Venues are those places and events which allow the author to a) do a book talk, read from their work, or speak about their topic or process, b) community events where the author can rent a table or space to sell their books to the public or the clientele.
Bookstores (some corporate ones have restrictions, so try first local ones). One OKC store often open to working with new authors is Full Circle Books (http://www.fullcirclebooks.com/events.aspx).
Public libraries do programming to inform and entertain the public and bring people to the library to connect with their services. They can have restrictions on selling books but if you can do inexpensive or an occasional free event it can be beneficial by raising awareness of your work and some publicity. If you do a 'freebie' ask for some good local promotion and advertisement of the event but do not depend on the library, get the word out yourself as well. This is especially good for self-help books and children or teen works.
School libraries - Same thing applies but best for limited topics and must be age appropriate.
Clubs, scouting events, churches, expos or conferences (caution sometimes the space is very expensive!)
BOOK FESTIVALS
[Please submit if you have plans for a book festival 2012-2015]
List of top ten US book festivals. Note: funding and the economy has endangered many of the local and smaller venues who traditionally have been more open to new, self-published, or smaller publishing houses.
2011 -
2012 -
2013 -
2014 -
Nov. - Red Dirt Book Festival (OK) - Returns?
ALSO TRY OUTSIDE THE BOX:
Target your book to potential audiences most likely to connect with the topic and produce sales. Is there a connection to an event, person, etc.? Here are some events from a 2010 List - Just an F.Y.I. - Please submit events and venues for this space! marilynahudson@yahoo.com. Check also into :
http://www.fairsandfun.com/oklahomafairsandfun.html
[Please submit if you have plans for a book festival 2012-2015]
List of top ten US book festivals. Note: funding and the economy has endangered many of the local and smaller venues who traditionally have been more open to new, self-published, or smaller publishing houses.
2011 -
- April - North Texas Book Festival, Denton, Ok and here
- May - North Oklahoma Book Festival
- Sept. 17 - Duncan,Oklahoma, Chisholm Trail Book Festival ,Glenna Pace, Festival Chair , AGapace@aol.com, 580.467.8864
- Sept. 24, Cowskin Book festival
- Oct.8 - East Oklahoma Book Festival. Cherokee County Community Center, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information contact www.EOAuthorFest.org, EOAF@mail.org or call Mara (918)316-0576
2012 -
2013 -
2014 -
Nov. - Red Dirt Book Festival (OK) - Returns?
ALSO TRY OUTSIDE THE BOX:
Target your book to potential audiences most likely to connect with the topic and produce sales. Is there a connection to an event, person, etc.? Here are some events from a 2010 List - Just an F.Y.I. - Please submit events and venues for this space! marilynahudson@yahoo.com. Check also into :
http://www.fairsandfun.com/oklahomafairsandfun.html
Tulsa International Mayfest /Tulsa /May www.tulsamayfest.org/
Ice Cream Festival / Tuttle /May / http://festival.tuttlechamber.org/
SPRING JAM / Wynnewood / May 16th to May 22nd /www.arbucklemtbluegrasspark.com/Events1.html
Memorial Day Weekend/ Backwoods Bash /Prue / May / ww.musiclovr.com/backwoodsbash/2010/
Rocklahoma / Pryor / May / www.rockfeverfest.com/
Paseo Arts Festival / Oklahoma City / May 29th to May 31st / www.thepaseo.com/events/festival/paseofestival_call.html
Charlie Christian International Music Festival / Oklahoma City /June 1st to 6th / www.charliechristianfestival.com/
Skiatook Bluegrass Festival /Skiatook /June / www.skiatookbluegrass.com/
Spirit of Oklahoma storytelling festival/ Seminole / 1st weekend in June/ http://www.territorytellers.org/
Magnolia Festival / Durant /June / www.magnoliafestival.com/
A Small Town Weekend / El Reno /June /www.ercruisers.com/
SunFest /Bartlesville /June / www.bartlesvillesunfest.org/
Oklahoma RiverFest / Oklahoma City / June 6-8th /www.oklahomariverfest.com/
Vintour Expo Arts & Crafts Show / Oklahoma City /June /http://www.vintourexpo.com/
OK MOZART Festival / Bartlesville /June /www.okmozart.com/
American Heritage Music Festival / Grove /June/ www.grandlakefestivals.com/ahmf.htm
Music and Awareness Festival / Tulsa /June 12th /www.okgreenfest.com/
Tulsa Powwow
Tulsa
July 16th to 18th
www.tulsapowwow.org/
Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival
Oklahoma City
June 18th to June 20th
www.redearth.org/red-earth-festival/
Jazz and June
Norman
June 24th to June 26th
www.jazzinjune.org/
The Soul Food Festival
Oklahoma City
June 26th
www.ilovesoulfood.com/Html/index.html
LibertyFest
Edmond
June 26th to July 10th
www.libertyfest.org/
4th of JULY JAM
Wynnewood
June 27th to July 5th
www.arbucklemtbluegrasspark.com/Events1.html
Chisholm Trail Festival 2010
Newton
July 2nd to July 4th
www.chisholmtrailfestival.com/content/
Cajun Festival
Grove
July 3rd
www.grandlakefestivals.com/cajun.htm
Woody Guthrie Folk Festival
Okemah
July 14th to July 18th
www.woodyguthrie.com/
An Affair of the Heart
Tulsa
July 16th to July 18th
www.anaffairoftheheart.com/
POW WOW OF CHAMPIONS
CLAREMORE
August 13th to August 15th
www.iicot.org/
Stephens County Fair & Expo
Duncan
August 25th to August 28th
www.stcofair.com/FreeFair.html
