Current Project: Lost Proposal
Status: Chapter 3 (Trust me when I say...you don't want to know how many times I've rewritten chapter one. Why are some books so easy to write and others are like pulling teeth???)
So this blog is just shameless, SHAMELESS promotion. But since it's not just shamelessly promoting ME alone, I'm doing it anyway.
Fellow MWV blogger Alice Sharpe and I are doing a joint booksigning TOMORROW, Saturday, March 14th from 12:00-3:00 PM at the Salem Lancaster Borders Books & Music. Alice will be signing copies of her March 2009 Intrigue release, MULTIPLES MYSTERY, and I'll be signing copies of STOLEN FURY. If you are in the Salem area on Saturday, we would LOVE to see you. As this is only my second "official" book signing, I have a warped opinion of what a book signing should be. Remember, my only other signing was my launch party. Where we sold 100 books. And EVERYONE was there because of me. (I should have had a tiara. That's how I felt.) Saturday's book signing will be very different. I already know this, have mentally prepared myself for the fact it could be a looooooong, lonely day, which is why I was smart enough to schedule this as a joint-venture rather than doing it all by myself. (See? the Nut doesn't fall THAT far from the tree, grasshopper. Misery, er...creativity loves company.)
So with all that said...instead of a long boring post about signings, I'd like YOU to tell ME about the best book signing you've attended. Whether it was one you signed at or one you attended. What stands out in your mind? What makes a GOOD book signing GREAT? And what do you wish authors would do more of at signing events? (Please keep your wish list in the PG-rated range. *grin*)
6 comments:
Eli, if I don't show up at Borders in the first hour or so that you and Alice are there on Saturday, would someone please call and remind me as I've probably forgotten what day it is. Not that I've done that recently or anything. Ahem.
Now, on to your question about the best booksigning I've attended. That's a tough choice. I've attended a couple for other authors where hardly anyone showed up, but I LOVED them because I got to spend a lot of time talking to the author. That's my selfish choice.
Other favorite signings are the Readers' Luncheons that the Portland RWA chapter (Rose City Romance Writers) sponsors each year with lots of authors and lots of books. (It's on April 18 this year.) Fantastic! And our MWV chapter used to coordinate signings with twelve or so romance authors at Borders. Again, lots of authors and lots of books. What fun those were!
What PG-rated things do I wish authors would do more of at signings? Get out from behind the table and talk to people. Yeah, it's hard to sign books without a solid surface...
P.S. What's the "Lost Proposal"? Was the proposal lost? Is that the title of the book or series? I must have missed something--sorry!
Eli, you and Alice have fun! I'm headed to Spokane in about an hour and a half. It's a six hour drive, but I'll have a notepad by my side and hope for some good ideas/scenes for the WIP.
I agree with Genene, The Reader's Luncheon in Portland is fun! My best friend has gone with me the last couple years and she's coming again this year. IN fact she has been bugging me about when it is. My highlight at last year's luncheon was when a writer I met at my first RWA conference in Seattle was at the luncheon and gathered her friends around for a group photo with me. That made me feel like Sherrilyn Kenyon the year before! LOL
I've had signings where only a couple people showed up and some where I had a ton of people. But I think it is best to do signing swith others, that way if very few people show up you have someone to visit with rather than sitting there looking so forlorn. LOL
Good luck, have fun, and always give away chocolate!
Eli, two signings come to mind. One was at nationals when a woman walked past my spot at the table, saw the book title (Prim, Proper, Pregnant...) did a double take and came charging back. "I got to have me that book," she chuckled. I loved her.
The other one was that joint signing at Borders with some of you. That was a wonderful experience. Valentine's Day, that's it. They were so gracious and there were so many people to talk to, etc...
I'm going to talk to the dh and see if we're going to be around in April as everyone seems to love the Portland signing.
See you tomorrow, Eli and hopefully some of the rest of you as well!
I've done a whole lot of book signings over the years, but the best ones were group signings. In Colorado, we did a lot of those. Sometimes I'd sell a few books, sometimes only one, but there was always a lot of people there to talk to. Signings aren't so much for selling books, as they are for connecting socially with readers and fellow writers.
At the famous Tattered Cover bookstore in Denver, they always make it an event with readings and Q&As, so those are lots of fun. There was this one for a friend of mine who wrote a historical novel about gypsies. She made a song out of her synopsis and had a group of madrigal singers perform it. Now that was special! I think she sold a couple hundred books that night.
I think signings are the most fun when they're an event. Readings and Q&As. My most successful signing in Oregon was the one at Wine Styles, where everyone got to taste different wines and eat snacks. It was way too noisy to read, so I just signed. I sold 57 books that night.
Wish I could be there, Eli, for you and Alice! Have fun and sell lots of books!
I'm in Spokane and have internet. Life is good!
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