Hastings Entertainment store hosted its annual Authors Fair on Sunday at the Ogden Marriot, with 40 local authors exhibiting their newest works.
The authors fair is an opportunity for local authors and book lovers to meet and network while discussing and selling their published books.
Award- winning young adult author, Wendy Toliver headlined the event with her latest release, “Once Upon a Time: Red’s Untold Tale.” The book is a tie-in novel for the popular TV series.
“We basically launched [the book] at Salt Lake Comic Con,” Toliver said, “And it sold out both days.”
Toliver credits her success as an author to being an avid reader and networking with other authors.
“There’s a lot of really great organizations right here in Utah that writers can join,” Toliver said. “But being a really good reader is going to make you a better writer.”
A wide range of literature spanned the fair, from legal thrillers to paranormal romance.
Layne T. Oliver wrote his first book, “A Pebble in a Pond,” after being struck by lighting. This book is a memoir of his near-death experience.
“If you’ve got an idea in your head, you’ve got to pick up a pencil and you’ve got to start some place,” Oliver said. “If you have a dream, you can’t let go of it, you have to follow it.”
Treg Julander, a Weber State alumn, wrote his first book, “Until Murder Do Us Part” after hearing a friend’s dream.
“It took a very long time,” Julander said. “I started writing in 1998 and [it got published] just last December.”
Stacy Ward, Hastings book manager, said that the success of the previous year’s fair lead to a change in venue for this year’s event.
“We already have a big local author base at the store,” Ward said. “We pretty much have book signings every week.”
Hastings caters to book-lovers by offering cash for used-books and discounted book prices. They also host Storytime on the last Saturday of each month and hold book signings and readings regularly.
For more information on Hastings Entertainment activities, visit gohastings.com or call 801-399-2090.
