Thursday, October 15, 2009

Anny's Booksigning...

Ah, the glamour of a booksigning...right? Well, not really. A large percentage of your time is spent waiting. Waiting for someone to stop at your table. Waiting for people to wander by. Waiting for someone to pick up your book and look at it.

Fortunately, I had wonderful tablemates sitting with me. Kathleen Coddington even arrived in a wonderful gorgeous costume to promote her book Threads of Destiny. And Tracy Cooper-Posey brought her lovely husband, Mark.

Large booksignings are a bit strange. Groups of people arrive and roam from table to table, looking at books, helping themselves to the assorted freebies the authors might have set out. Some have specific authors in mind when they arrive. Others don't have anyone particular they're looking for so they wander from table to table looking for something interesting.

It's noisy. Very noisy. People have to raise their voices so they can be heard and then it gets noisier. It makes talking with your neighboring authors somewhat of a challenge.

At some point it reaches a crescendo and then suddenly the afternoon is over. The readers all leave and the silence is deafening. All that's left is the clean-up as you savor that book or two that you sold. Or that wonderful compliment you received from a reader. Or even that surprise appearance from a friend or fan.

That makes it all worth it.

anny

5 comments:

  1. I really don't understand booksignings. What is the point? I prefer people to wander up and talk to me at random without all the hoo-ha. It makes more sense.

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  2. Glad you had a great time! Looking forward to next year; I already have it on my calendar.

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  3. Great pic! You clean up real well when the urge strikes you. HA HA

    Jane

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  4. I loved the booksigning. I really think it's not so much about selling books but about selling yourself. Readers get a chance to know you a little bit.

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  5. I'm sorry I missed it. I have to admit though, I think I'd have been more excited about meeting the authors I like. Having to "chat people up" is not my sort of thing.

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