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THE MAKINGS OF A GOOD BOOK SIGNING
By C. Hope Clark
A writer sent this to me recently, and it did my heart good to
see how authors and book store managers can join together for
a marvelous experience.
"Dear Hope,
Saturday was a fun day. You would have loved being there. Can
you believe a book signing? "Books On Main" in Newberry, South
Carolina scheduled five authors - a routine practice for Randy
Berry and Owen Holmes co-owners. I could tell this was not a job
to either of them. Randy is a retired school teacher. Owen is a
WWII marine veteran who raises orchids. Go to Carter and Holmes
Orchids on Google and see his eighteen greenhouses so you too
will believe the books are fun and the orchids must be work.
Better yet, visit them at their bookstore and see them partying.
At eleven, the store was packed with smiling friendly-people
exemplifying the staff, and owners. The signing ran from 11am
until 3pm. I was smart to have stopped for the extra ham-biscuit.
After Randy finished introductions, we each read from or spoke
about our writing. Customer’s applause warmed my heart. With
rejections, rewrites and the expense of mailing submissions,
I often ask myself, “Why are you attempting this?” and remind
myself fishing was cheaper and had no pressure. If I failed at
fishing, I excused my ability with, “They weren’t bitin’.” Most
of the time, I find editors and publishers aren’t even nibbling.
Being surrounded by people at Books on Main rededicated me.
So, it will be more submissions and rejections for me, but
wishfully there will be enough days with folks like those I met
Saturday to sustain me in this difficult hobby, or undertaking.
The latter being more accurate.
I was surprised at one-thirty when Randy’s daughter, Kira, walked
us all to a deli on the town square where we were treated like
John Greshams. We all sat together for some good conversation
and excellent sandwiches. "Books on Main" provided first class
hospitality all the way, and I left feeling up-lifted from my
association with the friendly customers, staff and authors. I
also left well-fed. My sincere thanks to, Randy, Owen, staff,
guests and authors.
Mickey Burriss"
Isn't this the way a book signing ought to be? The bookstore
manager, who loves his job, treats the authors like guests.
The authors, enthralled with the bookstore's treatment of them,
go around telling folks what a great place it is (like in this
letter to FundsforWriters). I guarantee that each of those
authors left having purchased something.
On list groups and forums, chats abound about the mistreatment
of authors by bookstore managers and staff. We hear horror stories
about being placed at a folding table in the corner of the store
and left to rot. As a result, many writers abhor book signings.
For the simple cost of lunch, the bookstore manager has purchased
word-of-mouth advertising from the author. This book store owner
was smart and made a remarkable day of it with five authors.
Such an event would more readily draw a bigger crowd, of course.
Mickey Burriss is an author from Columbia, South Carolina, and
I know him well. He loves to chat about writing to anyone who'll
listen. And he knows a lot of people. I guarantee that "Books on
Main" has received a lot more customers thanks to that simple
lunch and royalty treatment for a simple, first-time published
author on a Saturday afternoon.
BIO
C. Hope Clark lives for the day she'll be able to go to
"Books on Main" and be treated like a high-class author
with her published mystery series.
www.fundsforwriters.com
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