This past weekend in Los Angeles, I stepped into a moment I had never experienced before… my very first book festival as an author. Not just attending—but signing, sharing, speaking, and truly living inside the world of books.

It was the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books 2026—and it felt like walking into a living, breathing library where every story had a heartbeat.

A Seat at the Table… Among Authors

I found myself placed alongside established novelists, including a well-known romance author who had a steady stream of readers wrapped around her booth like a ribbon that never quite ended. Watching her was like watching momentum in real time—books flying off tables, readers connecting, stories landing in hands that truly wanted them.

And there I was… with my book, Flower Energy, offering something a little different.

Not just a book—but an experience.

I wasn’t just signing pages. I was handing out red roses.
I was sharing flower prescriptions.
I was telling the story of how this book came to life—from my flower shop to a global stage.

Each person who stopped by didn’t just get a signature. They got a moment.

Flowers Meet Books

There was something surreal about blending two worlds I love so deeply: flowers and storytelling.

People would pause… curious.
They’d smell the roses.
They’d listen.
And then something would click.

Because Flower Energy isn’t just something you read—it’s something you feel.

In a space filled with words, I brought texture, scent, and emotion. And that contrast became my magic.

The Power of Firsts

There’s something about a “first” that stays with you forever.

Your first book.
Your first signing.
Your first time seeing someone you’ve never met connect to something you created.

It humbles you. It grounds you. It expands you.

And this weekend reminded me—growth doesn’t always come from being the busiest booth or the longest line. Sometimes it comes from the deepest conversations, the quiet connections, the one-on-one moments where someone says, “This spoke to me.”

Full Circle with Pages Bookstore

If the festival was electric, then my heart belongs to Pages Bookstore in Manhattan Beach.

They were the very first bookstore to believe in me. The first place I ever did a book signing. The beginning of my journey into the book world.

And this weekend? We sold out.

There’s only one first book signing in your life—and they were it. That kind of support doesn’t get forgotten. It becomes part of your story.

What I Learned

This weekend wasn’t just about selling books. It was about stepping into a new identity.

Author. Speaker. Storyteller.

I learned that:

* People crave connection more than perfection
* Sharing your truth is more powerful than trying to fit in
* And when you bring something unique to the table—people feel it

What’s Next

This is just the beginning.

From Los Angeles to Manhattan Beach and beyond, I feel the momentum building. More signings, more speaking, more sharing the message behind flowers and energy.

Because now I know—there’s a place for this.
There’s a space for this voice.
And there are people ready to receive it.

And I’m just getting started.

⸻

Jenny Barker
The Flower Doctor
Author of Flower Energy: Channeling the Healing Power of Blooms

Shop: www.jennybarkertheflowerdoctor.com
Book available globally at Target, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and more

Flower delivery available in Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, and Palos Verdes.