Yesterday was a full, rich day. National Authors Day, celebrated for the first time here in Knoxville, was an all day event, starting at 10:30 AM and ending at 8:30 PM. Eight featured authors (a group I was pleased to be among; lots of talent in a wide variety of genres) gave readings and backstories at Union Avenue Books, one member of the team that brought this about along with the Authors Guild of Tennessee and the Knoxville Writers Guild. The noon program at WDVX, Wordstream, featured two poets in the first of a series honoring our veterans, leading up to Veterans Day. Difficult, powerful, and spellbinding. 

The reception following Wordstream for the featured authors was relaxed, casual, and very pleasant. Back at Union Ave, I was slated to read at 5:20 and made it through without falling down or forgetting to talk. My thanks to my friends who made it out through the biting downtown winds to listen in, and all the other guests as well. It was great to see such a good turnout.

Robert Gipe finished the day off in style at the East Tennessee History Center with a talk and a reading that had us alternately nodding in recognition of the authenticity of his writing and laughing out loud at some of the passages.

My thanks to the sponsors, the judges, the creative team, my fellow authors, and everyone who turned out for making this such a fine day.