Marketing in power spots

These past two months I've traveled to Bisbee and Sedona (picture below) to place my books in small bookstores and metaphysical stores. Sales seem to have picked up and I'm cautiously optimistic--not sure if it is word of mouth or what, but I've had to restock in several places! As to the internet sales and downloads, they limp along but I did receive a check for over $100 from Amazon. (Yay!)

I will be doing a book signing at Spirit's Child, a metaphysical store here in Tucson, on October 27th, followed by The Celtic Festival Nov. 1 and 2 where I will share a booth with a jewelry maker. Without the sharing aspect of this I couldn't afford it. Not only is the vendor price $150 for the two days, but they feel it's necessary to tack on liability insurance! I'm not really sure what they're afraid of short of one of the tents coming down on somebody-(I guess it's possible) Must be a story behind it.

Through Meet-ups I've joined a critique group and I tried the psychic fair for a day, paying $65 to sit with a group of men and women who were doing various readings--don't think the clientele was much interested in books. But being there brought my connection with the jeweler and led to the Celtic Festival, so you never know. All in all it's been a productive time both for writing and marketing.

I have two fantasy stories in the works--one is too new to mention (kind of superstitious about such things) and the other will be my focus in the critique group. In that one I have around 250 pages so far and hope to finish around 350. One of the characters has refused my planned ending, taking over the story and taking it in a completely different direction. Is it obvious that I write without an outline?

Do your characters grab the reins or do you stick to an outline for you stories?

Any and all comments welcome!