A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of bringing my debut novel, Pocket Full of Teeth, to the Howler Arts and Literary Festival in Montgomery, Alabama! This event, known for its celebration of southern storytelling, music, and art, felt like the perfect place to introduce my southern gothic novel to readers who appreciate the eerie, atmospheric tales that come from the heart of the South.
The Festival: A Celebration of Creativity
The Howler Arts and Literary Festival is a unique blend of visual art, performance, and literature, highlighting southern culture and its many creative voices. It’s more than just a festival—it’s a gathering of people who live and breathe the art of storytelling, whether through painting, poetry, music, or, in my case, fiction. I was honored to be part of this community, sharing the stage with local writers, artists, and musicians who all draw inspiration from the rich, complex history of the South.
For me, the festival is the perfect backdrop for Pocket Full of Teeth. The story is deeply rooted in southern gothic traditions, filled with dark family secrets, ghostly presences, and the kind of heat that only a southern summer can bring. The Howler Festival, with its lively atmosphere and focus on the arts, mirrors the intensity and magic found in the pages of my novel.
What Pocket Full of Teeth Brings to the Festival
Pocket Full of Teeth isn’t just a story—it’s an exploration of the gothic South, where supernatural elements mix with the harsh realities of small-town life. At its core, the novel follows a young woman as she returns to her rural hometown to confront the secrets her family has buried for generations. As she digs deeper, she unearths both literal and figurative ghosts that have haunted her family for decades.
Selling the book at the Howler Festival feels particularly fitting because Montgomery has its own rich history of storytelling. The city itself, with its deep cultural roots and layers of historical significance, mirrors some of the themes in Pocket Full of Teeth. It’s a place where the past often feels present, where stories never truly die but linger in the air, much like the ghostly figures in my novel.
Connecting with Readers
One of the most thrilling aspects of selling Pocket Full of Teeth at the festival was the opportunity to connect with readers face to face. I’ve spent years crafting this story, layering in southern gothic elements inspired by authors like Shirley Jackson and Stephen King, while also pulling from the deep well of southern folklore. The festival gave me a chance to meet readers who, like me, are drawn to the eerie, the strange, and the unsettling.
I love hearing how readers connect with the characters, the setting, and the supernatural elements that permeate the story. Festivals like Howler are invaluable for that direct connection—where conversations with readers can inspire future work and help build a community around the love of storytelling.
Why Festivals Matter to Independent Authors
For independent authors like myself, festivals provide a crucial opportunity to share our work with new audiences. There’s something special about the face-to-face experience of selling a book directly to a reader, especially in an environment that celebrates creativity, but it isn’t just about selling books—it’s about building relationships, sharing stories, and creating lasting connections with people who might not have discovered Pocket Full of Teeth otherwise.
In a world where so much of book marketing happens online, festivals bring back the personal touch. Readers can meet the author, flip through the pages, and feel the weight of the story in their hands before they decide to dive in. It’s an intimate, tangible experience that reminds me why I love storytelling in the first place.
A Southern Gothic Story Comes Home
Bringing Pocket Full of Teeth to the Howler Arts and Literary Festival felt like a celebration of the unique magic of southern creativity, and I’m reminded of why I wrote this story in the first place—to capture the dark beauty of the South and share it with readers who appreciate the strange and the haunting.
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