A GOOD TIME HAD BY ALL
Last week, I was happy to be part of a group signing in the Dallas area. My friends (and talented writers all) Jaye Wells, Delilah Dawson, Rachel Caine, and Kevin Hearne, had a great panel and a great time, and I hope the SRO crowd enjoyed the thoughtful answers to some thoughtful questions.
You might wonder why this would be so great. Don’t we all want the spotlight? Don’t we want to tout our own books? Sure! But it’s more fun to have the group support and safety net. If a reader is rude (rare, but it happens) there’s someone to jump in. If you’re stuck for an answer to a reader question, again, another writer will take up the slack.
Plus, there’s the Bambi effect. If you’re in line for one writer, and the poor writer to the left has nothing to do, many readers will kindly buy a book from that writer. I like to think that the big sad eyes have something to do with it!
But pity buying aside (because who really wants pity?) the really important factor is that we can cross-pollinate. You might have come to hear Kevin Hearne (who has a great following, and different from mine) but if you enjoy what I say on the panel, you’ll try my books. Or if you come to hear Rachel, who produces about twenty books a year, maybe you’ll pick up Delilah or Jaye.
Looking back on all the signings I’ve had with other writers, and that’s looking back over quite a few years, one or two stand out clearly. Many tours ago, the west coast reps of my paperback publisher rented a motor home and drove four of us – Tony Dunbar, Lynn Hightower, a wonderful older woman whose name has completely escaped me (because now I am probably her age!) and myself.
By the time we’d gotten to the 15th bookstore, after days of being together on the motor home (though we slept in hotels), we were punchy. Some of the stores didn’t have the books and had forgotten we were coming. At a signing in Washington state, one of the last ones, Lynn (who had been taking painkillers for a bad back) actually exchanged heated words with an inebriated audience member about the Spanish police system. We were ready to throw ourselves between them.
At least Tony taught us how to play bourre on the motor home.
What was your most memorable group signing, either in the panel or in the audience?
Charlaine Harris
Charlaine, I always wondered about those bus tours! I have to admit they should wonderful..but maybe that's the romantic in me. At least you can all share the inevitable craziness.
SOmeone FORGOT you all were coming??
Posted by: Hank Phillippi Ryan | February 22, 2016 at 08:41 AM
Oh, absolutely! This was pre-cellphone (at least, the Scribner rep had the only one we'd ever seen) and I guess they just didn't check to make sure. Twice, the employee with whom they'd been speaking had simply left Barnes and Noble (or whatever bookstore) and didn't pass the knowledge along to anyone. I have to say, this was only two or three times. But that was enough!
Posted by: Charlaine Harris | February 22, 2016 at 08:48 AM
I've had a number of group signings, and they do bring new readers. Femmes Marcia Talley is good at putting together group signings, and I learned so much from signing with other authors, including Brits Anne Cleeves and Frances Brody. Love their dry sense of humor.
Posted by: Elaine Viets | February 22, 2016 at 08:50 AM
Elaine, one of the best signings I ever had was at the Miami Book Fair with Marcia Talley! It was like being with the Energizer Bunny of signings! I don't know how many books I sold, but it wasn't from lack of enthusiasm on Marcia's part.
Posted by: Charlaine Harris | February 22, 2016 at 08:58 AM
Oh, gosh, I'm blushing! I remember that Miami Book Fair signing with Charlaine very well! It followed my first ever Romantic Times Conference in Orlando -- my second novel Unbreathed Memories had won Best Contemporary Mystery that year -- but nothing prepared me for the culture shock that was RT! The cover models, for example. The fan costumes. The guy in the dealer's room who made leather bustiers! The lady who would photograph your "aura." It still makes me smile.
Posted by: Marcia Talley | February 22, 2016 at 01:16 PM
Elaine, we always had so much fun on those trips to Oakmont, PA for the Festival of Mystery. Talk about a group signing! 40 or more authors and 4-500 hundred fans. We were almost always seated in alphabetical order, so that's why I know so many authors at the bottom of the alphabet! Like VIETS.
Posted by: Marcia Talley | February 22, 2016 at 01:18 PM
Marcia, do you remember our surprise over the fact that almost the entire crowd was composed of Spanish speaking people? And they were all so nice and polite! I don't know how much business we did, but it was a learning experience, and I'm glad I shared it with you.
You will be crushed to know that RT no longer has the cover model contest. Everything else remains the same, though!
Posted by: Charlaine Harris | February 22, 2016 at 01:20 PM