Kansas Book Festival 2012 - 4RV style

by Vivian Zabel  

The grounds of the Kansas Historical Museum set up for the book festival

          The minivan loaded with books and supplies headed north from Edmond, Oklahoma, its nose slightly airborne due to all the weight. The rain washed the vehicle clean all the way to Topeka by way of Emporia.

          Friday about noon, Melanie Robertson-King and Carla Ralston joined Jacque Graham and me at the Best Western Hotel. After we greeted and hugged each other, we moved our luggage to a suite where we had connecting bedrooms and began an old fashion slumber party -- but full of plain ol' hard work.

The table with 4RV YA, fiction and nonfiction with editor Carla Ralston, authors Janet K. Brown and Melanie Robertson-King behind publisher Vivian Zabel

Carla Ralston tries to stay warm

          Saturday morning, September 15, dawned cold, dreary, and wet. We hauled (well, mainly "they") boxes and boxes and boxes of books and materials from the van to our tables. Someone wanted pictures of what it took to set up. That's impossible. Take my word for it, with the help of 8 people, it took us over two hours, as we shivered and felt our feet become numb. Needless to say, the crowds stayed away -- until mid-afternoon when the sun decided to awaken and warm us a bit. Then the people began to flood the grounds, over 2000 of them. 

Galand Nuchols, Carla Ralston, Jacque Graham, Melanie King

          The book festival actually was a combination of conference and festival. Authors and other book related people held workshops in the museum and history center, found on two sides of the grass area where tents held a children's area, exhibitors, and special book signing area. 

The children's books table with gift bag for drawing

          4RV had two tables, and one table held nothing but a variety of children's books, and at the end the gift bag donated by Stephanie Burkhart for a drawing. We had several people sign up, and the woman who won loved it.

Janet K. Brown, Melanie Robertson-King, Galand Nuchols

          4RV had three new releases, with their authors present to promote their books, and one of our top editors at our booth: Melanie Robertson-King from Ontario, Canada and her debut novel A Shadow in the Past; Janet K. Brown from Wichita Falls, Texas and her first book Victoria and the Ghost; Galand Nuchols from Mt. Pleasant, Texas with her second 4RV book Leroy's Chance; and editor Carla Ralston from North Dakota.

          Also located in the exhibitors' tent were some of the award groups. They were looking for children's books and middle grade/young adult books, published in 2012. They left with three entries for the Bill Martin Jr. Award: My Cat, Porcupine's Seeds, and Rhino Crashes &Critter Classes. For the William Allen White Children's Book Awards, the representatives took First Flag of New Hampshire, Life on Hold, and A Shadow from the Past. Joining them soon will be Victoria and the Ghost and Leroy's Chance.

          We sold several books, more than usual at a book festival. All told, the Kansas Book Festival was a success for 4RV Publishing.

A few glimpses of the hard work:

Boxes under table after setup

Boxes under the other table after setup

       Hope these pictures give just a glimpse of some of the work involved.

Galand begins tearing down

Even husbands work - Charles Brown

Sisters help, too - Galand's sister

Melanie sells herself and her book

      And then there's the "job" of meeting, greeting customers and persuading them they want your book.  

We're in the News - from Alaska to Kansas

          Published on the digital version of The Edmond Sun:

September 11, 2012

Edmond publisher speaks at Alaska Writers Conference

The Edmond Sun

 

EDMOND — Edmond author, editor and publisher Vivian Zabel of Edmond was one of the featured speakers at the 2012 Alaska Writers Conference Sept. 7-9.

This three-day annual conference brings nationally known authors, agents, editors and publishers straight to writers, ready to share their knowledge of how to write well and get published. Many of these speakers have authored or worked on nationally recognized books, films, television and other media.

Zabel was to present one of the Friday Interactive Workshops — Keeping the Reader’s Interest: A workshop on how to write so that “action” and “showing” keeps a reader’s interest.

Her publishing company 4RV Publishing produced the Oklahoma Book Award winner in fiction for 2010; “Confessions of a Former Rock Queen” by Kirk Bjorngaard. Other books have received regional awards in their categories. 4RV has released children’s books, middle grade and young adult books, novels and nonfiction books. 4RV is a royalty paying, traditional press. Authors do not pay for being published. The company takes the financial risks.

As an editor for more than 35 years, an English and writing teacher for nearly 30 years, an author with poetry, articles, short stories and novels published (with a few writing awards), and the head of a small publishing company for more than five years, Zabel experienced both sides of the submission experience. She understands being rejected, too. Since all submissions go to acquisition editors anonymously, one of her own submissions to 4RV was rejected.

“That’s the only way to keep the company honest,” Zabel said.

Zabel also was to speak on pitching book ideas and tips for impressing agents, editors and publishers, and presenting a finished book to a group.

 
           Included in the same issue of The Edmond Sun:

4RV launches young adult paranormal books

4RV Publishing of Edmond will officially debut two young adult paranormal fiction books at the Kansas Book Festival Sept. 15.  The event will be at the Kansas Museum of History in Topeka, Kan.

“A Shadow in the Past” by Melanie Robertson-King and “Victoria and the Ghost” by Janet Brown will debut at the Kansas Book Festival.

Robertson-King will be flying to the festival from Canada to sell signed copies of her debut YA/crossover paranormal romance.

In “A Shadow in the Past,” ancient Scottish legends become a reality when Sarah Shand finds herself transported back to the Victorian Era. She falls for the handsome Laird of Weetshill, but will he simply be the next to break her heart? After all, he is spoken for...

Brown will sell signed copies of her new YA paranormal novel as well. 

In “Victoria and the Ghost,” Victoria, a 15-year-old city girl, loses her mother’s love and tries to cope with country isolation, no friends, and no one who cares, until she meets a ghost.

           At the time the press release was sent to the media, the company didn't know Leroy's Chance would be ready to be launched. However, Galand Nuchols will be at the Kansas Book Festival for the official release of her novel, too. 

          All together, 65 4RV titles will be available for purchase at Topeka.  All can be found on the 4RV Book Store, too.

 

4RV Book Launch at Kansas Book Festival

by Vivian Zabel 

     4RV Publishing will have a booth at the Kansas Book Festival September 15, and many titles will be on display and for sale. However, two new releases will be launched. The authors will travel from Canada and Texas for the launch of their books and other authors will attend from Texas and Oklahoma to autograph and promote their books. A top 4RV editor will also attend. Of course we welcome all authors, editors, staff, and readers to visit us in Topeka on the lawn of the Kansas History Museum, 6425 SW 6th Avenue.

  Coming from Ontario, Melanie Robertson-King, author of A Shadow in the Past, will attend the festival to launch her young adult novel. Also attending is the lead editor for the novel, Carla Ralston from North Dakota. The blurb from the novel reads:

    Nineteen-year-old Sarah Shand finds herself thrust back into the past. There she struggles to keep her real identity from a scociety that finds her comments and ideas strange and her speech and actions forward, unlike Victorian women.

     When Sarah verbally confronts confining social practices, including arranged marriages, powerful enemies commit her to a lunatic asylum.

      After falling in love with the handsome Laird of Weetshill, Robert Robertson, she must decide whether to find her way back to her own time or to remain in the past with him.

 

 

     Traveling from Texas to help launch her new young adult novel, Janet K. Brown will promote Victoria and the Ghost. From the back of her novel comes the following blurb:

     At fifteen, Victoria, a city girl, loses her mother's love and tries to cope with country isolation, no friends, and no one who cares, until she meets a ghost.

    Both novels and other 4RV books can be found through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and brick and mortar stores, as well as the 4RV Bookstore.