Laredo Book Festival

Just returned from the Laredo Book Festival where several local and out-of-town authors celebrated “The Best of Texas and Beyond.” As authors, we did readings and served on different panels throughout the day.  

I served on an afternoon panel plus I did a morning reading of my latest book, Alicia’s Fruity Drinks. It was great meeting some of the local authors. I got to meet the 2012 Texas Poet Laureate, Jan Seale, and I eagerly bought one of her books of poetry, The Wonder Is, which she graciously autographed for me. She lives in the Rio Grande Valley.

The librarians at the Laredo Public Library where the event was held, did an outstanding job of coordinating a full day’s worth of book activities. The public was invited and it was a pleasure interacting with the locals, both grownups and children, on the subject of books.

I hadn’t been to Laredo, Texas, since I was a child. When I saw the St. Augustine Church in the small plaza across from the hotel, it brought back memories of when my abuela used to take me to Sunday Mass there whenever I visited. The church is as majestic as ever. It was a nostalgic trip for me as well as a writer’s event.

While in Laredo, I met a bear. Yep! I kid you not! Here’s the pic. Is the bear real or not? You be the judge!