Author post
Having a Blast in the 15th Century–Arizona Renaissance Fest Update
by - April 13th, 2012
Gail Martin joins us on the blog today to share her recent experiences from the Arizona Renaissance Festival and tons of great photos from the event. If you’ve never been to a Renaissance Festival it’s a pilgrimage every fantasy fan should make at least once. So check out what Arizona has to offer or let us know which festivals you frequent.
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This was my fifth year as a guest author at the Arizona Renaissance Festival, and from having been a guest author equally long at the Carolina festival, I’ve gotten to know many of the vendors, performers and artists. So going is always like an extended book signing plus old home week.
Ann Chamberlain hosted me at her marvelous bookshop near the joust, where I greeted passers-by, offered them a free bookmark, and managed to fry my cleavage (ouch!) despite what I thought had been good application of SPF 70 sunscreen. It’s fun to see readers whom I’ve met from previous years and chat about the books, life, and in many cases, their writing projects which are still works in process (keep on writing!).
Of course, I love reconnecting with old friends like artist Ruth Thompson, Raphael from the Tortuga Twins, Don Juan and Miguel, the Tartanic gang, and Zilch the Torysteller, and several of us were able to meet up for dinner on Sat/Sun. Despite spending most of my time at the shop with the books (a very good thing!), I did meander around, and managed not to go on a shopping spree by reminding myself that almost nothing would fit in my carry-on luggage!
The folks from the Croft (a small recreated village on the grounds) even brought me a little home-made haggis, which I had never tried before (and found to be very good—who knew?). I tried to drink enough Mt. Dew to stay hydrated in the Arizona sun, and snagged a soft pretzel or two as the vendor wandered by.
The festival is in the foothills of the Superstition Mountains, which are very compelling to me. Coming from the East Coast, I’m also intrigued by the desert landscape, with the saguaro cacti, and all manner of “strange” plants I don’t see back home. I also enjoy the effort Arizona goes to with its rock art around the highway on and off ramps, although one large installation near Mesa, which I think was meant to be roadrunners, looked an awful lot like the Partridge Family logo (just sayin’). Couldn’t help humming Come On, Get Happy when I drove by it!
On to the pictures!
about the author
Featured Orbit titles by Gail Z. Martin
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Condemned as a murderer for killing the man who dishonored his sister, Blaine "Mick" McFadden has spent the last six years in Velant, a prison colony in the frigid northern wastelands. Harsh military discipline and oppressive magic keep a fragile peace as colonists struggle against a hostile environment. But the supply ships from Dondareth have stopped coming, boding ill for the kingdom that banished the colonists.
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Summoner-King Tris Drayke takes what remains of his army north for a war he is ill-prepared to fight, as reports from spies confirm Tris's worst fear. A new threat rises across the sea: a dark summoner who intends to make the most of the Winter Kingdoms's weakness.
Watch the video for THE DREAD here or connect with fans on Facebook.
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Summoner-King Martris Drayke must attempt to meet this great threat, gathering an army from a country ravaged by civil war. Tris seeks new allies from among the living - and the dead - as an untested generation of rulers face their first battle. Meanwhile, the legendary Dread are stirring in their burrows after millennia of silence and no one knows what hand wakes them and whom they will serve when they rise.
Jarl Kubat
April 13, 2012
at 9:24 pm
The Arizona Renaissance Festival has improved by leaps and bounds from when I was last there 8yrs ago! Keep up the great work and the Arizona Renaissance Festival will definitely become an annual event for our family!
Andrewson
April 14, 2012
at 3:10 am
great.