“Twas a year like no other…”
While I’m a month behind, I thought I should still share my lovely experiences at the Maryland Renaissance Festival this year. As always, I was graciously hosted by Page After Page, the bookstore at the festival. This was my first year debuting Laurel Emperor at the fair, as I had planned to do it two years ago, only for the books to be stuck in shipping no-man’s-land. Last year, obviously, was a bit of a bust (along with the two other events I planned to attend!).
This year would be different. I was honored to see so many friends, students and family at the fair, and sign several of my books for new fans! While the crowds seemed much larger this year, I believe they were actually smaller on Labor Day Weekend. It’s taking a while for my pandemic-addled brain to adjust to ‘crowds’ versus ‘crowds’.
I also got to debut my first attempt at a (basic) Roman cosplay outfit. This is a simple tunic with belt and wooden gladius, but I definitely felt more the part in this outfit than I had the year before! Now to get some additional clothing (and perhaps some Byzantine/late Roman outfits that may be a bit more snug) for next year!
Special thanks to friend-of-the author Matt for providing the gear – it definitely helps me feel and play the part of a Roman author/scribe/soldier better! For those of you who signed up at the book fair, welcome to the blog! I promise to write a bit more than I have. For future knowledge, I think I’ll be trying to move my author signing to later in the season in the future, as the crowds definitely grow by October as compared to early September. Anything for a sale and a signature, am I right?
Modern Papyrus 