Friday, December 15, 2006
Booksigning Blues
So my most recent book has been out for three months. Typically I do a rash of booksignings for six weeks after a new book release. But over the past couple of years, I realized that there were many more people in the bookstores on any given day in December, than there were on a Saturday in September. So my plan? To throw in a few more booksignings in December. Afterall, people are there to BUY. Right? This afternoon I went to one of these brilliantly-thought-out booksignings. Yes, the store was crowded. Yes, customers were piling in, buying CD's, paintings, jewelry, and DVD's off the shelves. But, no, I only sold one book. ONE. Do these people read? I've sold 30+ books at a similar bookstore a dozen miles down the road on an odd night in October. Aren't they as desperate as I am to get those names crossed off on their Christmas list? Don't they feel the pressure of there only being eight more shopping days until . . . it's too late? I guess not. Maybe that's because I'm the one "not" shopping and realizing how much time I've spent promoting my book and not getting ready for Christmas, or much of anything else. Or maybe next year I should just stick to the six weeks of booksignings.
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5 comments:
I'm with you--I'd rather go to the dentist than do a booksigning. I'm usually sitting beside some wildly successful author (last month it was the Junie B Jones lady) and I walk out of the store with a complex muttering, "but the book got great reviews . . ."
There should be a support group for book signing woes. After my own signing today, my son actually asked, "Did you get writer's cramp?"
I wasn't sure whether to cry or laugh at that. Instead of launching into a diatribe of what a book signing is REALLY like, I just said, "Um . . . No."
Heather,
I'm sorry you had such a crappy time. Booksignings can be so cruel!
UGH! I am working in my own little grocery store today and actually sold one of my own books. When My husband called to check in, I laughingly told him I did better today while working than I sometimes do at a booksigning. Yes, I said it with a laugh . . . if it were really a joke instead of true!
The good thing is that I have great writers to commiserate with. Maybe I should just look on the bright side and send that one person who bought my book a thank you note.
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