Decatur Book Festival Prep!

Bookzilla photo stolen from the DBF FB page.
Note the grass,  we're in the midst of a drought here.

I'm so excited to be going to the Decatur Book Festival this year!  I've never been to a book festival before and I hadn't even heard of DBF before we moved here in January.  When the schedule was released I sat down with it and plotted out my day (we're only able to go Saturday, not Sunday) and found out that I would have no problem holing up in the Decatur Library from 11am to 4:45 pm.  

Needless to say, my husband was not okay with that.  So here's my current plan, which will undoubtedly change once we're in the thick of things:

9am.  Arrive, get a great parking space, attend library book sale and double current TBR pile.

10am.  Start wandering amongst booths, maybe score some cheap swag and buy a book or two.

Noon-ish.  Lunch.  Anywhere.  I'm hungry.

12:45pm.  Funnel cake?  Starbucks?  I need quick sugary energy because I got up early for a Saturday.

1pm.  More booths and heading over to the library when we get sick of walking in the heat.

4pm.  Talk with Jeff Hirsch and others.  Get ARC of Eleventh Plague signed.

You can click on that picture to make it bigger.  This is what I'm taking with: 

• My road salt covered backpack from college.  I was going to take a really cute tote bag, but when I get sick of carrying it, my husband would prefer the backpack over the adorable tote bag.  Please note the Kermit the Frog keychain.  I love the Muppets!
• DBF insert from the AJC which includes the schedule.
• SmartWater!  Water + electrolytes = exactly what you need on a hot, sweaty day.
• My ARC of The Eleventh Plague to get signed.
• Coconut Mango sunscreen from Bath and Body Works.  There's no reason you can't smell good while fighting the rays.
• Camera if I can find the missing SD card.
• Tiny wallet - the less bulk I need to carry the better.  Just some cash and my Starbucks card.  Note to self: get cash before Saturday.  Last library book sale the ladies had to hold me as collateral while my husband sprinted (er, actually, walked) three blocks over to the nearest BoA ATM.
• Some incidentals in the front pocket: tissues, chapstick, etc.
• Note: the cat will not be attending DBF.  She just likes to be in every picture I take.  And finally...

• See, I told you the cat is a photo whore.  This is the box we acquired at the last library book sale in May.  We weren't anticipating on buying so many books last time, but the Decatur Library book sales are always so awesome.  The box will be going with us!

That's all I'm planning on taking.  I've seen some people blog about the books they're taking with - up to twenty-five books!  Even if I had twenty-five books of authors attending, no way would I cart all that around in the heat and humidity!  That makes for one crabby Panda.  If you're going to be one of those people, please keep your slow moving rolling suitcase of books out of my way.

So that is the plan for Saturday.  If you see me and my backpack (I'll be the one with the cute red-headed husband) say hello!

Finally, some AWESOME NEWS!  I know a lot of people were disappointed to find out Diana Gabaldon was not on the author list for DBF this year, but guess what!?  She's going to be in town!  She'll be at The Eagle Eye Bookshop at 3pm on Sunday.  Eagle Eye is my favorite bookstore and in if you're in town for DBF and a Gabaldon fan, you should definitely stop by.  I'm hoping I can make it and get a 20th Anniversary signed copy of Outlander.