Galax Highlights 2012

Since 2010, I've been one of the "Authors of Grayson" as part of the Galax Leaf and String Festival. 

I always have a good time, and this year was no exception. I love driving to Galax—one of my favorite parts is Lover's Leap on Rt. 58 between Stuart and Vesta. This is how it looked last Friday morning:

When I got to Galax, the view from my motel window made me feel right at home:

It wasn't long until I checked in with Chapters Bookshop and set up my display. I'm still promoting Ferradiddledumday, my Appalachian version of the Rumpelstiltskin tale, and Stuck, my middle grade novel:

Soon, other authors set up. Charles Lytton, who's written two volumes about growing up on the New River, was on one side of me . . . 

. . . and historian  Karen J. Hall was on the other.

I met Oma Boyd, one of my FaceBook friends, in person. Oma wrote Round this Mountain, which I reviewed here.

It wasn't long until another FB friend, Pat Burris, stopped by to visit.

I spotted Pat when she was in front of Michael Abraham's table. Here's a closer shot of Michael and his multitude of books. You can read about his latest book here. 

Across from me were two of the Appalachian Writers, Linda Hoag and Addie Davis.

This is what the streets of downtown Galax looked like on Friday:

Vendors sold jewelry and other stuff from their tents while folks clogged in the street to string music from one of the bands.

A lot of interesting antique and consignment shops were open. 

Every so often, I'd venture out and take a look.

Friday evening, I won a door prize—a little silver Galax leaf.

Saturday morning, before the crowd gathered in the authors' tent, I walked around and looked at other interesting shops.

Those are Galax leaves in the white pitcher below.

One of several antique stores . . .

. . . and another consignment shop:

I wonder how long this customer has been waiting?

Here's the authors' tent when folks are still setting up on Saturday:

One author's husband stays busy with his iPad.

Some authors came in costume  . . .

. . . and others just had piles of books.

Before long, a crowd gathered.

The Sweet Potatoes from Winston-Salem, NC, did a cooking demonstration and sold their cookbook.

Oma sold out of her books, and I sold several of each of mine.

On one side of me, Karen chatted with a customer . . .

. . . and on the other, Charles's granddaughter played with my iPad.

Unlike 2010 and 2011, I didn't get rained on at Galax this year. The weather was great, as was the whole event.

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