The Gathering of Many Authors

The Fantasy Gather at the Hyatt International North-South room at 8:30PM Friday evening was a celebration of 65+ authors. This gathering celebrated the world of literature in a way that gave attendees a chance to meet authors of various genres. It also gave participants the chance to peruse books in new genres they may not have had the chance to before.

The crowd gathered outside the event with an air of anticipation. Many wanted to meet their favorite author and see if there were new books in the series they were devouring or if there were new works in the pipeline they could add to their to-be-read pile.

All of the authors were more than willing to sign autographs, answer questions, and talk about their work. For some of the authors, this is an annual event. For others, this was their first time. The first timers were excited and nervous since they had yet to experience the amount of people who attended and purchased books. It was the book signing of the year. So many people. So many opportunities to experience the joys of being among other readers.

Once the time arrived, it was hard not to notice how the crowd fanned out across the room. It’s not often that so many successful writers are present in one place. The atmosphere of the venue was one of shared passion: the joy of reading. Most attendees bought more than one book from several authors, having each one autographed, leaving with smiles on their faces.

The atmosphere was like a huge book club, genuine smiles and conversations enhancing the joys of reading. Authors like to talk about their books, readers like to listen to discussions of craft and process, and everyone brought something to the table to make the event something special.

The process of choosing which authors participate in this event is by application. Cisca Small, the director of the track, reviews the applications and determines who will be at the gathering. Friday’s event was the largest ever with many new authors. Novels, short stories, anthologies, and previews of upcoming publications were represented, giving something for everyone to be drawn to.

If you missed Friday’s event, this is an annual event that will be back next year.

Author of the article

Award-winning author Amanda Faith may have been raised in Dayton, but her heart and home is in the South. With a lifelong love of teaching and writing, she had plenty of encouragement from teachers and friends along the way. Loving a good puzzle has always been a fascination, and writing gives her the outlet to put all the pieces together. Being adventurous and loving to try new things, it wasn’t long before her characters found themselves in unusual situations. She loves to put people from two different worlds into new situations and to see how they interact, taking them on journeys they would never have normally experienced. Her current adventure working as a high school English professor turned Media Specialist, writing, and doing paranormal investigations doesn’t slow her down from having a great time with a plethora of hobbies. Her published credits include several short stories, poetry, several journal articles, her doctoral dissertation, and her award-winning book Strength of Spirit. With multiple degrees, she has a passion for learning and exploring new venues. She is a staff writer for The Daily Dragon at Dragon Con. Check out her new website (www.amandafaith.net) or on Instagram (@dramandafaith)