The Great Lakes Book Bash was started by the amazing author Rachael Brownell as a way to connect authors and readers in one event. She was able to organize it in both 2015 and 2017. This year, I given the opportunity to be one of the authors at the event. I wanted to share my experience with everyone in this post because, as an independent author, who has been working hard to publish my solo books and promote them, this event was able to do that. But it was so much more.

From the moment I arrived in Michigan to our family, who was beyond amazing, my husband, who came with me and was my awesome assistant, and I immediately connected with all the authors, readers, other assistants, and volunteers of this amazing event.

I have to say, the Radisson Plaza Hotel, where the tables were all set up, did an amazing job. Though my husband and I did not stay at the hotel since we opted to stay with his grandmother, who lives in the Wayland area. The other authors who did stay there all talked about how amazing and accommodating everything was.

Now, on to the big book bash event: This all started on Friday, October 27, and we first listened to the amazing keynote by another author, M.R. Polish, who, along with Rachael Brownell, welcomed us and offered words to inspire us. They both were amazing.

Then it was off to meet our readers and connect with other authors. I also got a chance to record several authors on my podcasts, through Anchor, for my show of the daily events, and got to find out what the Great Lakes Book Bash meant to them.

I thought both days were amazing, and I got to meet some really great readers. I also had family come by to support the awesome event.

But the key thing for me was what Rachael’s event promo said: "Readers are our Rockstars." That was true, as you saw the different types of authors who came to the event; some of them were local authors in the Michigan area, and others came from different areas like Indiana, Georgia, North Carolina, and more.

For me, the biggest take of this event is to make connections with many of our readers and these fabulous authors, who I had met online through social media and finally got to meet face-to-face. Sadly, this was the last year for the Great Lakes Book Bash event, but I wanted to let Rachael Brownell and all those amazing authors I got to meet along with the readers, it was a moment I will cherish forever. Thank you all!