Books, Readers & Sunburns: My 2025 Cocoa Village Book Fest Recap

This past weekend was unreal. I headed to the Cocoa Village Book Fest hoping for a great day—and left with a sunburn, a nearly empty inventory, and a heart full of gratitude. Not only did I connect with amazing readers, but I also made nearly double what I earned last year. That’s right—your support turned this indie author’s booth into one of my most successful events yet.

Despite the shady cover from the trees, the sun had a mischievous streak and kept finding me. By the end of the day, I was a crispier version of myself (worth it!). But even that couldn’t wipe the smile off my face from talking to passionate readers, swapping stories with fellow authors, and watching the place come alive, especially with all the colorful pups that livened up the square like they owned the festival.

✨ Behind the Booth

This year, I went all in on making my space cozy and creative—complete with signed copies of In The Dark and His Haunted Footsteps, some fun bookish merch, and a layout that let people linger. Nothing beats the moment someone picks up your book, reads the back cover, and says, “Okay… I need this.”

I even had readers show up requesting a signature on their copies from when they bought my books at the local coffee shop, River Road Coffee & Popsicles. (Seriously… what a surreal feeling!)

💛 The Moments That Matter

I got to chat with aspiring authors, shy bookworms, and enthusiastic fans who had already read Kalea’s journey and came back to tell me how deeply it resonated. One return reader even brought a friend and insisted they “had to buy this book.” Cue my internal happy dance.

Every conversation, every smile, every “I love supporting local authors” meant the world. These events remind me why I write—why I pour my heart into every page and share my quirky stories to the world.

📚 A Heartfelt Thank You

To everyone who came by, picked up a book, shared a laugh, or simply said hello—thank you. Supporting indie authors isn’t just about buying books (though we love that too). It’s about keeping storytelling personal, diverse, and deeply human. You helped make that happen.

If you grabbed a copy of In The Dark or His Haunted Footsteps, I’d love it if you left a review—it helps more than you know.

Missed the fest? You can still order signed copies on my website or shop the Kindle versions anytime.

📖 → Find out more on my Goodreads!

🎉 What’s Next?

Keep an eye out—I’ll be announcing the next local author event and maybe even a fun giveaway soon—or even a potential release date for a book I’ve been working on! Until then, thank you for showing up and showing love.

See you at the next one (hopefully less sunburned 😅),

– Kaelyn Buzzo

Books, Readers & Sunburns: My 2025 Cocoa Village Book Fest Recap