What's the point of a book signing?

Good morning!

Tomorrow, July 19, I'll be at Martha Merrell's Books and Cafe from 6 Pm until dark doing a book signing outside during Historic Downtown Waukesha's "Friday Night Live."

I've done a few book signings since 2010 when Dream in Color came out and I've enjoyed them all, sometimes for very different reasons. 

While I've always enjoyed being out and about and talking to complete strangers, I've found in the last several years, that doing things, especially things that demand I be social, has become more and more difficult.  I blame it on my job, or on my health, but it's another thing I add to my list of battles as I age.

Doing a book signing, especially one where you're not a New York Times best seller, is different from any other public speaking because it's all on you to move that product.  And the people who stop at an author's table tend to fall into a few different categories:

1) Some people are readers and they will talk to you a little about your books and then buy them.  I like those kinds of folks.

2)  Some people want to know if you will share you candy.  (Book signing tip:  have candy at your table.)  This is an opening for you to talk about your books.  I like those folks as long as they don't let their kids clean you out.

3)  Some people like the idea of books, and really like the idea of meeting someone who strung a bunch of words together in a cohesive fashion, but they really aren't the book buying or the book reading type.  Those are the ones who will, while you're sitting for inches away from them, say, "Well, I'll wait until my sister finishes reading her copy of your book. I'll get it from her."  While I applaud their attempt to conserve paper by sharing books...hey, this is what I do!  Pull $10 out of your wallet and support the arts!

4)  Some people are just stuck on the sidewalk in front of your table.  Their waiting for their friend to get out of the restroom or something.  These are the people who will pick up your book and say, "Oh, you wrote a book?  I don't read."  I have no response for that.

Do I sell a ton of books at book signings? Not really.  So why do it?

Every author needs to be able to pitch their book in 30 words or less.  I haven't quite perfected the art of the "elevator pitch."  Book signings help me focus and hone a synopsis of each book down to a few sentences.  Even if I don't sell a ton of books, it's a great exercise to strengthen my promotional muscles.

Every author should be ready and able to talk about their books to anyone.  It's taken me several years, but I've finally come out of the literary closet and I can tell people, "I'm an author.  Buy my books" without feeling weird.

So tomorrow, Friday, I'll be sitting in a chair outside Martha Merrell's.  (Unless it's raining.  Then I'll be inside.) I hope to see you all there!

Hey, got a book you want signed?

Good evening!

So it's summer here in Wisconsin which means many things: Music festivals, fairs, ethnic festivals, pretty much anything that will give us an excuse to drink beer outside.  It's also time again for Friday Night Live down in downtown...historic downtown Waukesha and once again I'll be doing a book signing!

On Friday, July 19, I will be down in front of Martha Merrell's Books from about 6 Pm until dark.  Yes, I will have all three of my novels and YES, I will have copies of Elsie's First Book.

If you need more info, or directions, you can leave a message here or contact me through my Facebook page!

Meanwhile, I have work to do on Elsie's SECOND book!

It's summer! Time for book signings!

Hello my friends!

Memorial Day Weekend here in the US is the official kick off to Summer.  And while we are taking a moment to remember our brave, selfless men and women who have lived and died to give us the freedom we think of far too little, we also look forward to the next several weeks of being OUTSIDE.

Yes, summer, especially here in Wisconsin, is that short span of time when we all crawl out of our homes and into the rare warm sunshine.  We blink vague recognition at our neighbors and uncover pale skin.

Summer is a great time, if you're a new author, to get out and meet the public.  Book signings often go hand in hand with outdoor activities.  Take Waukesha, for example.  Every Friday night during the summer, Waukesha opens up the historic downtown area for Friday Night Live.  If you like strolling the streets of a quaint downtown area, checking out cool local shops, and hearing music on every street corner, this is a great place to check out. 



If you show up at Martha Merrill's Books and Cafe (231 West Main St., Waukesha)  on August 3 between 6 and 8:30 in the evening, you will see me signing my books, Dream  in Color, and Lies in Chance.  You will also see my good friend and critique partner, Linda Schmalz signing right along with me.  (Her two brilliant books, A Lonely Sky, and What Dead Women Want, are both well worth a look!)

Now, if you happen to be in the Northwoods of Wisconsin NEXT weekend, June 2nd Linda and I, along with many other Wisconsin romance authors, will be supporting literacty programs by doing a book sale and signing at the WisRWA conference in the Wausau, WI area.  (Holiday Inn and Suites 1000 Imperial Avenue, Rothschild.)  You can catch us all outside the Crystal Ballroom from 5-6 Pm.

If you aren't able to get to one of my book signings, check out your local bookstores and see when they are having local authors in for readings and signings.  Or, if you're an author, hit the streets and get your book out there!

It's summer...time for book signings!

Kickin' it old school...

Good morning!

So my book signing on Friday night was pretty great!  I'd forgotten, mostly because I sometimes avoid mass social contact, how fun it is to just talk to people, especially when I'm talking about one of my favorite topics:  My writing. 

It still amazes me, after three years of relentless marketing, just how many people that I know on a personal level do not know I'm an author.  So I guess, until every person I know owns a copy of my books, I'll be doing book signings!  (Do you hear that everyone...buy the darn books!  LOL!)

Anyway, yesterday I started yet another new job.  I have learned, in the past several weeks, that, from a writer's standpoint, I had the DREAM JOB, for a number of years.  I had a boss who didn't care if I wrote, played on facebook, built  a website, during the work day.  (Of course, he also didn't care about things like offering health insurance, giving me a raise, letting me use my vacation time, treating me with any sort of human respect...) 

What I'm getting at is that this job, more so than any other I've had, does NOT seem to appreciate computer use outside the very strict guidelines of the job.  So that's going to take some getting used to.  But what's really going to take some time for me is going back to my roots when it comes to writing. 

Yep, lunch and break times mean one thing now:  Opening a notebook and grabbing a pen.

It's how I started...back in school when I would write during a boring class, but in the computer age, I've become one of those who cannot seem to write if my flash drive isn't engaged.  I think many of us use the same excuse, don't we:  We can't write, we're not at our computer.

But that's not the case.  We can WRITE anywhere so long as we have a writing tool and something to write on.  I've written notes on church bulletins, (during the sermon...), on napkins, and once on a paper coffee cup.  Not my best edited stuff, to be sure, but writing that moved my book along.

So now, with the new job I will have to write when I have free moments and use the basic tools of the trade until I can get home and put it on the flash drive.  I'm not going to let this change in my schedule stop me, not a chance!

Now the rest of you...go forth and WRITE!

Like a good deal? I've got one just for you!

Hello fans and friends!

Here in the States it's 4th of July weekend.  It's a nice long weekend where we Americans celebrate everything that's fantastic about our country...Freedom, Family, and Fireworks.

Oh, and coupons!  We love our coupons!

In the great American tradition of coupons, my friends, I've decided to issue a coupon on Smash words for "Lies in Chance."

For those of you who shop at Smash words, you can purchase "Lies in Chance"
for 25% off the already low price of $2.99 if you use the following coupon code:

ZQ29M

The code is NOT case sensitive, but it's going to save you money.  I'm running this coupon today through Friday the 8th, when I culminate my opening book weekend with a book signing at Martha Merrell's Books in Waukesha.  (If you're in the Waukesha, WI area that evening between 6:30 and 8:30 PM, look me up!  I'd love to see you!)

So, enjoy the holiday weekend, my American friends.  And everyone...enjoy a nice savings on a a book I think you will enjoy!

Books STILL make great gifts!

Good afternoon!

It's been a while, I know.  What can I say?  I work in retail, online though it may be, and this is getting to be the busy season for us.  My boss wants me to magically double our sales from last year, so I've been a tiny bit overwhelmed!  LOL!

So as you've probably guessed, like most writers, real life gets in my way a lot this time of year.  This is the time of year when we all get together with family.  The pressure is on to make it the BEST HOLIDAY EVER.  So we cook food we don't eat any other day of the year.  (For the record, I do NOT like Turkey.  I like stuffing and cranberries, but the rest of the Thanksgiving Day meal I could pass up without a problem.)  We invite relatives over that we avoid the rest of the year.  Why?

Because it's the holidays!

I don't care what holiday you celebrate this time of year.  And everyone is celebrating something.  This is a cross cultural thing, this BEST HOLIDAY EVER stress we put on ourselves. 

The best Thanksgiving I ever had I had by myself.  I was pregnant with my second child, and within 5 weeks of delivery.  My doctor said I didn't have to...I mean, I shouldn't travel to my mother-in-law's place two hours away.  Hubby took Boy Child and left me alone with the TV and a stack of movies.  I had THE BEST DAY.  I will always think of that Thanksgiving as my very best because it was truly a day I could reflect on how blessed I am without the stress of having to make a big dinner or clean the bathrooms twice in one day, or make sure I have all the right family portraits out on my coffee table.

Immediately following Thanksgiving  (and I do mean immediately, Kohl's is opening at 3 AM) the official Christmas shopping season begins.  Now, I'm done shopping except for my kids, so I'm a step or two ahead of the rest of the throng.  But I go out on Black Friday to watch the crowds battle over this special thing or that.  I once saw a young couple get into a screaming match at a Walmart over a big tin of pop corn.

My friends, as a writer, this time of the year is silly with inspiration, especially if you write crime novels.  LOL!  But I want to talk about something else, something that is near and dear to my heart.

Books.

Since I was a little girl, I was a big reader.  My parents had no money so I lived at my local library.  Today, I think I have more books than that small town library did!  I read anything and everything.  Some of my best Christmas memories are of me curling up behind my grandfather's chair and reading all the Reader's Digest Condensed books he had on a shelf. 

Today, in this hurry up, electronic world, books still make a great gift.  And, with the explosion of second hand book stores, you can give more books.  Or, if you have too many books on your shelves, you can donate books to various outlets so that someone else can enjoy them.  Books rarely wear out, and just because one person read it doesn't mean someone else won't love it.  Used books, unlike used socks, make excellent gifts!

Oh, I'm still a big cheerleader for the E-reader movement.  Don't get me wrong.  I will soon own my very own Sony e-reader and I'll load it up with tons of books so that I dont' have to carry an extra 15 pounds with me where ever I go.  That said, there's still something very, very special about sitting in a comfy chair with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa or tea. 

A book is a very personal gift, too.  A book is a shared experience in many cases.  My nieces will tell you that they own a copy of Wuthering Heights and they got if from me.  Giving copies of your favorite book to a close friend or a relative is not just a gift exchange thing.  You're actually giving a little piece of yourself.  My favorite children's book of all time is "Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad day."  I can't tell you how many copies of that book I've given to the children in my life.  And I always read it to them, because sometimes you have to read a book to a child to really share it.

So, this Holiday season, take a deep breath and relax.  Instead of trying to find the perfect gift of the latest thing, take a step back.  Give a gift that connects you to the person you're gifting.  Give the gift that opens up new worlds, or comforts, or amuses, or warms the heart of the person you're gifting. 

They will thank you for it!

And we, as writers, will also thank you!

By the way, if you're in Downtown Waukesha this Sunday, I'll be signing copies of MY book at Martha Merrell's book store from noon to 4 PM.  I'd love to see you there!

Book signing aftermath

Good morning!

Wow!  This has been a tremendous weekend for writing!  First of all, I had the book signing which went far better than I expected.

Okay, I frightened away the first prospective buyer, mostly because I'd loaded up on a tad too much expresso before the signing, but from there on it went well.

Bear in mind, I'm not Stephen King or John Grisham.  My definition of success at  book signing involved whether or not people I didn't know bought the book.  And four people  I didn't know bought my book!

Now, four people I did know, people who belong to my church, also bought my book! (I, of course, am waiting for them to run me out of the church on a rail.  Maybe something involving tar and feathers...)  What always amazes me is that older folks will support people they know no matter what it is.  I hope I don't offend anyone, seriously.  That said, I did point out several times that it's a work of FICTION!  (Something you should always point out, especially if you use someone's name and then friend them on Facebook.)

Then Saturday I was in Madison for my fantastic Mad City Romance writers meeting.  Ann Voss-Peterson, a very talented author, gave a talk on keeping the ROMANCE in a ROMANCE novel.  What I found really helpful was her handouts.  Basically, I have mentally added fifty pages to "7/8ths Time" and I can't wait to get a minute to write them in reality.

Spent the rest of the weekend with my friend and critique partner, Linda, swapping writing ideas and eating far too many calories.  I think one of the funniest points of the weekend was Saturday night at dinner.  We'd just seen "Letters to Juliet" and were enjoying a lovely dinner at Olive Garden.  When we'd left the theater, both in tears, I might add, we agreed it was a good movie.  However, over Olive Garden salad, we picked out no less than ten things in the movie that were the result of weak writing.  ("Juliet" replaces "Tristan and Isolde" as the movie with the WORST last line.)

Apparently I've reached a point in my movie viewing life where I can no longer just watch a movie.  I have to see it as a writer.  I haven't reached a point where I've been able to see the ending before it happens (I used to go to movies with a writer friend of mine and she'd always say, "I know how this is going to end" about six minutes into the movie.)  but I do make mental notes of writing gaps in the plot.

All in all, a great weekend for me as a writer.  Ya gotta have one of those every so often!

Now I'm off to clear my desk so I can write again!

Book signing!

Hey all!

I just wanted to remind you all out there, if you're in the Waukesha/Milwaukee area (and why wouldn't you be, Summerfest kicks off today!) I'm doing a book signing at Martha Merrell's tomorrow night (June 25).

I'd love to see you all there! I'll be at MM's 310 Main Street, Waukesha, from about 6-8:30.

Copies of Dream in Color will be available for purchase and I'll be more than happy to sign anything you want in them!

Hope to see you all there! :)

Can't make it to Waukesha? Where do you live? Maybe I can do a book signing in your town!

Cheers!
Sarah

Appletinis and other things you probably shouldn't inhale right before a book signing.

Good evening!

Well, I did it. I went to my very first real live book signing. It wasn't in my living room. My mother wasn't there. In fact, almost complete strangers came up to the table picked up my book and looked at it! :) Of course, I shared said table with another author, a multi published author who had four different books available for signing. I tried spreading mine out a little to make it look like I had more books, but, really, who was I kidding?

I attended the WisRWA conference this weekend. This was first year that 1) I was an official member of WisRWA, a fact that confounded people I've known for some time now because I've been attending these conferences pretty much without benefit of membership; and 2) my book was out. Which means, I had the rare pairing of special ribbons on my name tag, I was a new member with a first sale.

In celebration of said first sale and the book signing and the fact that I survived pitching a romantic suspense to an agent who, not even 12 hours earlier had pretty much announced he/she wasn't going to be taking another romantic suspense for a LOOOOOOOONG time (Okay, the agent and I both knew how that pitch was going to end, but give me a gold star, I didn't break down and cry at the end.) my good friend and critique partner Linda bought me a drink.

Oh you all know what it was.

Yes, an appletini. I asked for caramel, which probably would have softened the alcoholic blow in my stomach, but they didn't have caramel, so it was a green appletini. And, because I'm a well brought up lady, I returned the favor by buying the second round...half an hour before my real live book signing.

To counteract the effects of two large glasses of pretty much straight vodka, I guzzled an equal amount of water.

And then I went to my first book signing.

Oh we all know how this is going to end, right?

Yep, about half an hour in to the hour long signing, I got a call of nature like never, ever, EVER before. But I can't leave my table. THIS IS MY FIRST BOOK SIGNING!

Oh wait. I'm a complete unknown set between J A Konrath (Arguably the most fun gent to have sitting next to you at a signing) and the erotic authors. (Have you seen the cover of "Dream in color?" It doesn't have quite the BAM factor a good erotica cover does.) So realizing that I wasn't the star of this show (Imagine my chagrin!) I begged one of the erotic ladies to sit in my chair for five minutes whilst I fought my way through a WEDDING reception that stood between me and the blessed haven of the ladies room.

The good news is, I was happily back at my post, and no one was the wiser, minutes later and fully enjoying my very first signing. Oh, and someone bought a copy of my book! I refrained from doing a happy dance right there. I was cool. I said, "And to whom am I making this out?" (Ya like that formal grammar?) You wouldn't have known me from someone who had a stack of different titles, or cover art depicting a nearly naked man wrapped up in what looked like duct tape.

Oh, and if you as an author get the chance to do a signing with other authors, and J.A. Konrath in in the line up, SIT AS CLOSE TO HIM AS YOU CAN! Or, if you see that he's doing a signing, bring the man a beer and just listen to him talk about pretty much anything. You won't regret it.

As for me, I had my first taste of the big time and, my friends, I loved it! Much like selling a book, signing a book with your name (And those "this book belongs to" stickers really don't count) is a high like no other.

Or maybe that's the appletinis talking.

Cheers!