Meet Your New Favorite Authors
The Connecticut Renaissance Faire hosts a “Meet the Author” Book Signing Event every weekend of their season, featuring 2-3 different fantasy or sci-fi authors. Aspiring and established authors alike are invited to participate in the event, which provides an opportunity to showcase their work to guests of the Faire.
If you’re interested in becoming an author at the Faire, here are the key details:
- Who: Fantasy authors from around the United States focused on New England, New York, and New Jersey.
- What: A one-weekend book signing event at The Connecticut Renaissance Faire.
- Where: Lebanon Country Fairgrounds, 122 Mack Road, Lebanon, CT
- When: On a single weekend of the Faire’s current run dates.
- Why: To meet new fans, sell books, and grow your fan base.
- Cost: This event is FREE for approved NEW authors. Prior authors must pay as a Guest or Full-Run merchant based on how long they will attend the Faire. The Faire does not take a commission on your sales. Everything you earn is yours.
AUTHOR FAQ
While we cannot guarantee sales, many factors contribute to a successful signing day, including your presentation, sales technique, and the books you’re selling. In the past, our top-selling author made over $700 selling a book series. Don’t miss out on the chance to meet new fans, grow your audience, and potentially earn some extra income.
Please note that this program is specifically for book sales only. However, if you wish to sell other products at the Faire, we encourage you to apply as a guest merchant. Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to seeing your book sales soar!
The Connecticut Renaissance Faire is an outdoor event. Authors attending the faire for book signings must provide and set up their own materials. This includes:
- An easy-up style tent
- A table
- Chairs
- Any additional items you need to successfully run your book signing area
You will also need to bring your books, pens, and any marketing materials you’d typically use at a signing event.
Setup Requirements:
Your area must be fully set up on Friday before the weekend you will be attending.
Thank you for your cooperation in helping us create an enjoyable and professional experience for our guests!
Guest authors must follow the same rules as guest merchants, including wearing an appropriate costume that aligns with the theme of the Faire. While dressing as a character from your book is welcome, the attire must fit the historical setting—sci-fi or modern-themed costumes are not permitted.
You’ll have ample opportunities to showcase your work as the number of visitors passing by your signing area will be significant. On average, we receive 3,125 guests per day, which tends to increase on holiday weekends, and the longer the faire runs, the busier we get. Our busiest day was just over 9,700. While inclement weather can affect the turnout, you can still expect to see a substantial number of visitors throughout the day. Plus, visitors tend to pass by your signing area several times a day, giving you multiple opportunities to make an impression.
We appreciate having you at the Faire and hope you enjoy your experience with us. If you’d like to support us, there are many ways you can give back. We encourage you to actively promote your signing event on social media, your email list, and any other platform where you share news about your books. Even when it isn’t your signing weekend, sharing about the Faire can help us gain more exposure and bring in more guests.
As a small business, we rely on the support of our community. If you become famous, we would be grateful if you remember the Faire and give us a shoutout on your platform. Your support could help us grow and potentially even secure a permanent site in the future. Thank you for being part of our Faire family.
Yes. You will required to obtain insurance for the weekend or weekends you will be selling at the Faire. Once you are on our private merchant board, there are numerous merchants who can offer affordable suggestions for insurance.
I’M INTERESTED. HOW DO I SIGN UP?
If you are interested in participating, please visit our merchant page and fill out a guest merchant (or full run merchant) form. We are only allowing 2-3 authors per weekend, and if we get 2-3 full-run merchants they will fill all slots for the run.
