Mountains of Authors Sponsored by Pikes Peak Library District, May 16, 2026

My first in-person author event. Five hours. Eighty authors. An enthusiastic library support team. Stepping away from the controlled environment of writing into the world of impromptu public engagement must be a daunting prospect for any author. There is a particular vulnerability in play when a social transaction calls for an author to offer their creation for the judgment of strangers.

But I suspect most writers crave connection with readers — which is why I signed up to push the boundaries of my comfort zone and engage with a wider audience. So I bought the swag, lined up my signing pens, tested the point-of-sale app, and tended to the dozens of details with the outward confidence of someone who knew what she was doing.

Then I watched people drift by.

How do you focus on networking and engagement without seeming desperate to sell a book? You do it through a willingness to leave with the same number of books you came in with.

So when I caught someone’s eye, I asked questions designed to spark a conversation — not just about my book, but about the person standing in front of me. Some people had no idea they had wandered into a book fair. Others were killing time waiting for family members. Still others were authors themselves, making the rounds or planning their own future signing events. My favorite moments came from the quiet confessions of those who write while feeling unsure of a path forward. I tried to hold the gift of their aspirations with respect and offer inspiration, practical tips, or both.

I found out it’s easier when I remember to share my own journey: before I could call myself a signing author with a book for sale, I carried this story inside my head for years — until I took a hard look at my priorities, decided to get out of my own way, and took the steps to claim my role as a fiction writer.

Did I sell a book? Yes — three. Did I meet regional book enthusiasts of every stripe? Yes. Did I reinforce the notion that each time I leave comfort behind, I find myself growing more confident about my place in the writing community? Also yes.