The Savannah Book Festival Opening on Feb. 13, 2014

The Festival officially started with the Opening address by author Scott Turdow. He was entertaining, informative, funny, and handed out some great advice. He spoke for about 45 minutes and then took questions for 15 minutes. Extremely enjoyable experience. His advice to would be writers. Put your butt in a chair and write. Just do it. Do the work. Practice your craft. 

The hall was full to capacity. Very glad we ordered tickets weeks ago. A keynote address will be held tomorrow and it was sold out so we will miss that one. The main event is Free and is located around TeleFair & Wright Squares in museums, and churches all day Saturday the 15th. There will be 36 bestselling authors to meet, chat with and of course sign their books should you purchase one. They were putting up large white tents in the Squares for the book sales yesterday. We enjoyed a long walk around the squares after a late lunch prior to hearing Scott at 6. Parking in the Whittaker Garage was close by and made for an easy walk to the theater.

We will spend most of Saturday meeting some of my favorite authors. Nancy Horan wrote Loving Frank. Which was about Frank Loyd Wright. I have always been interested in him and his design work. She inspired us to visit Frank's closest master piece to Virginia. Fallingwater which is in PA. We so enjoyed our visit and tour which was capped off with an amazing Brunch on one of the terraces over looking the stream that the house is built over. We went on July 21, 2013. It was intensely green and a misty rainy morning that just made the experience all the better. We opted for the smaller tour group of 10 and the brunch which I would recommend over the shorter tour with many more people. The rooms are small and the ceilings low so the small group was just the right number for the space. Great tour guide who knew everything about the house. She enjoyed brunch with us and we were able to ask even more questions.

Brunch was on the smaller terrace tucked close to the rock walls. The sound of the water was wonderful. I so wished I could have stretched out for a nice nap!

This window/wall opens to the stream below with steps from the great room. Never seen anything quite like it.

The dense green foliage and the sound of the water make you feel like you are living in a Tree House.

We are looking forward to also hearing from Eben Alexander who is from Lynchburg and wrote Proof of Heaven. The book is about his medical views on his end of life experience. He is a nerosurgeon and his experience changed everything he thought he knew about what lies beyond after death. I read the book a couple of weeks ago and will be interested to hear him in person. 

I am also hoping to meet the editor of Garden and Gun Magazine my favorite magazine. His new book is just out about all things Southern. Might be one I would purchase for the coffee table. I try to stick to Kindle ebooks to avoid all the clutter. I gave away at least 500 books over the last year or so when we were moving only keeping a precious few. I will post more about the Festival after Sunday. 

The sun is shining bright today. Beautiful sunrise with no clouds viewed at North Beach this morning. Most of the east coast is under 22 inches of snow. Cooler than normal here this week. Today expecting 60 or better! The weekend also looks sunny and clear. Next week in the low 70s. I need to return to Roanoke for work. Mike is hoping to return soon to spend some sunny days doing some outside Cottage Fluffing. Wish I could return with him but I can't. I am encouraging him to come and enjoy some of the warm sunny days before the Cottage is booked up. We already have bookings in March so he needs to come this month. He has some things he is needed for at home this coming week or he could just stay and I could come back for him on the following weekend. 

Hoping for a bike ride in a few...so Laters!