Every year I eagerly anticipate the Twin Cities Book Festival and this year is no exception. I decided to attend the opening night festivities on Friday night, Oct 16th, 2015 and celebrate Rain Taxi's 20th year. So I bought a ticket, got semi-dressed up or as dressed up as you can be when your going to be in a building with no heat and you need to stay warm, and went all by myself to the fairgrounds. I have to say I was a little nervous attending the event by myself but I met some other ladies who also went solo (Gail and Lacey) and had a blast.
The food was great, the wine was great and the company was awesome. I met some new authors and got to talk with one of my favorite authors Faith Sullivan (she wrote The Cape Ann). Craig Thompson was there (although I didn't get to talk to him) and many others.
The author of the evening was Laila Lalami. Laila's newest book, The Moor's Account was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. She talked in length about why she wrote the novel about the first black explorer of America, Mustafa al-Zamori, called Estebanico, who was a slave of a Spanish conquistador. The story she told was absolutely fascinating.
I cannot wait to read The Moor's Account. Oh how I love historical fiction. I thought she would talk for about 30 minutes and then after Laila signed my book and as I was leaving the building I noticed how late it was. She talked for over an hour to the rapt audience.
I had an awesome Opening Night at the Best Book Festival in town. Thanks Rain Taxi for 20 great years. Keep up the good work!
