Back On The Bus: A Back-To-School-Expo

This Saturday (August 13th) I'll be at the Tinley Park Convention Center for Back On The Bus, a back-to-school- expo. I'll be set up there selling copies of HEART, Wonder Care, and coloring books. It's a free event so bring the kiddies. For more info check out the image below:

Chicago Book Expo 2014

My last show of the year will be this Saturday at Columbia College. The third annual Chicago Book Expo will be December 6, from 11am - 5pm at Columbia College Chicago, 1104 S. Wasbash. The event is free and open to the public. Come on down and get in on this great literary event!

Post: Story City Festival

A little over a week ago I had the honor of attending the Story City Festival in Story Ctiy, Iowa.  Nicole's aunt is on the committee for the festival and invited me to be a part of it.  I really did not know what to expect but I had an idea of what I would be doing there.

Nicole's aunt, Susan, had discussed that since this is a story telling festival I could have people tell me their stories and make a little drawing of it for them.  Basically, it's like doing my custom Signature Prints but I a bag n' board sketched version. 

It was a little challenging with the weather and being the only vendor the entire festival so I had to adapt to these things through out.  Story telling was broken up with show times and during those breaks I was able to interact with people who had stopped at my table.

All in all it was an interesting festival and Nicole and I got to sit in on the last night of story telling and have brunch with some of the tellers at the festival.

I did feel a bit out of place and having being a vendor all day Satruday I eventually felt like I was done in terms of selling books.  If they had a children's theme and more vendors spread out I could see myself being a part of this festival again.  If anything I would go back to listen to the story tellers as it was the highlight of the festival for me. 

The event ended with a ride on the Antique Carousel that's been around since 1913. 

Recap: 57th St. Children's Book Fair 2010

It was a bit chilly on Sunday but people still came out to attend the 57th St. Children's Book Fair. It was my first time attending so I was a bit nervous on what to expect. I heard someone say it was one of Hyde Park's biggest events and it did show. They had a nice balloon archway to greet you and stage performers and a parade to kick things off.

My brother and his family came down to see me. My niece is super cute and she was dancing to the music they had playing at the festival. Also my coworker came down with one of her friends to see me and they told me how amazing the 57th St. Books was.

As an exhibitor at the event I'd have to say it was a bit underwhelming. The key reason being location, location, and location. The entire event was a stretch along 57th St. and Kimbark Ave. and if you looked at it from above it was kind of a reverse L shape. I was one of the last tables on the end, a bit further from where the main intersection and balloon archway. 57th St. Books being at the central tip obviously drew the most traffic.


Being where my table was, I missed a majority of the people coming in and got a lot of people coming on there way out who have already purchased for the day.

I still made a good chunk of change just a little less than I'm used to. It was a good experience and I was able to talk to some fellow exhibitors and the locals about my books. With the amount of kids that showed up and it being a book fair, I was expecting to connect with the audience instantly. It was not the case, and it seems the comic-con crowd is really where I fit. It doesn't hurt to reach out to a different market. Hopefully with all the business cards and mini one-on-ones I did, I'll see a spike in online orders.


After the fair, Nicole and I checked out that 57th St. Books and it was an impressive book store. There are about five rooms filled wall to wall with books. It was like a cave with each room descending further and further back. If you are ever in the Hyde Park area, you should certainly check out that store. It was hard to walk away and not buy anything. Our post fair dinner was at Giordano's and we ended the night with a trip to Family Video. It was quite the Sunday.

Until the next show!

Special items for 57th St. Book Fair

Hi all!

Just a quick reminder that I will be attending the 57th St. Book Fair this Sunday (please weather, keep the rain away!) and I have some special items that I will be sellin' at the show.

I was informed that the theme for this year's fair is Mystery and Science: What Will You Discover at the 57th Street Book Fair? So I decided to do a special print based on that. I'll be selling these limited exclusive prints for 10 dollars a piece OR free with any book purchase.


57th Street Book Fair Print by ~happyfestivus on deviantART

Also my wonderful girlfriend had the idea to design some bookmarks I can sketch on the back of. So come on down and pick up one of these $2 dollar sketchmarks and you'll get a free doodle done by me!



Once again, here is the link to the fair: http://www.57cbf.org/

The 57th St. Children's Book Fair

Just a reminder:


Click on the poster for more info!

I'll be attending this year!

57th Street Book Fair deets

Hello all,

I hope everyone had a good 4th of July! I just came back from vacation yesterday and I'm ready to get into things again. Here are the details on the book fair I will be attending in September.

57th Street Children's Book Fair
Sunday, September 19th
Hyde Park, Chicago
www.57cbf.org

Hope to see you there!