Aftermath: Printers Row

The World’s GREATEST Authors!

Sam Morton (BETRAYED) and Anne Carter (CAPE SEDUCTION)

Well, this post has been a very tough call for me. Do I write it and possibly burn a bridge? Do I not write it, and feel like I got dumped on prom night? (Sorry just watched final DVD in S.4 of Gossip Girl.) How does a professional handle a situation like this?

What situation you ask? Well, it’s like this… (Please keep in mind that I do get positive at the end of this post. )

Several years ago, nine to be exact, I made my first trip to Printers Row Book Festival in Chicago. It was small (our showing) and it was very scary. I had never been to such a huge festival. Long story short, we have gone every year since, even the year I had heart surgery, and yes, I was there too. Each year, our showing has increased and  our sales have increased. It is (was) our best book festival of the year.

Kieryn Nicolas (RAIN) and mom, Mara!

So this year, I send in my registration and $2100, yes it is quite pricey to stand on the street in direct competition with many other booksellers and authors. But it has always been worth it. So this year, I waited, and waited, and waited, and waited to be notified of our tent location at the festival. I had been in contact with the organizers for months, reminding them that for the last two years we did not get the FULL tent (8 tables) we requested, and yet we kept coming back.

So at some point in late May (very late, like the last week), I was informed after I asked again) that we had been given a half tent on the side street off the beaten path. To say I was disappointed would be understating dramtically. With 9 years seniority, we should have at least earned a half tent on the main drag, perhaps the same half tent we had last year, but no.

Nick Valentino (THOMAS RILEY)

So, I suck it up and inform my 16 authors from all over the country (CA, IN, SC, NY, OR, MN, TN, PA, MD and of course our four local authors) that we will not each have the half table I promised, they will in fact get a third of a table and be very limited in their room to set up displays. They all took it admirably (for this I thank each and every one of them).

Norm Cowie (FANG FACE)

So I get to the festival and discover that a certain organization that has been attending for only 3 years has been graced with not one tent space, but 2, yes, TWO tent spaces. I then discover that Accura, yes a car dealership, has been given a tent space and room to showcase 2, yes TWO cars. Slightly off to the side of them is a tent for Value City Furniture. A little ways toward the middle of the main drag (Dearborn Street) I discover a Comfort Zone, which is a glorified bed tent. Yes, 2, TWO beds and a row of recliners. I could barely stand it.

My AUTHORS were squished into a half tent while someone advertised BEDS, FURNITURE, and CARS at a BOOK FESTIVAL. So why am I so mad? Simple, with nine years seniority we should have at the very least received better placement, even if they did not give us the full tent, which last years organizers assured me we would get because we in fact did have seniority. But what happened is at some point, I am guessing local politics came into play and we were cast aside for things that had nothing to do with books. How odd, considering it IS a book festival.

Marlis Day (THE SECRETS OF BAILEY'S CHASE)

I am saddened to say that it isn’t me who suffers for this, it is my authors who had to deal with a lousy location, cramped quarters, and sales that were literally 50% what they were last year. This goes beyond anger, it just feels wrong, and I feel as though I have let my authors down and that on top of everything, my word is not good.

For this I would like to publicly apologize to my authors for not having the power or the means to make this right for them.

However, may I just say that I have the BEST authors ever. It rains every year for Printers Row, and yet they stood out in the chilly rain with smiles on their faces selling books to everyone they could. Those squished up and wet authors sold nearly 700 books. I could not be more proud of them. I am truly blessed to have such committed and enthusiastic authors who simply refuse to be pushed aside.

They do whatever they must to sell their books and brings smiles to as many readers’ faces as they can. For this I offer them my sincere gratitude.

I will be spending some time rethinking whether or not I want to continue to support an event that so blatantly disrespects my authors. I hate being mad at Printers Row as they have helped Echelon Press get to where we are by allowing us to sell books at their event, but I simply can’t ignore this one. My authors truly deserve better than to be cast aside for furniture sales.

I would also like to thank Penny and her gang at Trattoria Caterina on Dearborn in downtown Chicago. For the last several years we have gone there for dinner on Saturday evening after the festival and htey are the most tremendous group I know. If you are ever downtown and find yourself looking for exceptional Italian food, please stop in and eat. tell Penny Karen @ Echelon Press sent you and we love her! That is where the picture up top was taken of all of us.

Any thoughts on which festival we should make our new Spotlight event?

 

Chicago Mystery Author to Grace Readers at 2010 Printers Row Lit Fest

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Laurel, Maryland–Clues indicate that a dangerously charming author will be stealing the hearts of readers at Chicago’s 2010 Printers Row Lit Festival. Each year a large crowd gathers at the Echelon Press tent to get the next book in Luisa Buehler’s Grace Marsden Mystery series. Fans can rejoice in knowing that Ms. Buehler will return to sign copies of the sixth installment, THE INN KEEPER, at the festival. Fans and readers can meet Luisa Buehler and find out what she has in store for book seven at Booth “FF” at the festival in Chicago, IL June 12-13, 2010. Ms. Buehler will autograph books from her award-winning series on Saturday June 12 from 9 am – 5 pm. You can find more information on Printers Row online or contact the Chicago Tribune.

Luisa Buehler has taken her main character, Grace Marsden on a series of misadventures that can only be described as harrowing. Readers have described the Italian Grace as both heartwarming and unique. Often referred to as “Monk in a skirt,” Grace Marsden has uncovered a series of cold case mysteries, including THE ROSARY BRIDE,  THE LION TAMER, THE STATION MASTER, THE SCOUT MASTER, THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER, and most recently her adventures found her entangled in murder and mayhem surrounding THE INN KEEPER. Most of Ms. Buehler’s mysteries are Chicago based, making them a favorite with windy city readers.

A native of the Chicago area and owner of The Hire Solution, a staffing services corporation, Luisa Buehler attended Rosary College during the seventies and ended up with a B.A. in English. Even then the stories of spirits, sightings, and the supernatural intrigued her. Since then she has spent as much time as she could “giving back.” With more than twenty years as a Docent at the Brookfield Zoo and many years as a Boy Scouts of America Leader, she is finally taking the time to do what she loves. Luisa lives in Lisle, Illinois with her husband, Gerry, and keeps her son Christopher’s room ready for his trips home from college. Luisa enjoys relaxing with her husband and their family cat, Martin Marmalade. In her free time, Luisa loves to garden and wishes she could play golf better.

“Luisa Buehler has been one of Echelon’s brightest stars. Her fans are loyal to a fault and they multiply like rabbits. It’s really no wonder though, that fans adore Luisa and her Grace Marsden characters. They are all overflowing with charm and excitement,” says Echelon’s President and CEO, Karen Syed.

Other Echelon authors readers will enjoy chatting and getting autographs from include Beth Solheim (AT WITT’S END),), L.J. Sellers (SECRETS TO DIE FOR), Joel Fox (LINCOLN’S HAND), Margot Justes (A HOTEL IN PARIS), Marc Vun Kannon (A WARRIOR MADE), Anne Carter (CAPE SEDUCTION), and Chicago favorite Nero Wolfe author Robert Goldsborough (A PRESIDENT IN PERIL).

For more info on Echelon Press, Quake, or any of its authors contact Karen Syed at echelonpress@gmail.com or 301-490-2507. On site Interviews can be arranged for the Printers Row Lit Fest.

Mysterious Sitings at 2010 Printers Row Lit Fest

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June 7, 2010–Laurel, Maryland–Printers Row brings out all kinds of authors for their Lit Fest and this year, they are fortunate enough to have rising Minnesota star Beth Solheim (AT WITT’S END) attending the festival with her publisher. Echelon Press is pleased to introduce the windy city to this debut author whose Sadie Witt Mystery series is gathering praise across the country. Readers can meet Beth Solheim and find out what the buzz is all about at Booth “FF” at the festival in Chicago, IL June 12-13, 2010. Ms. Solheim will be signing copies of her debut hit throughout the festival. You can find more information on Printers Row online or contact the Chicago Tribune.

Like the main character in her Sadie Witt mystery series, Beth Solheim was born with a healthy dose of imagination and a hankering to solve a puzzle. She learned her reverence for reading from her mother, who was never without a book in her hand. By day, Beth works in Human Resources. By night she morphs into a writer who frequents lake resorts and mortuaries and hosts a ghost or two in her humorous paranormal mysteries.

Raised and still living in Northern Minnesota, she resides in lake country with her husband and a menagerie of wildlife critters. She and her husband are blessed with two grown children and two grandsons.

“Beth Solheim’s characters are destined to join the highly acclaimed ranks of others like Stephanie Plum, Sookie Stackhouse, and Aunt Dimity. Solheim has a flair for the realistically outrageous. Sadie Witt will entertain for years to come,” says President and CEO of Echelon Press.

Things are really bustling at the Witt’s End resort in Northern Minnesota. Clients are vying for one of the few remaining rentals, except Cabin 14—thing is—no one gets out of Cabin 14 alive.

Sadie isn’t your typical sixty-four year old senior citizen. She has things she wants to do and shouldn’t be expected to solve a murder while trying to prevent an unscrupulous sheriff’s deputy from shutting down the lakeside resort she owns with her straight arrow sister. But that’s exactly what Sadie Witt must do. When five guests with hidden agendas arrive at Cabin 14, they’re stunned to learn that the flamboyant Sadie is their conduit to the hereafter.

Other Echelon authors readers will enjoy chatting and getting autographs from include L.J. Sellers (SECRETS TO DIE FOR), Joel Fox (LINCOLN’S HAND), Margot Justes (A HOTEL IN PARIS), Marc Vun Kannon (A WARRIOR MADE), Anne Carter (CAPE SEDUCTION), and Chicago favorites Luisa Buehler (THE INN KEEPER) and Nero Wolfe author Robert Goldsborough (A PRESIDENT IN PERIL).

For more info on Echelon Press, Quake, or any of its authors contact Karen Syed at echelonpress@gmail.com or 301-490-2507. On site Interviews can be arranged for the Printers Row Lit Fest.

A Beacon of Light to Shine at 2010 Printers Row Lit Fest

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June 6, 2010–Laurel, Maryland–When it comes to engaging readers, Romantic Mystery author and California resident Anne Carter is a master. Ms. Carter will join several of her Echelon Press colleagues for two extraordinary days of books in Chicago at the 2010 Printers Row Lit Fest. Anne Carter will sign copies of her Lighthouse novels, POINT SURRENDER and a limited number of Advance Copies of her next release, CAPE SEDUCTION. Readers can meet Anne Carter at Booth “FF” at the festival in Chicago, IL. You can find more information on Printers Row online or contact the Chicago Tribune.

Anne Carter says, “I’ve been a storyteller since 7th grade, when I began dreaming up romance stories to tell my younger sister at bedtime.” Raised in Southern California where she, her husband and three children make their home, Anne runs a small bookkeeping business when she is not fleshing out the next scene to her current book.

Recently, writing under her “other” name–Pam Ripling–Anne ventured into teen fiction with the release of LOCKER SHOCK! published by Quake. “Having raised two teenage boys, writing middle grade fiction seemed like a natural. After significant nagging on the part of fans, a follow up to LOCKER SHOCK is in the works. OLD ENOUGH will focus on Ben’s friends Zack and Alyssa, and will deal with new problems at Midland School.

“I was a fan of Anne Carter’s before she became an Echelon author. She has such a beautiful style of writing that it is impossible not to feel every bit of emotion she pours into a story. As far as storytellers go, you’ll be hard-pressed to find better than her,” says President and CEO of Echelon Press.

CAPE SEDUCTION is her best book yet.

After being the backdrop for 1948’s critically acclaimed tragic romance, Cape Seduction, Northern California’s Dragon Rock Lighthouse sat shuttered and abandoned for decades—and it also happened to be the last place up-and-coming Hollywood starlet Darla Foster was seen alive.

Other Echelon authors readers will enjoy chatting and getting autographs from include L.J. Sellers (SECRETS TO DIE FOR), Joel Fox (LINCOLN’S HAND), Margot Justes (A HOTEL IN PARIS), Marc Vun Kannon (A WARRIOR MADE), Beth Solheim (AT WITT’S END), and Chicago favorites Luisa Buehler (THE INN KEEPER) and Nero Wolfe author Robert Goldsborough (A PRESIDENT IN PERIL).

For more info on Echelon Press, Quake, or any of its authors contact Karen Syed at echelonpress@gmail.com or 301-490-2507. On site Interviews can be arranged for the Printers Row Lit Fest.

Readers will get their Thrills at the 2010 Printers Row Lit Fest

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June 5, 2010–Laurel, Maryland–Oregon Mystery/Thriller author L.J. Sellers will attend the 2010 Printers Row Lit Fest with copies of her Detective Jackson Mystery series. She will be signing copies of THE SEX CLUB, SECRETS TO DIE FOR, and as a treat to fans, Sellers will have 100 advance copies of her third in the series, THRILLED TO DEATH (official release is 9/2010), for sale. L.J. Sellers will join 15 fellow Echelon Press authors on the streets of Chicago for the 2010 Printers Row Lit Fest, one of the nation’s premier book festivals. Ms. Sellers is no stranger to crowds, as she attracts one everywhere she goes. Readers can meet Sellers and her fellow Echelon authors at Booth “FF” at the festival in Chicago, IL. You can find more information on Printers Row online or contact the Chicago Tribune.

Other Echelon authors readers will enjoy chatting and getting autographs from include Anne Carter (CAPE SEDUCTION), Joel Fox (LINCOLN’S HAND), Margot Justes (A HOTEL IN PARIS), Marc Vun Kannon (A WARRIOR MADE), Beth Solheim (AT WITT’S END), and Chicago favorites Luisa Buehler (THE INN KEEPER) and Nero Wolfe author Robert Goldsborough (A PRESIDENT IN PERIL).

L.J. Sellers is an award-winning journalist, editor, and the author of the Detective Jackson mystery/suspense series. Her first two books, The Sex Club and Secrets to Die For, have garnered high praise, and the third book, Thrilled to Death, will be released in August, 2010. The forth Jackson story, Passions of the Dead, will be released in 2011, along with another thriller, The Baby Thief. Ms. Sellers is a fitness and health enthusiast who can often be seen peddling around town. She especially enjoys traveling around the country and meeting readers and fans.

“L.J. Sellers should be considered a bit of a pioneer in the book industry. Many authors rely on shock value for their hooks, but she takes tremendously controversial topics and weaves them into dramatic and emotional stories, without glamorizing or condoning the issues. She is an excellent storyteller,” says President and CEO of Echelon Press.

For more info on Echelon Press, Quake, or any of its authors contact Karen Syed at echelonpress@gmail.com or 301-490-2507. On site Interviews can be arranged for the Printers Row Lit Fest.

Fantastic Adventures for all at the 2010 Printers Row Lit Fest

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June 5, 2010–Laurel, Maryland–It’s official, Long Island, New York Fantasy author Marc Vun Kannon will join 15 fellow Echelon Press authors on the streets of Chicago for the 2010 Printers Row Lit Fest, one of the nation’s premier book festivals. As one of Echelon’s premier authors, Vun Kannon will meet fans, talk about eBooks, and sign copies of his Flame in the Bowl Fantasy series. He will sign copies of UNBINDING THE STONE and A WARRIOR MADE at Booth “FF” at the festival in Chicago, IL. You can find more information on Printers Row online or contact the Chicago Tribune.

Along with meeting Marc Vun Kannon, readers will enjoy chatting and getting autographs from Anne Carter (CAPE SEDUCTION), Joel Fox (LINCOLN’S HAND), Margot Justes (A HOTEL IN PARIS), L. J. Sellers (SECRETS TO DIE FOR), Beth Solheim (AT WITT’S END), and Chicago favorites Luisa Buehler (THE INN KEEPER) and Nero Wolfe author Robert Goldsborough (A PRESIDENT IN PERIL).

Mr. Vun Kannon was born in Bethpage, Long Island. After surviving his teen age years, he entered Hofstra University. Five years later, he exited with a BA in philosophy and a wife. He still has both, but the wife is more useful.

After dabbling in fulfilling pursuits such as stock boy and gas station attendant, he found his spiritual home as a Tier One software support engineer for Bottomline Technologies. Still married to that wife, too.

For diversion, along the way, he almost accumulated a PhD in philosophy and is currently working on his second BA in Computer Science. He feels that his real job is being a father to his three children, husband to his wife, and author to his books.

President and CEO of Echelon Press states calls “Marc Vun Kannon a breath of fresh air in the book world. Unwilling to be constrained by the rules of the industry, Marc writes to his own beat and this makes for wonderfully engaging stories.”

For more info on Echelon Press, Quake, or any of its authors contact Karen Syed at echelonpress@gmail.com or 301-490-2507. On site Interviews can be arranged for the Printers Row Lit Fest.