Meet Carole Weitzel of Authors and More in Georgetown

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carole Weitzel.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Carole. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Another librarian and I were brainstorming a way to pay into social security, since our school district did not subscribe to social security.

When we realized that we had expertise in the area of booking authors or storytellers into our school libraries. I had been doing this for years for my students and would help coordinate author visits for not just my school but for other schools in the district. My planning would help the author and my colleagues as well as bring books and stories to life for our students. This was something that I enjoyed doing for my students, staff, and fellow librarians. What a great business to be in to be able to provide different forms of literature for everyone’s enjoyment.

Authors and More began as a response to a great need for help with booking authors and storytellers in the area. I started the business in 2009, providing a booking service for a number of authors and storytellers. Authors and More was born from my experience as a librarian and a need that librarians had to be able to bring a performer to their school/library. I help to make the event details easier for the performer and the librarians hiring them. I do the paper work, keep track of everything for the librarian and the author.

I am able to book performers into schools/libraries, public libraries, businesses, women’s clubs, churches, festivals and other events. I can work with anyone needing a performer for a program in any location.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
An obstacle for me when I started the company was that I was working as a full time elementary school librarian, so I could only work on my business in the evening and on weekends. As a retired librarian, I am now able to spend all my time on Authors and More.

Challenges for me in growing the company is becoming better known in the state. I started small, mostly working in the Austin area. Over the last few years, I’ve been promoting Authors and More by attending the Texas Library Association conference and regional conferences such as Region 20 in San Antonio, Central Texas Library Showcase, and other workshops in the state. I hope that by being visible at these conferences and workshops, that Authors and More will become better known.

Authors and More – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Authors and More is a booking agency representing authors, storytellers, and presenters. I provide presenters to schools, public libraries, businesses, women’s clubs, churches, festivals and other events.

My attention to details make the presenters and the librarians jobs easier and simpler. I handle all the paperwork for everyone including contracts, invoices, service agreements, and book orders.

I offer every librarian and author my personalized attention for their program.

Librarians needed someone to help with finding other schools or libraries to share costs of an author visit. I do work with the authors in negotiating costs for multi-day visits as this helps everyone to keep costs down.

Having over 30 years of experience in the library field, I have walked in the librarian’s shoes and know how to handle an event. I do paperwork for them from booking the gig to arranging books sales, airline tickets, hotels, car rentals, or even picking up an author at the airport. I try to do everything to make it easier to have a performer at an event and create enthusiasm for everyone’s reading and enjoyment.

What were you like growing up?
I was the oldest and only girl with 3 brothers growing up in Pennsylvania. I grew up being one of the boys, driving go carts and helping with race cars, riding bikes, etc. My brothers would say, I was a bossy big sister.

At the same time, my mother was a reader, so I have a love of books too. Along with the domestic things that a girl would learn, sewing and learning to cook.

Contact Info:

• Address:  118 Beach Mountain Cove,
  Georgetown, TX 78633
• Website: www.authorsandmore.com
• Phone: 512-914-2596
• Email: carole@authorsandmore.com
• Instagram: @Authors_and_More
• Facebook: Authors and More
• Twitter: @AuthorsandMore

Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.