So I had an idea--why not call together a group of romance authors and then offer a panel discussion and book signing event to local libraries? I don't know a lot of authors in the Pittsburgh area yet, so I put out a general call through Pennwriters to see if anyone would be interested. Bam--I had seven more authors to round out the eight-author panel.
Now that I had eight interested authors, what might we do? I sent out queries to a half dozen local libraries. The first to respond was the Peters Township Public Library in McMurray, PA. It's a beautiful space with a wonderfully warm and friendly staff of people.
(I'm way down at the end, next to last.)
We had a packed house of 60+ folks for the panel discussion. And these authors did not fail to entertain and enlighten. What struck me most--and I only knew two of these folks prior to the event--was the way these authors, all of us, respected and supported one another. At the end of the panel discussion, the authors went into the lobby to their tables to sell and sign books. But throughout this event, every author was generous and kind and supportive of the other authors present.
I overhead a patron tell Sydney Krawiec, Program and Outreach Coordinator, that she'd attended many author panels and that this was by far her best experience. I was stunned when Sydney said her comment meant a lot because this was the first author panel she'd moderated there. You could have fooled me.
I so appreciate how the library stepped up to support us local authors. I was impressed by the way the authors were gracious and attentive to one another--supportive rather than competitive. These events are so much fun when everyone is in this together.
