Saturday's book signing would have been a wasted day had I been the soul author.
I woke at 3:45 am and drove the three hours to Portland. Luckily the pass had only a few spots of ice and it was actually warmer on the mountain than it had been here in the high desert. I arrived at Minnette Meador's at 7:30. Hanna Rhys Barnes arrived around 8:00. We loaded into Minnette's van and her husband drove us the three hours to Bellevue, WA with a stop for lunch since our signing started at noon.
Lisa Hendrix met us there. I love the fact there are book stores out there who are willing to do these types of signings. But this is my second signing in a row where there wasn't a poster at the door that announced there were authors in the store signing and reading. I'm making a note to start bringing a large poster with me that I can set up at the front of stores when I am signing. I think that would attract more attention.
As stated before we talked about ourselves and books and then read from a book. We had six people listening and two were store employees. One gentleman and I started talking. He knew the area where I grew up, the foundry where my brother started out, and some people. It was that connection that made him buy a book. And the wonderful Lesa Dragon who we'd all met at the Emerald City conference came by and bought one of each of our books. And that was all we sold in three hours. A weekend when we and the store thought they'd be booming there were more employees in the store than customers.
And the event was publicized because two people said they read about the event in the paper. But I am becoming a firm believer in the need for a poster at the door. Which will be one of my New Year's goals. To produce a foam board poster that I can change the day and time on for each event.
As an author what do you think helps your signings? As a reader what do you like about book signings? What don't you like?
I hope you all had a happy family filled Thanksgiving.
