Our First Book Fair Adventure Oil City PA

So here’s the thing—we’ve been writing books for years now. The Rogue Artist’s Survival Guide, Making Art, Making Money, Dear Artist, Don’t Give Up… all those titles have been floating around the world, inspiring creatives, collecting coffee stains, and (hopefully) encouraging a few people to keep chasing their art dreams.

But here’s the wild part: until now, we had never actually promoted the books. We just wrote them, put them out there, and went back to painting, making jewelry, playing music, and doing all the other wild creative stuff we do.

This book fair was our first real attempt at saying, “Hey world, we wrote these, come check them out!”

Setting the Stage

We got ourselves a striped little booth (picture a circus tent meets rogue bookstand), set up a table, stacked the books, and hung our posters that basically screamed:

“We want YOU… to read books by two weirdos who think art should change your life.”

It was equal parts hilarious and nerve-wracking. Would anyone care? Would people stop? Would they think we were trying to sell snake oil for starving artists?

Spoiler: they did stop, and no, we didn’t sell snake oil.

Meeting People Face-to-Face

The best part wasn’t the selling—it was the conversations.

We met artists, teachers, writers, musicians, and people who had been quietly following us online for years. One person said, “I didn’t even know you had books!” Another told us they were so glad someone was finally saying out loud that artists don’t have to starve.

Hearing those reactions made every late night writing session and every self-doubt spiral totally worth it.

Lessons Learned

1. Promoting isn’t sleazy. We realized sharing our books in person is just another way to connect.
2. The books really do matter to people. Sometimes you need that reminder.
3. A striped tent makes everything better. Seriously. Instant street fair charm.

The Big Picture

Doing our first book fair was a reminder that stepping into new territory is always a little scary… but that’s also where the magic happens.

We left the day tired, sun-soaked, and buzzing with gratitude. It wasn’t just about selling books—it was about showing up, being seen, and reminding ourselves that promoting your art isn’t about shouting the loudest. It’s about connecting, laughing, and sharing stories with people who get it.

And yes—we’re officially hooked. This won’t be our last book fair.

Takeaway for our fellow creatives: Don’t be afraid to step into new territory with your work. That little striped tent might just be the doorway to new connections, unexpected encouragement, and a whole lot of fun.