As someone who knew early on that she wanted to be a writer – and who has been lucky enough to make a career of it – I've felt it was important to instill a love of reading in my kids.  In the four-and-a-half years since my twins were born, I've read "Go Dog Go" an estimated  1 million times and "Fox in Socks" more times than I ever wanted. 

As my twins have grown, I've enjoyed watch them connect with some of my childhood favorites – such as "Harold and the Purple Crayon" and "The Lorax" – and watch their growing interest in spelling and recognizing  new reading words each day.

Last year when I was asked to volunteer with the inaugural Gaithersburg Book Festival, I didn't really consider the impact this activity would have on my twins.  I was simply doing it for myself. It was an extension of volunteer communications work I did for the City of Gaithersburg that allowed me to apply my professional skills to a fun and worthwhile event.  More importantly, it allowed me to escape the daily deadlines of client work and get to know a great group of new people from my community who were committed to working together to put on a world-class event.

Because both my husband and I were working at the Festival last May, the twins didn't even get to attend—they spent the weekend at their grandparents' house. All my twins knew of the Gaithersburg Book Festival was that mommy went to meetings in the evening and spent a lot of time on her computer writing and reviewing Web text.

At least that's all I thought they knew of it.

Consumed by "mommy guilt" for not taking them to the Festival, I came home with several new books from authors who I met there. One particular author—Joseph Slate—was kind enough to mail me personalized, signed stickers addressed to my kids that we could affix inside his "Miss Bindergarten" books that I didn't have an opportunity for him to sign at the festival.

When Slate's envelope arrived, I told my twins how I had met him at the Festival and that he was the man who wrote the book we were reading. We looked at his website and I shared pictures with them that others had taken during the festival and later posted on Facebook. But that was the end of the Book Festival discussion in our house, and they didn't really mention it all summer.

Just a few weeks ago, though, it became clear what an impact it had. While washing dishes one night, I noticed the kids quietly playing in the corner of the living room, sorting piles of books. As I eavesdropped on their conversation, I heard them say that they were playing "book festival." They were picking their favorite stories and "reading" them to each other.

And this wasn't just a fleeting game, as many of their activities tend to be. Their "book festival" lasted for almost 30 minutes.

That was the moment when I understood the true value and impact of what we had created with the Gaithersburg Book Festival. If my twins—who didn't even attend—got it, I couldn't begin to imagine what influence the festival must have had on the children who experienced it firsthand.

That moment, too, made me proud of what we accomplished with the inaugural Gaithersburg Book Festival, and even more excited about the prospects for the future.

We're now busily preparing for the 2011 Gaithersburg Book Festival, scheduled for May 21 on the grounds of City Hall in Olde Towne.  We hope that you will be able to join us to see what we expect to be another great line-up of presenting authors and other literary activities designed to educate, entertain and inspire. 

Until then, visit our website to see highlights from our first event and get information about the 2011 festival. You can also connect with us on the Gaithersburg Book Festival Facebook page or follow us on Twitter (@GburgBookFest) to keep up-to-date on the latest news.

Gail Norris is a freelance communications and public relations professional and the co-chair of the Public Relations Committee for the Gaithersburg Book Festival.