It is nearly eleven hours drive to Minot for us and half a ton of books.  Couple that with four eleven hour days and it still adds up to a very good time.

    There was nearly non-stop signing, unpacking books, stacking and talking to folks in the lulls in between.  I received a couple of free coffees as I was their best customer by far.

    Having great authors around me to snatch a quick word with made the time in between pass quickly.  On the last day of the festival, Saturday, Lauraine Snelling brought in a couple of young musicians.  She asked me if I would jamb with them, but there just wasn't time, though I did manage an occasional tune in between visitors.

    As usual, returning customers stopped to purchase the newest book (Stolen Genes-Stolen Children) or to discuss their feelings and appreciation for the other novels, My Enemy's Child and the Vallkulla Books.

    One woman in particular related a confession of her unfortunate childhood in Poland, during WW-II.  Read it about elsewhere in the blog and on the Smultron Publications Readers Forum (http://www.smultron-pub.com/Forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=203).

Here are some photos of friends and participants at Höstfest.  I hope you enjoy them.