As you read this, I’m in Texarkana, Texas, participating in the Fall Gathering of Authors. This is my second year to participate in this event, and I’ve really been looking forward to it.

Here are a few photos from last year’s event:

My friend Charity Kountz and I had the best location in the place.

Some of my books on display last year.

Our friend Rich Weatherly introduced us to this event.

In addition to giving indie authors a great opportunity to display our wares, this event serves two other purposes. On Friday night, there is a fund-raising dinner to help support St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. In the photo below, Tammy Thompson, who founded, organized, and runs this event, addresses the dinner attendees.

The other purpose of this gathering is to encourage young people to write. Tammy works with the middle schools in Texarkana to get students to submit essays or stories. Then the best of these are selected to be included in a book published for the occasion. Here are copies of last year’s book Dream Catchers.

On Saturday, the kids who wrote the stories included in the book sign copies just like we do with our own books. In fact, most of the traffic for our signings came from people drawn by the kids. Here’s a group picture of some of last year’s writers.

This is such a unique event. Where else can you hawk your own wares, encourage a bunch of young writers, support a wonderful charity such as St. Jude’s, be treated like royalty by the event personnel, and be given comped hotel rooms and a couple of meals? I’m sure I’ll be going to Texarkana for this event every year as long as they will have me.

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We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.

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For more information about David N. Walker, click the “About” tab above.

For more information about his books, click on “Books” above.

Contact him at dnwalkertx (at) gmail (dot) com or tweet him at @davidnwalkertx.