Festival Time

http://www.texasbookfestival.org/

The Texas Book Festival will be held between 31 October and 1 November 2009 in the State Capitol Building but the site when I visited is concerned with the 2008 festival. Laura Bush is the honorary chairman, explaining how this site was linked with the White House.

One of the featured authors is Ted Vanderbuilt who wrote a book inspired by the New Jersey Turnpike. The book supposedly answers the important questions such as: Why does the other lane always seem faster? Why is the world full of bad drivers?

I found the schedule interesting. Imagine attending a festival held in the House Chamber or the Senate Chamber! For the overflow there was the Music Tent, the Lifestyle Tent, the Cooking Tent and the Children’s Chapter Read Me a Story Tent.

There are strict rules about booksigning. You can bring in books you haven’t purchased at the Festival, but there is a maximum of three of these outsiders allowed. Dealers with rolling carts and/or wagons are not allowed in the Booksigning Tent or on the Festival grounds. I am not sure what a rolling cart or a wagon is. When I think of a wagon, a little red wagon that a child pulls along comes to mind.

You cannot book your seat and each venue is on a first come, first seated basis. As the rooms are cleared between sessions avoiding the queues and the rush for a good seat seems impossible.

What I learned that was special:
• ZZ Packer has been a high-school teacher and barmaid (though not at the same time).