby and engage them in conversation. I suppose if 20 authors are all stopping people and doing a lot of talking, things could get a little chaotic. Festive!

As I think about it some more, I have been part of some large scale group signings. One year I signed at a big Romantic Times Convention in Orlando. Another time, I signed with a zillion authors at the Romance Writers of America's annual conference. I think that one was in Denver. Several years ago, the Virginia Romance Writers had a group book signing for Valentine's Day. Although we had a lot of writers that day, I don't believe we had 20.

This should be fun. We'll be giving away author gift bags to the first 20 people who visit our tables.

If nothing else, we'll all get to know some new authors who haven't met before. That should be interesting and inspiring.

My new book, Daddy's Christmas Angel, is right in the spirit of the season. Hope lots of folks will stop and say, "Hi," and take a look at our books.

--Mary Montague Sikes

Weather, Especially a Hurricane, Trumps Everything

A pleasant day on an Atlantic Coast waterfront

I always seem to have a calendar full of scheduled events. Then along comes a weather event, and things fall apart like a tent of cards. Especially when it's a mega storm like Hurricane Sandy.

Look a New York City right now. Much is closed down because of vulnerability from the waterfront. We all love water. We like to live on it. We like to take boats out on it, but it's not much fun when trouble comes and the sea rises bringing tons of flooding, trees uprooted, and much more.

Airlines cancel flights, trains stop running, roads are closed. We are so dependent on the weather.

Now my calendar is confused and upset. But the power is still on. I'm thankful for that!

Please visit my interview today on Celebrate with a Book.