After 13 years of working in the publishing industry, doing book tours, and hosting countless signing events, this indie author finally did a signing at my local Barnes and Noble.

https://twitter.com/jessmbaum/status/1860441632715292919

I’m more of a local bookstore kind of gal. My most successful book signing was held at Subterranean Books in the Loop in St. Louis a few years back, and I will always prefer those unique venues, but the Barnes event had plenty of wonderful moments.

This signing was to promote my recent Chicken Soup for the Soul story that is featured in their “Tales of Christmas” collection.

Author Tess Clarkson reached out since she has a story in a recent Chicken Soup release and I was thrilled to partner with her. Author Pat Wahler also joined to celebrate her latest Chicken Soup books and it was such a joy to bring our different writing experiences to one table.

I always love all the conversations that readers bring with them. We had so many great people come in and share their own stories and buy our books.

I even sold a copy of my latest to a Santa Claus!

We had readers who bought multiple copies and kept us all busy signing.

I just love getting out and sharing the art of life with others. It makes me so grateful to be a full-time writer.

I had one reader come in and buy a copy of my out-of-print Llewellyn book, “The Magic of Nature,” and that was a very special moment as well.

Now I want to write a thousand more pieces just to see where they take me. Maybe I’ll even get back to doing book tours like I used to do before the pandemic!