Author Meet and Greet Event

On Sunday I attended a Author Event at Fireside Winery near Williamsburg, Iowa. 

I had previously written an article about this event for The Gazette. 

You can see that article HERE. 

This event was the brain-child of Iowa author, Grace Augustine. She wanted an event to allow Iowans to meet local and even National authors and offer a way for independent authors to get their books in the hands of readers. Augustine also wanted a way for local authors to network with each other. The local winery seemed like the perfect place to host the event. Everyone knows books and wine go together like chocolate and peanut butter! 

I had a great time sipping wine and chatting up all the authors.  There were children's and YA authors as well as authors who write romance, fantasy, and thriller type of novels.

I love having the opportunity to share Iowa authors with you 

and I'll be sharing about the books I picked up yesterday in future posts.

. 

It was a beautiful afternoon at the winery, 

with great music playing in the background.

There were plenty of books to pick up,

 all personally autographed.

Authors from Tennessee and Washington even made their way to Iowa for the event.

Each of the authors were passionate about writing and were happy to share the details behind their story with me. I loved how there was a genre for everyone represented. 

These are the books I picked up today. 

Several others will be finding their way to my Kindle.

Photo Courtesy of Anna M Beeh Photography

Let me introduce you to the authors that were represented at the event:

Joanne Jaytanie - traveled from Washington to meet some Iowa readers. Jaytanie is a member of the Romance Writers of American and current President of the Peninsula Romance Writers in which Debbie Macomber is a member. Jaytanie's books are "not your mother's romance" and feature paranormal and romantic suspense storylines. 

To purchase Jaytanie's books, click HERE. You can also find Joanne on Facebook, HERE. 

Kim Law - traveled from Tennessee and her mom even joyed her for the ride. Her book covers catch your eye and have a fun, romantic feel. Kim told me if you are laughing one minute and crying the next, then she is doing her job as a writer.  If you are looking for a fun romance series, Kim has several for you to check out. To purchase Law's books, click HERE.

You can also find Kim on Facebook, HERE. 

Kathryn Daugherty, an Iowa author from Pella, has written her first book and is in the process of writing her second. She has also written several short stories. Her novel, A CASE OF HEARTS is romance but set in real life and I'm looking forward to reading it. It was a finalist in the Midwest Book Awards which I think is pretty awesome for a first time author. To purchase Kathyrn's book, click HERE.

  You can find Kathryn Daugherty on Facebook, HERE. 

Phillip Hall, an Iowa author from Marengo, writes mystery and suspense novels. I met him, his wife and adorable granddaughter at the event. I don't typically read the genre Hall writes, but I am intrigued by his book, MINIMAL.  If you are a fan of the TV show, Dexter, you should definitely check out this book.  If you would like to purchase any of Hall's books, click HERE. You can also find Phillip Hall on Facebook, HERE. 

Grace Augustine and I had the chance to meet a few weeks ago before the event and I found we have several things in common including our cats and their crazy behavior. We had a lot of laughs over a delicious Mexican lunch. Grace is also an Iowa author from Marengo and was thrilled to create this event. Grace writes romance for the "over 50" audience and has two books out with more on the way. To purchase any of Grace's books, click HERE.  You can find Grace on Facebook, HERE. 

Lori Lebda and Tami Bergeson, of Iowa, have together written several Quiz Books. Chatting with them, I found they have taken the craft of quiz taking seriously, working on their formulas so they match up with personality as well as appearance. Their books WHAT DOG ARE YOU and WHAT CAT ARE YOU are perfect gifts for the pet lover in your life. I had to get the cat one and look forward to taking the quiz myself. They have also written a YA book that is the first is a series that has teens searching for clues and fending off spirits to unlock a mystery. To purchase their books, click HERE.  

Wendy Siefken and her son Charles, of Iowa, have written books for the 10 and up age group as well as the older YA readers. Their writing began when Charles' high school principal challenged him to use his love of writing stories and write a story with all the basic subjects used. Charles found school challenging due to his dyslexia and this was a great way for him to learn and continue his love of writing. His mom was his advocate and helped the process along since he was still a minor. Since then, they have published a series for middle grade students that includes zombies and werewolves, but promises that it is nothing too violent. You can find Wendy on Facebook, HERE. 

To purchase Siefken's books, click HERE.

 Andy Allen, an author and teacher from Cedar Rapids, Iowa promoted his children's book SOGGY DOGGY. Allen wrote this book after their family dog had trouble swimming in the flooded waters during the Flood of 2008 in Cedar Rapids. I will be reading and reviewing this book in the next couple weeks. I am happy to report there will be a second book, with more of Norman, the dog, and his escapades coming in the next few months. If you would like to purchase a copy of STORMIN NORMAN - THE SOGGY DOGGY, click HERE.

Photo courtesy of Anna M Beeh Photography

Here I am chatting with author Andy Allen. Thanks to ANNA M BEEH PHOTOGRAPHY for taking such great photos from the event. 

Photo courtesy of Anna M Beeh Photography

Definitely check out Anna's photos. If you are in the Iowa City area and needing portraits for your senior, baby, family, wedding, etc, you won't be disappointed! 

I had such a fun time talking books with these authors. I hope the event allowed them to reach a new audience and they enjoyed the opportunity to share their books with others. Stay tuned, as I plan to review some of these books soon.