Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Booksignings


I'm having one this Thursday with my friend Spring Warren at the Borders in Davis, California at 7 p.m. Come on down. It'll be great. There'll be cookies with our book covers on them. Plus ones shaped like snails and others shaped like witch hats. We're going to do a literary mash up. Spring is taking a scene from her book (which is a memoir about eating 75% of her food by weight from her yard for a year) and my urban fantasy and smushing them together. It should be funny. And fun. Possibly even charming. I am extremely hopeful that we'll sell some books.

Now, let me tell you how much I hate doing this. I really do. I hate booksignings. I do one every year here in Davis for whatever book is coming out and I dread it. I try to make it fun. I try to make it a party (although Borders is banning booze this time). Still, it makes me just a little miserable.

Will anyone show up? Will too many people show up? Will obnoxious kids in the bookstore eat all my treats before the real guests arrive? Did I buy too much food? Will my talk be stupid? Am I stupid? Will anyone even care? Will they forget to order my backlist (again)? If they do order it, will anyone buy it? What should I wear? Dressy? Casual? Cleavage baring or modest? Okay. Forget the last one. I almost always go with the cleavage. I use it as camouflage technique. Maybe they won't notice how big my butt is if they're looking at my boobs.

Before I started writing, I used to love to go to booksignings. I loved to see if the author would look and sound how I expected her/him to or be entirely different. I loved to hear their stories. One time, Karen Joy Fowler read a scene that had been cut from her book. It was fantastic. I felt like such an insider. I've yet to figure out how to capture that joy on the other side of the table. I always feel sweaty and desperate.

So how about you? Do you love or loathe booksignings? Do you feel like you have to do them or do you blow them off entirely (something I'm seriously considering)?

8 comments:

Karen Whiddon said...

I only do them if the bookstore manager emails me and asks, and then ONLY with other authors. Never alone, never in small groups. The only reason I do it is to make the bookstore person happy and like me so she'll sell my books.

Hate them, hate them, hate them.

Eileen said...

So I'm not alone! Excellent!

Maureen McGowan said...

When I first started writing I fantasized about a few things. One of them was book signings. Now that I have actual books coming out? I can't even bring myself to go to a bookstore to try to set one up.

I also fantasized about having a big launch party and, well, my official release date is next week and I have yet to start planning said party. I don't feel nearly as celebratory as I thought I would...

And alternately terrified of being the center of attention and no one showing up...

Eileen said...

Oh, yeah. I know how that goes, too! I always think I want to be the center of attention and then when I am, I'm SOOOOOO uncomfortable.

Kristin said...

Well, I'm planning on being there! :) Looking forward to meeting you and hearing the reading. It sounds fun!

Eileen said...

Yay! At least one person besides my mother and my sister will show up! Thanks, Kristin. If it's just you, though, I hope you like cookies. :-)

Molly O'Keefe said...

A literary mash up!!! between how to live off the land and a book about a messenger for the things that go bump in the night - I WISH ICOULD GO TO THIS!!!!

You will be totally charming - you are totally charming. I do a signing at home every year and every year I sweat it because I'm pretty sick of me, and won't everyone else be too? But then I remember these things work on affection and loyalty - yours for your friends and family, and thiers for you. It will be a great night, and not just because of your cleavage - which is FABULOUS!

Eileen said...

I believe you also pronounced my cleavage to be womanly as well. :-)

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