The Pick-Up Artist, A Mantra, and I See Dead People

One thing about book events is that you meet lots of people.  This is generally a good thing... except when it's not...


Anybody can wander into a store or a library.  When you're trying to sell books and build an audience, you've got to chat with people.  I have had some neat conversations with aspiring writers, bookworms, poets and mystery fans.  All good, all cool, some more than others.


And then you get the weirdos and time bandits.


Time bandist are easier.  They yak your ears off for 20 minutes and have no intention of buying the book.  Hopefully, though, they will tell  friends or relatives about meeting you and those people will buy the book.  Hopefully...


Okay, so that's the easy part of things... and then...


This weekend, I did three store events.  At the first store event, a well spoken, seemingly friendly man started chatting to me about writing and kept yammering away for a good long while.  It soon became clear that writing was of little interest to him.  He was trying to pick me up!  He wandered off for a while, then came back, feigned interest in my book, asked me to go for a drink, etc. etc. etc.  Wandered away, came back, suggested wine afte rthe signing... Um... no thanks... I don't use book signings as a clever way to meet men.  YIKES!


Then there was this lady who politely talked books with me for a few minutes.  She seemed kind of cool and New Age or Hippie, and seemed genuinely interested in my book, until... She asked if I am spiritual, if I meditate, and whether I have a mantra or not.  I said no.  So she gave me my very own mantra.  It's Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu - sung at a rather high and steady note for about a minute and a half.  I think it means good fortune or go away or  please buy my book or something.  Dunno.


Then there was the lady today who said she is a medium for dead or missing children.  She consulted/communed with/contacted the cover of my book and told me the second book would do much better than the first one.   Uh, okay, thanks, have a nice day...


So, that was my weekend.  Book sales are steady, very encouraging.  Blood and Groom is in a SECOND PRINT RUN!!!  So, I'll contnue to do store and library events and will meet all kinds of people.  Perhaps some of them will be inspirations for future characters!!!

Libraries are your friends!

Hey there fellow authors and aspiring writers!

One thing I have seen little of (actually, almost nothing of) around the blogosphere is the topic of libraries.

As an author, I love libraries!

Now, writers out there may be saying: "But wait, why do you love libraries? People borrow your book for free. Wouldn't you prefer that people bought it rather than borrowed it? Don't you miss out on all those royalties?"

Hopefully lots of people borrow it!

Libraries are good to authors in three specific ways:

1. They usually promote new books, new authors, new titles. They often have newsletters offering blurbs on recent acquisitions. They frequently set up display tables with "new" books or "this just in," or they will sometimes set up a table by "Canadian authors" or other themes.

Unless you have a BIG budget, it would be next to impossible to get that kind of prominent display and/or publicity from the big chain bookstores.

Your book can and will get noticed because of any of these types of library promotion. For example, the Toronto library system ordered 14 copies of "Blood and Groom" and there are 33 holds placed already on returning copies. The Ottawa library system has ordered 7 copies of my book, as as of this morning, there are 24 holds placed on returning copies.

2. Okay, so you're not making huge royalties from each borrower, but the library users can spread word of mouth. People may notice them reading your book on the bus, or may see them reading your book during the lunch break. They may tell a couple of friends (or,hopefully many friends) about it ... and maybe some of those people will go out and buy a copy... When you're a new author, your main concern should be on getting an audience, building a readership, generating a buzz...

3. Libraries LOVE events: author meet & greet, readings, panel discussions, etc. Authors are generally welcome to bring books for sale and signing at such events. So, again, there's potential for word or mouth; there is an opportunity to build your audience; you might sell some books, and... I can't see any disadvantages.

As a new author, I am getting mixed responses from bookstores about having events. Some welcome the idea, but would prefer to wait until I have a second book out; some are more interested in having events with 2 or 3 authors. I can understand all this; it makes perfect sense as they're in business to sell books, and new authors might not be much of a "draw"... yet!

So, for now, I will keep plugging away at both, but I fully intend to spend just as much time promoting at libraries as I do with retailers.

Cheers and Merry Christmas!

Jill (and Sasha)