Category Archives: 2016

June 2016 ~ Prescott (ON) Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market

June 2016

My first month at the market (not even a full month – only 3 Saturdays) was a success so I looked forward to June 2016 and what it would bring.

June 4 – our first outing with the tent we had to buy after the previous weekend when the one corner jammed… Back-up Blue I call this one. Not nearly as sturdy as “Wonderful White” but at least all 4 legs work and this one has a side panel.

June 2016

June 2016

I love the spots on this side of the market where you can drive through. The vehicle is handy and all of the totes I cart stuff to and fro in can be stowed in the trunk and out of sight rather than have them on the pavement under the table.

When the panel is on the back side of the tent, I have to lock the car because I can’t see it, but I keep my keys on one of the hooks on my bag tree so if needs must, I can get into the car as and when.

So on this Saturday, I sold 1 copy of Tim’s Magic Christmas, 1 copy of The Secret of Hillcrest House and 2 copies of A Shadow in the Past.

June 11 – This Saturday was an exercise in creative ways to keep dry. It was cloudy when we unloaded and set up (you’ll notice the panel is on the side not the back this week).

June 2016

Unfortunately, about an hour later, the rains came down.

Tables pulled further into the tent. Plastic drop sheet over the tables and books.

Then the rain stopped so the drop cloth came off – wet and dirty around the edges. If the rain didn’t start up again shortly after that. Well, I couldn’t put a wet, dirty drop cloth over the books so I moved all of them to one end of the table and hung the drop cloth from the canopy leaving a “doorway” into the tent so people could still come in and browse. It kept the books dry which was the main thing.

June 2016

Because of the bad weather there weren’t many people out and about. I had also said that I wouldn’t be there if it rained but when it wasn’t when we left the house and didn’t start until later, I was committed. At least the rain stopped when it was time to tear down and call it a day.

I sold 1 copy of The Secret of Hillcrest House but like I said, no one was out and about. Even the vendors were few and far between.

June 18 – Wonderful White was back in service this week. The parts we ordered had come in and she was reassembled. The drive-through spots were few and far between thanks to construction in the parking lot but, I managed to get a spot on the side I like. It meant unloading then moving the car and backing into the spot behind the tent but that’s a minor detail in the grand scheme of things.

I used the side panel from “Backup Blue” and put it silver side in and tried a different layout with my tables. Still an L shape but a more inviting one … I think so anyway.

June 2016 IMG_1945 1280x1479

I didn’t have my hat this week so tried to stay under the canopy where it was shaded rather than out and about in the sun. My story is the bear wouldn’t give it back to me. She’s my hat rack, you see … LOL!

June 2016

When the day was over, I sold 1 copy of Tim’s Magic Christmas, 1 copy of The Secret of Hillcrest House and 1 copy of A Shadow in the Past.

June 25 – This week there was some big ‘do’ going on in the parking lot for the town of Prescott so it was a bit crowded. Still got my drive through parking space but the back end of the car shared space under the canopy. The back half of the parking lot was roped off, a huge marquis set up and stacks and stacks of tables and chairs.

There were even two porta-potties and a hand wash station but they weren’t there for the benefit of the market vendors. They were brought in for the party later. But that doesn’t mean we didn’t use them.

June 2016

Table still laid out in the inverted L this week and the panel up on the side. I brought my poster board for Hillcrest House with the cut out windows and lights but ended up having to take it down because it was just windy enough that the foam core board kept blowing over.

June 2016

Even while the market was still going on, the volunteers had arrived and started setting up tables. One by one as the vendors left, their stalls were filled with tables!

Being a stubborn sort (I hear you gasp in surprise), I decided when it was time to tear down, I was going to go as slooooooowly as possible. And so I did. Tables, chairs and another tent were set up around my stall. When everything was packed and loaded, I had to back under the tent they had set up in front of the centre court to get out of the parking lot.

When all was said and done, I sold 1 copy of The Consequences Collection, 1 copy of The Secret of Hillcrest House and 1 copy of A Shadow in the Past.

In the seven weeks that I’ve been going to the Prescott Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market, these are my results…

  • 4 copies of The Consequences Collection
  • 1 copy of Tim’s Magic Christmas
  • 6 copies of The Secret of Hillcrest House

and

  • 6 copies of A Shadow in the Past

I’m looking forward to July and August to see what they will bring!

 

New book, new clothes, new season…

The new show season has arrived!

new book

It’s been some time since I’ve done an event. A bit rusty getting the tartan throw centered on the table. That coupled with having 4 books to display added to the confusion.

The sign I had for A Shadow in the Past got damaged in transit last year so I have to create a new one. I’m looking at getting a banner made for it and getting the stand to put it in. I have an easel and that’s fine but it does take up a lot of space.

So, the new book – The Secret of Hillcrest House – is on the end at the right in the picture. It was quite bright in the hall, but the picture mounted on foam board behind the books has the windows in the attic cut out and battery-operated LED lights behind them.

The new clothes. I bought the long ‘suede’ vest (as well as a short fringed one) and the white sweater from simons.ca. Ever since being in their store on a trip to Quebec City, I fell in love with their clothing.

new book

new book

new book

The only drawback with the long vest is static cling. And when a body walked, the fringes wrapped around the legs. That’s just a minor detail. The tartan boots were brought out of retirement from last year.

While sales at the Friendly Circle Showcase on Saturday were slow, it was fun to see everyone again and make plans for other events later on in the year.

So a recap of the day. I only sold 2 copies of The Secret of Hillcrest House. When I went through my spiel, I described it as supernatural with ‘spicy’ romance. One of the women said my comment made her giggle.

Before Saturday’s show, I had sold 14 paperbacks of The Secret of Hillcrest House and 10 kindle copies.

If you want to find out more about any of my books, you can find them on my website’s books page.