On Book Starings, er, I mean Book Signings

When I was trying to get published, I dreamt of the moment I would be sitting in a Books A Million or Lifeway signing copies of my novel. Well, that moment has finally arrived.

I just finished up my Atlanta book tour and thought you might be interested in my experience. Man, it was awesome. People waited for hours just to get to meet me and have me sign their copies of Crossing Oceans.

The local papers were really good about covering the events and I even made the front page of a few!

People gushed about my writing, my outfit and how skinny I look in person compared to my pictures. I left feeling really good about myself, my writing, and life in general. I can't wait to do this again!

Um, are you laughing? You are if you've done a few book signings.

Really, it was more like wearing a big sign that says "Kiss me, I'm contagious."

Most of the stores were really good about doing some PR with signs about the store and handing out fliers ahead of time, but not all. In one case, my Atlanta host and good friend, Ane Mulligan, rushed me across town so we would be on time for an evening signing. When we arrived at the store, there was absolutely no indication an author was going to be there doing a signing. I mean not only were there no signs, fliers or anything like that, I mean there were none of my books out, not even a little desk for me to sign at.

Lucky for me, I'd already been humbled a time or two before hand, so I wasn't all that surprised or bothered. I simply said to one of the clerks, "I'm an author who's supposed to be doing a signing here tonight."

He gives me a dull look and says, "Oh yeah, the manager mentioned something about that. I'll get you a chair."

So, there I stand for two hours, handing out promotional book markers and apologizing to people because I don't know where they can find a book on sushi rolling.

In my limited book signing experience, I've had events where I signed hundreds of books, and then others where I've signed just one.

What I've learned in a nut-shell is this: book signings= lessons in humility.
This video pretty much says it all. Here's another article you might find interesting as well.