Before I tell you all about my launch day, I have another Q/A out! Check out Susan Johnston's fabulous Urban Muse, in which I participate in her weekly 5 Questions post.
So...yesterday came and went and now it's back to my regularly scheduled programming. I ran around like a nutcase - hitting bookstores all over the city (though I still have to tackle downtown - I just ran out of time) and signing stock. I had a nice convo with a wonderful bookseller named Terrance at Barnes and Noble on 86th St, in which he genuinely thanked me for coming in, told me to call in a few weeks to see if I need to sign additional copies, and then also stated that autographed copies really do sell better. See? I find that strange. I guess maybe because I don't collect books or anything, but do people really buy books simply because the author has signed them? Maybe it's a situation of, if a reader is debating between two books, he or she is more likely to buy the signed one? Thoughts? I'm genuinely curious about this.
From there, I fielded more emails than I could handle, and chatted with my agent several times about what was going on, as well as book #2. Oh, and said fabulous agent also sent me some gorgeous flowers, even conspiring with my husband (who, I should note, didn't send flowers - he sheepishly admitted that he thought about it, but knew that my agent was sending them, so he didn't....er, thanks, sweetie!) to find out what my favorite blooms are. (But hubby did know that the answer was calla lilies, so I let him off the hook. He's also listened to all of my stress rants the past week, so again, that helps me give him a pass.)
And then, that was that. Pub day came and went, and by nightfall, I was still sitting on my bathroom floor, reading How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night to my son, who was sitting on the potty, while waiting for him to "push pee-pee out of his penis." Yes, this writer thing is truly glamorous.
I think that for me, the sale of the book might have been more exhilarating. I mean, I've known for months and months and months that this day was approaching, but when you sell a book, it's such a thrill, not least because of the suspense behind it. Not that yesterday wasn't great - it was. To walk into a store and say, "I'm an author, and I'd love to sign my books," is any writer's dream. And I don't mean to undersell that. But now, life goes on. I sit and anxiously await my sales figures and continue to do press and push the hell out of it, and in the meantime, potty training, dog walking, and grocery shopping await.
So, seriously, give me the scoop on autographed copies. Do you buy books based on them?
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10 comments:
It sounds like a great day! Here's to you needing to go back and sign more stock once it's all sold out.
About that...I don't think I'd buy a book I wasn't already considering JUST because it was autographed, but it might make a difference if I was on the fence about whether or not to plunk down $25. It's nice to have a personal connection, even if it's rather tenuous :)
Autographed copies feel more personal to me since not only did the author write the book, s/he took the time to personally sign it. Also, your hand touched every signed novel and there's a human connection.
Happy that you enjoyed a memorable day, reality and all. ;o)
in a word, yes. it's a connection to the one who penned the words. it's a physical sign that you were there, and cared enough to sign "my" book.
man, i am ready for that day! until then i will live through your glamorous writer's life, sans the pushed pee pee....
My brother [also published] said much the same thing - life continues and you don't have to hold your breath any more.
congratulations anyway. On point - I also have no idea why signed copies are so desirable - maybe it's a money thing?
Cheers
If only we had a laundry fairy! LOL
I treasure my signed books for whatever that's worth.
I wouldn't buy a book because it was signed- but like others mentioned if I was waffling this might be the push. I don't plan to sell them so it isn't a money thing- it is more the connection. Maybe the good publishing luck will rub off.
I don't buy books because they are signed but if I happen across one that I wanted to buy and it's signed, then that's cool. For instance, I have DRY by Augusta B and after I bought it I realized it's signed!
I probably would if it was an author I liked and I was debating whether to buy the hardcover or wait for the book to come out in paperback.
If it's a book I know I'll love and want for my personal collection anyway, yes, I'd rather have an autographed copy.
However, I am an avid book trader and then no, I don't want an autographed copy because autographed copies should be treasured and kept nice, not passed around the world.
(so I'll often buy TWO copies anymore -- one for my shelf and one to share. And hopefully the people who meet your book along its journey among the trading set will buy themselves a copy or two for the same reasons, and so on and so forth. Sorta like that old beer shampoo commerical. Ya know?)
Funny you should ask this. I actually went out of my way to go to a specific bookstore where someone I knew had had a book signing I wasn't able to attend. It was The Grand Suprise--Leo Lerman's fantastic memoir of everybody who was anybody in New York, editied brilliantly by his assistant Stephen Pascal.
Stephen had worked like a dog to make this book happen, and yes, it gave me a thrill to see not just his name, but his signature, on this book.
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