Invitation to Irish Book and Music Celebration Oct.3-5

I participated in the Literary Corner at the 2014 Milwaukee Irish Fest.   The table next to mine was sponsored by IBAM and the Irish American News.  In true Irish tradition, there are no strangers and I struck up a conversation with the woman sitting behind the table.  I was familiar with the annual IBAM Festival and earlier this year explored submitting a proposal to participate in the three day event.

It wasn’t clear from their website how they selected authors to attend but learning the group of well known authors who had attended previously, I decided I wasn’t in their league.  The woman told me she and her husband were searching for authors to participate in the 2014 IBAM festival and asked if I would be interested in attending.

What?  Are you kidding?  Pinch me now so that I wake up from this dream!  She gave me her husband, Cliff Carlson, business card and told me to e-mail him soon.  On Saturday I met Cliff Carlson and learned he is the publisher of the Chicago Irish American News and organizer of the IBAM Celebration.  In addition to having the opportunity to share a weekend with other authors selling our books he asked if I would be interested in making a presentation and or participating on a panel.

I had to be honest with myself, in the world of the Chicago Irish Heritage Center, where the IBAM Celebration is held, I’m a nobody.  Normally, I would have grabbed the offer to make a presentation and held on tight.  My confidence in this setting was zero.  I took the safe route and agreed to participate on a panel discussion with three other authors.

So, here’s the logistics:

Irish Book and Music Celebration

4626 N. Knox Ave

Chicago, Ill.  60630       
www.irish-american.org

Book Selling:  Saturday Oct. 4 noon – 6:00 pm

                         Sunday Oct. 5    noon -  6:00 pm

Panel discussion:  Schedule to be determined.

Topic:  Since the late 19th Century, Irish literature has caught the attention of the world.  What is it about Irish writing that gives it such universal appeal?

BTW:  I seem to have lost August – anyone know where it disappeared?