When doing a book signing at a bookstore as they say
on Pawn Stars on the History Channel, “you never know what’s going to walk
through the door.” Having been in this game since 2007, I’ve had some interesting
experiences when doing book signings.
I never sit begin the table that has been provided.
I stand in front and greet people. Some are friendly and engage in conversation
and others scamper away like scared rabbits. And here I never thought I was
that scary, but, hey, maybe mystery writers all look like serial killers.
Here are a few things I’ve learned. When I arrive, I
always learn where the coffee shop and restrooms are. These are the two most
common asked questions when I greet someone entering the door.
Traffic goes in waves. There will be a rush of
people, and then it will be quiet for a while. That’s why it’s more enjoyable
to do signings with other authors. During the lulls, you have someone to chat
with.
I often ask people questions when I greet them. One
time I was doing a signing in my hometown of Boulder, Colorado. I approached a
gentleman and asked if he read mysteries. “No,” he answered. Not giving up, I
asked, “Do you enjoy humorous books?” “Not particularly,” he replied. “Ah, too
bad,” I said. “I’m a local author doing a signing here today and I write a
humorous mystery series.” His eyes lit up and he said, “I’ll take one. I always
support local authors.” You never know what to expect.
Some of the other types of experiences. A man
approached my table and after I gave him my spiel, he looked at me askance and
told me I would sell more books if I got new eyeglasses. Again, you never know
what to expect.
One negative experience that I turned around. I was preparing
to leave after a bookstore signing, and the manager ran up and handed me one of
my books he had found lying on a table that I had signed it for someone named Laura.
I swapped that for an unsigned copy and gave it to my daughter Laura.
Mike Befeler
1 comment:
Mike, I don't especially enjoy book sigings because I've experienced some of the same reactions from potential customers. Some ask me to get books from a high shelf because I'm tall, others flip through the pages as though browsing a phone book before seting it down and picking up another. A fellow writer once told me that he felt like a caged animal in a zoo. Like you, I prefer a signings with other other writers. It's more fun and customers seem to be friendlier, for some reason.
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