We went to the Virginia Highlands Festival in Abingdon yesterday. I always enjoy walking around and checking out the crafts. I'm curious about the folks that come back year after year and show (and sell!) the same things. I check them out closely to look for new designs or innovations. To be honest, I rarely see anything new from them. Even the painted rocks have the same pictures I remember from previous years. If we find innovation, it's usually someone who's new to the festival.

But, I did use the trip to release my first books into the wild.

We stopped in the Martha Washington Inn and went to the lower level where the Shops (and the restrooms) are. I left a copy of Fannie Flagg's latest book on the bench in the hallway.

After we left the festival, we went to Cracker Barrel to eat, and I dropped off a mystery in the seat of a rocking chair outside the restaurant. When we came out, I noticed the book was gone!

I've enjoyed trading in used books at the bookstore in Johnson City, but there's something exciting about guerrilla book distribution. I've got a copy of GenX reader to leave at the mall, and I'm looking for the right books to release at the Virginia Welcome Center on I-81.

It's a fun way to thin out the bookshelves. I also tend to leave six or eight books at a time in the break room at work to let folks have something free to read.

If you haven't checked out bookcrossing.com yet, take a look.