F. P. Dorchak

Speculative Fiction (New Weird) Author

National Library Week

Colorado Authors Open House – Success!

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Open book icon
Open book icon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I had fun.

Had my own paparazzi/entourage, in the form of my lovely wife, snapping pictures everywhere I turned.

I met some old friends…and made some new ones (well, I hope so, anyway…).

Put some handshakes to faces I’ve only seen on-screen–or taunted with blog comments.

Heck, I interested a buyer for the library in my novel.

And I sold two books!

I’m declaring yesterday’s Longmont Public Library’s Colorado Authors Open House a success! It looks like events are still ongoing through this weekend, but all the hard work that people like Carol Cail, Steve Kenworthy, Judith Anderson, and (I’m sure) a legion of other library workers who put into this effort was nothing short of herculean. These are well-meaning people who love books and everything about them, and you could tell this. It was in their enthusiasm, their friendliness, their willingness to help. In fact, in talking with others at the library I was told that these people like to think out of the box and try new things. Mix it up a little. And I like that. I like nontraditional. I like different. I like reaching beyond low-hanging fruit. And I love it when others do the same. Try to expand Life’s experience in positive, constructive, helpful ways.

I felt good energy in this place.

Sure, it’s hard to sell books in a place that gives them away for free, but it did happen, and it brought new awareness to the public of local authors. If they’re like me, I’m sure they were all mentally taking notes, who to check out online, who to check out later at the bookstore. Google this or that name.  It got a bunch of keyboard-bound individuals interacting with each other and their readers. I love attending these things. Love talking and interacting. And it’s always cool when people come looking for you. Ask you about your ideas and thoughts…things important to you that you want to share with others within the bound covers of a book (or the electrons of an e-book)…entering into these dialogues with complete strangers. I’m always fascinated by the lives of others. You just never know who you’re really talking to. All the trials and tribulations others have gone through. And that some of them have taken the time to come over and interact with you is pretty cool. Especially in a library, where people are supposed to remain at arm’s length and not talk. It was a cool little microcosm for an afternoon.

So, I hope that the Longmont Library had a successful National Library Week (they sold a couple hundred of their new anthology, Steve Kenworthy told me), hope they’re all proud of their accomplishments, and hope they can continue it in the future!

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The “You Belong” Anthology Read

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I took photo in Longmont, CO, with Canon camera.
Longmont Public Library, Longmont, CO, with Canon camera. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

National Library Week is this week, and, as I mentioned previously, in celebration of this, the Longmont Public library decided to create the “You Belong” anthology. This past Monday (April 9, 2012), the book was unveiled and went on sale, and the library held a public reading, which, my wife and I attended. Both of us were extremely impressed by the talent in that room! From the eight-year-old boy who read about the death of his grandmother’s dog, to all the adult readers (I won’t go into ages!), it was an entertaining and enlightening evening! We had to leave before the very end, but one piece of “performance art,” was an amusing sled dog song, called to “Run On To Nome,” by Sandy Erickson–and she’d gathered up the three children in the front row and had: 1) one wear traditional Eskimo garb, 2) one stand on the sled to “mush,” and 3) one “move the stuffed dog” in a running motion. It was quite entertaining! As Mr. Kenworthy, the book’s Point Man and MC noted, the collection of stories were quite varied!

And the library staff was so polite, courteous, and helpful–and even had a refreshments lounge set up, with mouth-watering cookies (unfortunately for them, I’d just downed a massive “Longmont” burger, at the Pumphouse, down the road–highly recommended)!

I haven’t read before the public in a few years, and I have to admit, it was fun being part of this group of talented writers and their audience! My wife and I sat up front, so we didn’t realize just how packed (SRO) the room had gotten over the course of the evening, but how cool that so many attended!

We each read about five minutes of our work, so my wife brought the video recorder and away she “taped”:

Thanks, again, Mr. Kenworthy, the panel involved in the story selection, and the staff of the Longmont library, for this opportunity! Here’s hoping the anthology does well!

Note:  I will be attending a local author booksigning this Friday (there will be a ton of us!), April 13th, from 2 – 5 p.m., for my novel, Sleepwalkers. Hope to see you there!

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