Popular authors are inundated with requests for book festival invitations, so it can be a challenge to know which ones to accept and which to decline. In my experience there is just one "must attend" among them all, and that's the TBF of Rochester. Will you reach huge numbers of wildly enthusiastic readers? Yes, and they will pretty much redefine the word "enthusiastic" for you. Will you sign a ton of newly sold books? Absolutely. But this doesn't give you the full picture of what TBF offers. I have truly never seen a festival that goes to such lengths to personalize the experience for the authors with custom-made gifts, unforgettable dining experiences, and truly a way-beyond-the-call-of-duty effort to treat the authors like movie stars. Every year of the TBF is unique, but just to give you an idea: The year I went a beautifully refurbished 1949 chrome-lined bus delivered the authors to the venue, where they not only entered the front door on a real red carpet flanked by crowds of cheering readers, but were greeted by a full marching band in uniform. Rereading that last sentence I must say it sounds like something I just made up. But I didn't. Stephanie Squicciarini made it up, and she made it happen, really and truly, at the TBF. Mark Crilley