Wyatt Ehrenfels Addresses 80 at National Mall

[wyatteh...@yahoo.com]

They told him it could be done. Two young book enthusiasts settled a
bet with local author Wyatt Ehrenfels (Fireflies in the Shadow of the
Sun, 2004)that fliers distributed to patrons of bookstores and
libraries would attract 50. They were wrong. They attracted 80.

"Best money I ever spent, losing that bet," claimed the author, whose
wager with two locals he met at one of his other book events produced
inspired marketing.
"I wish I could tell you that it was the promotional was a successful,
but the researcher in me tells me many of the attendees could have been
passerbys who stopped to see what all the fuss was about and maybe got
caught up in the enthusiasm of the speech or got taken in by the
banners."

In a word ... location. location. location. The serendipitously timed
and located event offered a buffet of book related discussion topics.
The dozen or so subjects included the meaning of dreams, the science of
Psychology, and the harassment of authors who publish critical works.

"I'm sure the range of topics had something to do with it. I would have
not had so many if it were just about dreams."

And the modest DC crowd many have just witnessed the birth of the next
tradition in local authorship.

"Two authors in attendance thought we could build on this experience by
teaming up and making this an annual event. A book fair. I'm not sure
we'll go that way yet. I won't be living in the metropolitan area this
time next year but I suspect other authors will follow what we did here
today. And judging from what the cop told me as the event wound down,
they're going to need some kind of permit."

A phone call to D.C. police verified concerns with both the size and
location of the crowd, though it was never clear whether any laws or
ordinances were violated. While Wyatt Ehrenfels was not fined for the
event, he may have very well grinned from ear to ear over money well
spent. The author was not willing to wager over whether his event
violated any laws, but no doubt he'd come out a winner win, lose, or
draw.