I had no idea what to expect when I headed downtown Saturday for the Columbus Downtown Library’s first-ever book festival. The first day did not start well.           

Before I left home, I had already scalded my right hand, testing my “leak-proof” coffee mug for the ride. Good thing, I reasoned.  Otherwise, its loose latch might have ruined my entire inventory.

With my wares in a pull-cart, all I needed was to show up at Staples when it opened at 8, so I could make color copies of my newly designed “sign-up sheet”- a last-minute inspiration from a more experienced writer. 

“For e-mail addresses,” she said.

Unfortunately, bright red metal bars covered the glass doors of Staples at 8 AM.  Contrary to what I was sure I read online, Staples didn’t open till 9, and I’d heard there was construction on the way to the festival.  I heard right. Orange-and-white barrels and barriers everywhere. But on the other side, a helpful librarian who made the color copies.

In fact, once I was there, the whole place was filled with helpful librarians who dispensed maps and cardboard fans and water even to us authors in the giant Indie Alley tent in the library’s topiary park.

You may think of librarians as book nerds, but I can’t think of a better group to cover  details.  I suspect they were behind the scenes quietly planning the Normandy Invasion and hopefully are hard at work on climate change.

I was no less inspired by the entrepreneurial instincts of my fellow authors. Some hung giant posters behind their tables and giant vases of flowers on top. One, who wrote a children’s book about a hedgehog, brought a live one along for show and tell.

(For a nano-second, I was tempted to recruit some child’s hamster on a wheel to help sell Best of Balancing Act.  But remembering the coffee and Staples and the construction, I thought better of it.)

Still, after two days, I left the Festival with just one book remaining.  And since a friend mentioned she’d hit a detour on the way to buying one – but still wanted a signed copy – I’m tempted to call it a sell-out.

In case you also hit a detour and would have liked to sign that color-copied Sign-Up sheet, you still can.  There’s a newsletter sign-up on PatSnyderOnline, or just send me a Facebook message. And if you missed the chance to buy Best of Balancing Act in person, you can still get your copy on Amazon.