This weekend is YALLFEST! And most sadly I could not attend. Being in the Midwest means traveling...anywhere...is expensive. I just couldn't afford to fly out there again, then there's luggage fees, transportation from and back to the airport--which in both years I've had issues with when it came to paying--the hotel fee, buying food, buying books, and the nerve-racking feeling of walking in an unfamiliar area and needing to leave things early to get back to my hotel before total darkness. Stressful...but meeting authors is definitely a big highlight!
I think it was last year that we saw the creation of YALLWEST. And I thought, great! Another awesome event...that I can't really go to since it's way on the other end of the country. We have YALLWEST on the west coast in the early part of the year, YALLFEST on the east coast at the later of the year. And I got to thinking...we need a MIDYALL! In the middle of the year!!
It only makes sense after all. I mean if we already have two that take place at the beginning and end of the year, we need one for the middle of the year, and naturally it needs to happen in the middle of the states. And what better place than the Gateway to the West! And yes, I am talking St. Louis! LOL!
More specifically I am talking about St. Charles, MO which is just a stone's throw away from St. Louis itself. I've thought a LOT about this over the course of these past several months! Lol. And I've really been thinking things thoroughly. My only problem is I have NO IDEA how one can get something like this started. Sponsors are an issue. How do we get them? How does this kind of thing work? I think I've heard in the past that YALLFEST and YALLWEST were started by authors. Sadly, St. Louis doesn't have many authors, at least not in the YA genre. Off the top of my head are Zac Brewer and Sarah Jude. Yup. Though Paula Stokes was initially from here and has a recent release that takes place in a futuristic St. Louis, she lives out west now, but I would like to think she could be a possible author to get a MIDYALL going.
Like I said, I legit have NO CLUE how to get something like this started. I really think it's almost author related. Authors get things like this started. Then sponsors need to be found, publishers looped in...lots of things. Lots of things I don't know if I could even be capable of doing on my won.
But as I said, I already envisioned the perfect venue. And that's in St. Charles, MO on the Historic Main Street! This street is filled with lots of little shops that are all independently owned. AND it's also home to Main Street Books!! Hello bookseller provider!! I know that the one of the co-owners helps to arrange a LOT of the events that I've attended so far this year. So hopefully that would mean she even has connections.
And want to know something else? There are HAUNTED shops and restaurants down here! I took a ghost tour down here a few years ago and it was very interesting. Lots of restaurants are haunted. The employees have stories of strange happenings. Reports of ghost dogs roaming the streets at night! All very fascinating.
So basically, I have MIDYALL nearly all planned out. I have the location, the bookseller, the time of year, which again, the middle of the year, so like June or July. Even have a "stripped" theme song combining three different songs. Of course, it's not a full length song, but just a one-liner! And it's not actually put together either, just mentally!! LOL!
So if anyone knows how to go about getting an event like this started, please give me a ring! Email, tweet, DM...anything! This is something I think is needed, not only for the Midwest, but...yeah, never mind, I think the Midwest needs it. All the coasts seem to have events that are good for them. And truly, they are! I think it's great. But sadly there just are NO events like this for the Midwest. The middle of the US doesn't have anything like this. We need this. I just don't know how to get it started. I wish I did.
That is all!
This is an awesome idea!! I'm always open to more bookish events. I couldn't make it to YALLFest this year either, sadly. ONE DAY! I hope you're able to get something like this going because that would be amazing!
ReplyDeleteTracy @ Cornerfolds
Brilliant idea! There needs to be more book events that take geography into consideration. Over here in the UK London hosts pretty much all the events I want to go to and I just can't afford the travel, the hotel costs etc for going there which bugs me!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I know the feeling as no one seems to come to SW Florida and the travel is usually long and expensive for me to attend anywhere there are great events with authors. Anyways maybe you can talk to Maryse at maryse.net I know she had to put together a fairly bi event in the last year or two so she might have some contacts or ideas that could help you. Good luck! Hope it works out for you! Shellee
ReplyDeleteI would of course love for something like that to come to St. Louis. Any book event can be expensive and if it includes travel there is no way I can justify going. Great idea!
ReplyDeleteI remember you talking about this a while ago, I love the title and definitely think that we need some midwest love!
ReplyDeleteWish I had some good advice for you. Unfortunately, I don't have any idea how to get something like this going, but you might want to check with Teri over at Second Run Reviews. She started an event in Iowa and works on another one as well.
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction