Update on the 3rd Annual Local Authors Extravaganza

Yesterday was the 3rd Annual Local Authors Extravaganza and I had a blast. This year it was held at South Point Chapters in Edmonton, Alberta.

There were some new faces in the crowd, like Patricia Marie Budd, a historical fiction author, and a few others--I should have written their names down. (Sorry...)

And it was great to see so many familiar faces, like Marty Chan, Dan MacDonald, Jackson Carter, and Kelly Komm.

Marty Chan is a well-known Alberta children's author and his play 'The Forbidden Phoenix' will be at the Citadel Theatre from October 25th to November 9th. It's a "fusion of Peking Opera, martial arts, acrobatics and 'western' musical theatre"--and perfect for the entire family.

Dan MacDonald has a series of small and handy (fits in a purse/pocket) booklets that empower people who want to achieve success in any business venture. Dan also conducts seminars, e-training and more through his company BIS--Business Improvement Solutions.

Jackson Carter is a good friend of mine, and he writes conspiracy thrillers with a Canadian flavor. Check out his novels Bull and Sins in the Name of the Father. He came from the airport to the event--a busy guy!

Kelly Komm is another very good friend of mine. Her debut novel Sacrifice officially released in March. I've read this YA fantasy novel and loved it. She's busy working on the sequel. Although Sacrifice is marketed mainly as Young Adult, it is perfectly suitable for adults, especially if you're looking for a light summer or beach read.

The store special of the day was 'Buy any 3 books, get the 4th FREE'. Between Kelly and I, we had everyone covered. :) I think this awesome sale might be on for a while longer, so if you need more books this summer, now's the time to buy them.

I had a great visit with a fan who popped by my table and let me know he really enjoyed The River. Richard visited for a bit, and I was very excited to hear that he's delving back into his own writing. He has a premise for a thriller set in a very mysterious Canadian location that I think will sell like hotcakes! And thanks for your support, Richard. I hope you enjoy Whale Song! :)

The Authors Extravaganza was fun. Thanks to Trish, Maria, Angie and everyone else at Chapters!! Oh, and the cake was delicious. :)

My next event is the Canadian Authors Association's 2008 CanWrite! Conference, which starts next week from July 3rd-6th.

After that, Edmontonians can pick up my books at Capital Ex (formerly kinown as Klondike Days!) July 17th to 26th. I'll be there to personally sign books on Saturday, July 19th from 12-5. Ex marks the spot! See you there! :)

P.S. I SIGNED a few copies of Whale Song before I left South Point Chapters (3227 Calgary Trail, Edmonton), so if you're collecting autographed books, be sure to pick one up. Don't forget, a percent of my royalties for every sale of Whale Song goes to 3 local nonprofits. :)

Happy reading all!

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif