This weekend I’ll be shifting into “author” mode for the first time in years as I do my first public author event since before the pandemic, the Rocktown Author Festival at the library in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

My work has two key modes. In writer mode, I sit at home in sweatpants, shorts, or other comfy clothes, no makeup, hair in a ponytail or messy bun, and write. I tend to get reclusive when I’m in my book cave. My words are saved for the book rather than for socializing. Author mode is when I go out in public as an author to meet with readers, speak, do booksignings, etc. That involves dressing up, wearing makeup, doing my hair, and being all bubbly and outgoing. I’ve had a few virtual “author mode” events during this time when I appeared on camera, but I haven’t been out in the world that way.

This is also my first author event in this area. I used to be a regular at science fiction conventions, writing conferences, and library events in Texas, but they don’t know me at all here, so I was pleased that I was selected for this festival. Maybe I’ll meet people who’ll get me on the list for other events. One nice thing about starting over in a new place is that no one will have seen my “author” clothes so I don’t have to buy anything new to avoid repeating an outfit with the same audience. I still haven’t decided exactly what to wear because the weather is being crazy and the forecast keeps changing, so I don’t know if I’ll need spring/summer clothes or cold-weather clothes, and I don’t know if the library will be overly heated or air conditioned when it doesn’t need it. I don’t have a lot of cold-weather “author” clothes because most of the conventions I went to were in the summer/early fall and my books from big publishers all had warm-weather release dates, so my booksignings tended to be in May, June, and July.

I’ve had to dig around to find where I put my promo materials when I moved, and I may have to get some new pens, as any that I was using to sign books are now more than six years old. I’d almost forgotten what preparation I had to do for an event. There’s no speaking involved in this, so I don’t have to prepare a talk. It’s mostly a book fair situation, where I’ll be selling and signing books. I’m set up so I can take credit card payments on my phone. I need to make a checklist of anything else I need to do.

I’ve had mixed results with this kind of thing in the past. I’ve had times when I sold out of books and had a constant stream of people wanting autographs. And I’ve had times when I sat there for hours with nobody coming by. I figure at the very least I’ll meet some other local authors and librarians. I have a couple of slices of chocolate cheesecake in the freezer, so I’m ready to either celebrate or console myself afterward.

If you’re in the western Virginia area, stop by sometime between 10 and 3 on Saturday. You don’t even have to buy books. You can bring something for me to sign and just chat.