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I think you look super cute. Fangirl!

I'm sure you and Mr. Martin both know more about publishing than me, but as a new writer I wrote a book with a very specific open ending in mind--the ending is why I wrote. I knew it would need at least one sequel. I heard that you shouldn't write the sequel to an unpublished ms, so I didn't. I went to a conference and someone asked me to send my book and a synop for the sequel. I had lots of really cool ideas for it when I wrote the book, but I've written another ms since then and while I could remember the basic plot I think a lot of the good stuff got lost. My advice would be maybe don't announce it to the world, but if you want to write a series go for it. But this is just my opinion.

It's sage advice. I think a lot of people are unaware of Martin's non-ASOIAF work, and don't realize how long he's been in the game. He didn't just start with A GAME OF THRONES!

@Beth: I think it depends on why you're writing. If you're writing just to satisfy yourself, go ahead and write a two-book series or a seven-book series! If you're seeking publication, though, it's a bit unwise to invest that much time in something that might not matter if you can't sell your first book. I do think it's really smart to have a synopsis or outline of potential sequels ready to go, though, just in case you get that kind of deal.

Love the picture! You look so excited, hehe.

Great advice, I agree. I like what @Kristin Laughtin added too. I'm working on a ms. that's part of a trilogy, but I'll wait to write the sequel if I sell the first. I can't imagine ever writing a 7-book series! Then again, when I first started writing, I never imagined I would write a novel (I only thought in short stories back then). I wish I would've known about this event. I follow the Tattered Cover on Facebook, but I must've missed this announcement. Would've been fun to attend!

Great picture! Looks like it was a lot of fun.

Awesome picture! Martin is a smart guy. I've met him at a convention once. I got nervous and lost my voice as he was signing my books. I agree with him completely. Finish one stand-alone book and then see where your career takes you.

I'm so jealous you got to see the man in person! I finished A DANCE WITH DRAGONS over the weekend- happy reading to you!

A picture is worth a thousand words - none of them would be dorky. Super-excited-may-need-sedation, yes; dorky, no.

So here's a tangential question, based on the point about mastering the shorter story before aiming for the kind of epic series Martin writes...

I've noticed, Kristin, that some of your clients are publishing novella lately. Do you rep novellas from unpubbed writers or just from established clients? I know NLA doesn't accept short story collections, but novellas seem like a separate beast, especially with the rise of Amazon Shorts and the like.

Thanks! And cool pic!

That is great advice. How awesome you got to go to George Martin's book signing. I would have loved to have gone.

Nice! You look great in the photo. By the way, don't know if you get a chance to read these comments or not, but a local magazine here has a small article about Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. You can find it by going to this link and clicking on the large photo of the magazine. It's about a third of the way in. :) http://www.herlifemagazine.com/kansascity/

That's a great pic, and great advice too. Some times I think we feel we need to jump the gate into the biggest projects. I've found my smaller projects to be great teachers and confidence builders.

I'm reading his book right now :) He is awesome. And he's right: writing, like anything else, takes practice to make perfect. Even Lance Armstrong used training wheels once.

Hey, Kristin,

Take it easy and get better. Glad you're back! :)

I so went the other direction. I started with category. Kept getting rejected, and finally a sweet pubbed writer told me maybe I needed to go bigger. And I did. Now that I'm comfy writing bigger, I'm scaling back to write novellas.

I guess it just proves every writer is different, yes? And I think you look sweet in the pic, fangirl!

Martin is one of my literary heroes, but I have to disagree with the metaphor. Saying, "I'm working on a 7-book series" is closer to saying, "One day I want to climb Everest," and as with Everest the devil is in how you approach it. The time a writer spends writing is never wasted, and as stories are as different as mountains there is no one right way to prepare for one. In both mountain climbing and writing there are a number of technical skills you ought to learn before attempting "The Big One," but where you learn those skills is a personal choice. Some climbers hate the gym. Some writers hate short stories. You can learn to climb or write without either. It might take longer, but if the alternative is getting disgusted and walking away, then again it might not.

That said, I wouldn't want to pay a novice climber $65,000 for an Everest permit, and I wouldn't want to pay a novice writer $65,000 for a promise they'll write six more books and finish their story either. ;-)

that awsome pic..
thank


sun is dying..
http://hopeandget.blogspot.com/2011/08/sun-dying-comet-shower-threatens-earth.html

This is why I want you for my agent; you have such great taste!

And though I am writing a six or seven book series, each book also stands alone. None of them need any of the others in order to make sense.

Hey Kristen,

I was right by you in line and I kept thinking, "Gosh, that woman looks familiar. Maybe someone I played Ultimate Frisbee with?" After the Tattered Cover was so specific about how Mr. Martin would not be presenting, it was a delightful surprise that he spoke for half hour and gave great advice!

Attractive agent. Can't say the same about the author. But good-looking and talented only counts if you're a female music star.
Good words of advice. I'll put my 7-book series on hold...

I love the fan look...and the advice.

Great pic! Also some great advice.

I wish I could say I was so bold to run the 7 novel series route. I thought I was extra bold just working on the beginning of my paranormal romance as a stand alone...and I've got a lot of learning to do and growing to do so the advice definitley has credence.

Thanks for sharing :-)

This is SO COOL. And the photo is much better than you think!

I've been choking on a bunch of "what ifs" lately. This is one of them: what if I've already written a series?

Yes, I am one of those series people. I have the first three books written, and the first book is in it's final polishing stages. My synopsis is drafted, my query is sparkling. But, I'm still shaking in my cowboy boots.

The problem is, I'm a new writer. I'm not published. But I write Fantasy. Epic.

I realize that's not a license to indulge in long-winded narrative, or even to create a series. But, alas, my first book IS part of a series.

And it's things like these what if's--what if I have a series, what if I'm a new writer, what if, what if, what if--that make me feel like I'm losing before I even begin. Like I've inadvertently stacked the deck against myself.

I understand and respect this sage advice. I hope since I am choosing not to follow it, because I've already written what I've written, it won't come back to haunt me in the end.

But, then again, it might. And I'll be the wiser for it.

Thank you for sharing.

In my experience as a long time SF/F fan, no fantasy writer alive can write a single book. They all write multiples. I think it's somewhere written on the heavens that they must. Q.E.D.

Also, in some genres there is very little market for short stories. Mr. Martin was/is lucky that in SF/F there is still a (diminishing) market for them. I cannot count the number of greats, such as Heinlein and writers of his stature who got their start writing shorts for the SF magazines, most of which are now sadly gone.

Sound advice and probably one I should heed. My problem is the story that has been hounding me for the last ten years - it simply cannot be squashed into a single book - unless that book is 1,500 pages long! I tend to agree with Deb above who pointed out that Fantasy writers don't do 'short'.

I enjoy reading your rants and am looking forward to meeting you in Australia soon.

There was once a novice writer who set out to write a series of seven books... a British lady, as I recall, writing stories about wizarding folk. Not sure if her series got much notice, though...

I sympathize with the fantasy writers in the group. It seems like almost everything published today, aside from quirky alternative history, is a series. I've also read that if you're at all inclined to self publish, a series is a valuable asset. My first novel (which is basically finished) is naturally the first in a trilogy. I feel like I owe it to myself to finish the trilogy, or at least the second book. I guess I view it this way: if I go the traditional route and someone likes book 1, then book 2 is on the way. If I have to go the indie route and publish book 1 myself, why wouldn't I publish book 2 as close behind the first one that I can? I have several novels in my brain that have nothing to do with my first work, but I'm concerned that if I start one of those, I'll be way behind if I have to go indie on my trilogy.

This stuff ain't easy!

I too was at the signing (although I didn't get a nice photo). I was quite happy with Martin's advice because I've already been following it for three years. On the downside, after writing so many short stories, the idea of a 100,000-word novel is daunting.

Pretty cool! It sounds like a great moment. I can't even imagine what that'd be like.

I remember the post where you talked about his query and first mentioned the "I am Chinese" buttons.
Fascinating stuff.

And a BIG congrats to author and agent.

That is so cool! I loved Hotel and this just makes it even better.

What a wonderful surprise for those who went to his signing and got to meet her and have her sign their books, too. That's an adorable picture of her as a little girl. How did he discover that she's still alive? Did he do some research or was it by accident?

That's incredible! Gives me goosebumps!

That is beyond cool!! I loved the book, one of my all time favs and now...well, that is just icing on the cake.

How very sweet.

Layla Fiske

Wow, that is very cool! I need to read that book!

Very cool. I love it when things come full circle. (I almost typed I love it when a plan comes together but it didn't seem correct)

That's amazing. Wish I'd been there.

It's amazing how synchronicity works--I got chills looking at the picture.

So awesome. Tx for this inspiring post.

It's so lovely to see her as an adult with a big smile on her face, after looking at that sweet little girl and knowing what she was about to endure.

"Bitter and Sweet" is right! And now for the sweet. It's wonderful to see her happy smile.

That's really awesome! (And I love that it happened in Woodland--I love my hometown :)

Wow! What an experience for both of them!

I love stories like that.

Like! Like, like, like. (Like that it worked out like this.)

I was following Jaime's status updates on facebook, thinking how damn cool is this. Everything about this book is wonderful.

Finally read it last month and LOVED it - especially after spending quite a bit of time on the Seattle U campus this past winter and realizing that's THE neighborhood. If I get back, I plan to explore further.

What a cool story about the picture, Kristin. I'd love to hear her story some day.

Loved the book, and what a super cool thing to happen, a character coming off the page and into real life.

way too cool.

How very cool! What a wow moment for them both.

That's amazing! What a great follow up on a fantastic story.

So cool and she is so much smarter than me for following up on an idea. Some time back I found out there was one man who survived both Hiroshima, where he was on business and was severely burnt, and Nagasaki, his home town where he went to recover from the first attack. I figured he probably died long ago, but then read an article that he died 4 Jan 2010. That would have been a real good story. The fact he was at both was real bad karma, the fact he survived both and lived till he was 94 says his karma was in perfect balance. Anyhow I really liked the story of the meeting.

Very cool. I'll go and order this book now.

I was moved when I read this. Thanks for passing it along.

This is unrelated to your blog but I hope you can help.

I've read conflicting information on what to do when an agent has a copy of your ms but since sending you've made changes to it. Is it okay to notify them of the changes? Does this irk agents? I'm sure I'm not the only writer to have experienced this.

Before you yell at me for sending an ms to an agent in the first place. Know that the ms is complete, was complete at the time. Because an unpublished manuscript is something that can always be improved upon, I did another round of revisions.

Thank you for any help or suggestions you can offer.

Oh, Kristin, how fun! Go, Jamie!

@ D. Friend

Well, I don't think anybody's going to yell. Revisions happen and agents understand this. The trick is to use common sense.

When should you offer a revision--assuming the agent has your manuscript?

Scene 1: Changed names of three characters, added two more pages to a chapter.

Answer: No. Do not send. You will go on making revisions like this up to the day you send off the "final" copy to your publisher. Do not pester agents with minor changes.

Scene 2: Changed heroine's love interest/chopped 100 pages, added 110 new pages/decided not to murder the main character's brother/you get the idea. Substantive edits here.

Answer: Not every agent appreciates this, but the fact is that you no longer have the same book. Most agent responses that I've read say you may ask if they would like to see the new manuscript. Briefly explain why the new one is substantially different from the old. If an agent agrees to read your revised manuscript, do not abuse the privilege. Once is enough.

Now, there does come a time when you have to stop revising. That's why it's recommended that you allow beta readers to comment on the manuscript first--so that you've already gotten feedback and revised accordingly before you send the manuscript out to agents.

Bottom line: It happens. Try to be the responsible writer who learns from the mistake the first time, and only does it once.

Good luck with your projects!

I wish I lived nearby, HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET is one of my favorite books.

It sounds like a great series of events to celebrate.

Best wishes to all involved.
L.

Great news, I wish I could attend. I love the book, and saw on Jamie's website that it's been optioned for a movie.

It always seems like all the good stuff happens somewhere else. I loooooove that book so much I read it three times.

Congrats to Jamie--that's wonderful! Have a great vacation, Kristin. :)

Oh! What a great idea! I could have a cover full of romance author sigs, another for urban fantasy authors, another for YA...

Nice!

Aha! So that's how we still get autographs - why didn't I think of that?? *grin*

http://damselinadirtydress.blogspot.com

I've always thought that was a great idea--get your device signed like a guitar case!

Love it. :)

I see a new trend starting... and a rise in E-book reader sales lol

I can see it. Author personalized Nooks. Cool.

I'm sure it won't be long now before someone comes out with a 'skin' to compliment a neat idea!

I usually get requests for signed bookplates from people who have e-readers. But this one is a first!!

lol.

Yup! The writing's on the wall here, and it's meant for us!

At RWA Nationals this year I saw quite a few people having their eReaders signed.

I love the idea of having different skins for different genres.

I see a new sales wall of ereader snap-on covers at every store and Amazon. "How many autographs do you have?" "I love your Nook cover!" Very cool : )

How would you fit all the names on the back? Have flip pages for the new books you buy?

Yeah--I saw people bringing in Kindles to Brandon Sanderson's signing just a couple days ago. Crazy how things change...

I just saw something about that on another blog only a few minutes ago. I really want to see how it's done but it certainly seems like a great idea.

I was asked to sign a Kindle recently. Cracked me right up. :D

That's going to be a really cool trend! Awesome!

Cool! I was at the eye Dr the other day and in the waitingroom there were 5 senior citizens and one 40ish HS English teacher. You want to know what the conversation was about? How wonderful and lovely all these electronic reading devices were, and how they all were reading so much on them. This is going to be a fantastic trend, and signing them-PERFECT. Can you imagine an e-reader being auctioned off with dozens of famous names on it? Brilliant.

My friend has her Kindle cover signed by several authors. It's really cool and I can see it happening more and more. Plus, just get a new cover when that one is filled up. It's quite a good idea.

One of the appeals of the Nook is that that back cover is removeable and replaceable (you can buy spares and different colors at B&N). I've read there is a trend of Nook owners collecting signed back covers.

Today at WorldCon Robert Silverberg reported being asked to sign a Kindle. He did it, too! (And I ran back here to report.)

Sounds like a fun trip so far! Glad to hear Ally Carter is getting a good turnout.

I love the pic of Ally and Kim. How fun!

Glad you're having a good trip so far!

Out of curiosity, do you ever tell people you sit next to on flights that you're a literary agent? Especially if you're both headed to a writing conference? (I'm picturing 2+ hours of listening to someone extol the virtues of their 400,000 word manuscript about the love between a robot and a space monkey, told all in rhetorical questions...)

All right, who blabbed?

DaveK

Now that explains why there was no posting the past days...

Have fun...

Hope you have a great time. AND, I have to say, I like reading YOUR blog.

Be safe, have fun.

We hear via a nameless spy that RWA has at last dropped their ridiculous "publisher eligibility" for the Rita. Glad to see it, but long, long overdue.

Looks like fun! I love Disney World; that pic made me think of when we went last year.

Wish I could've gone to RWA...maybe next year!

I saw you at RWA's literacy signing and didn't want to take up your time but couldn't resist saying, I like your blog! Hope I wasn't too rude to kind of yell it at you like that. :-) (and hopefully you don't even remember, LOL)

Hope you have a great time, and how sweet of K Reid to show up for the signing!

Oh my gosh. I think you explained the underwear thing exact. If your not a Calvin Klein Model pull your pants up, ha ha ha. Love that.

I wish I could come!

The ones that belt their pants under the curve of their butt are the worst!!

I so wish I could see Ally in Colorado!

Heh, if we see you, can we pitch to you? J/k! Awesome to hear about Ally coming to Boulder!

Hi Ally, I think you are asking too much because the cause is complicated and the solution is too (but contrary to what you've said it does involve publishing).
As I understand it, convicted felons in US prisons are not allowed belts in case they attempt suicide. Young people on the outside identify with these felons and ape their mode of dress. What to do? Give belts back to felons?
Those convicted of property or drug crime in certain areas of the UK are being given home detention and must read set books to get a picture of the world outside their own and to develop empathy etc.
There is some evidence that recidivism is lower and it costs the state a lot less money. It seems a great solution to me. What do you think?

Sorry,
that should be Kristin!

Sigh... #14 on the library hold list for Only the Good Spy Young. On the other hand, I'm already digging into Heist Society, so I'm entertained for a while!

Whenever authors I love announce they are touring, Ally Carter very much included (Heist Society still sitting on my nightstand for it's second re-read), it makes me wish I lived in the US and could just hop a car to Boulder. Then I wouldn't have to talk myself out of thoughts like "Well maybe if I just got the tube to Heathrow there would be a last minute seat on a flight to Denver that would get me there and back in time for work on £5 or less!"

As men's jeans have become larger to accommodate this style, it has caused a denim shortage for women's jeans and jean skirts.

Ah, yes. The baggy jeans. As a community college instructor, it's especially helpful to see butt crack in the classroom setting. Give it up, boys. In 1993 it showed your commitment to an edgy, rebellious style. In 2010, it's the clothing equivalent of the mullet.
Looking forward to getting Ally's latest release!

TD,

You're right. That style of dress did originate in the prison system. But like you also point out, it's more complicated than that. What I see is a generation of young men who feel completely invisible to society. All they really want is to be seen and noticed. And we do notice them, albeit for the wrong reason. But they don't care. They walk down the street with a swagger that screams "Look at me! Look at me!" And the more we look, even in disgust, the farther their pants droop from their butts. It's a very sad situation.

This post is so fun to read. I love every line that you write. It made me smile and laugh. Thank you for sharing this important post.

Hallelujah, on the underwear rant! Wasn't that style over like ten years ago? Just yesterday I wanted to yell at a guy "if you have to hold them up when you walk, you need a belt!"

SIgh...

Love reading your blog. Great information here.

Wish I could be there, best of luck.

I'm happy to report that B&N finally shipped my pre-ordered copy of Hester. I'm really looking forward to reading it.

I wanted to go, but we got a lot of snow down south. I hope it was fun. I'll look for the book.

Wow, interesting to hear about the changes/downsizing this year. I attended last year, and was amazed at the crowds and the amount of free ARCs and other swag to be had. I still have a couple ARCs that I haven't been able to read yet!

I still love the cover for THE SHIFTER.

This is an interesting post. The downsizing is definitely understandable, though I must admit--I am surprised that there seems to be such a dramatic shift.

I hope to attend in the next few years--hopefully it won't have disappeared.

I'm glad your authors received the attention they deserved! :)

I've got to get to the next one. Thanks for sharing.

Oh my! what wouldn't I do to get a copy of catching Fire? Thanks for sharing your BEA experience! I wish I were there.

I end the show by doing my shipping at around 4 PM... No None ZERO books orphaned on the tables. (I did score an umbrella from the Libary Hotel!)

Table signings seemed to be more popular (Hi, Ally!), I liked the bubblegumcard ARCs from HarperColllins, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Brace Jinkleheimer Scmidt had packed up and left by Sunday morning. Harlequin had the best booth... open, a multitude of authors signing, and you had to get a signed book to get a bag.

Over in graphic novels, lots of great stuff. Stitches (Norton) is the big buzz, Logicomix (Bloomsbury) is quite good, and stuff for all ages available from Diamond's roster of publishers.

A bit peeved at Neil Gaiman... he made no mention of his BEA activities on his blog, so I missed his team-up with John Sciezca.

Biggest book for me? The 100 Best Looney Tunes Cartoons. Jerry Beck, Leonard Maltin, guest essayists! Companion DVD from Warner video.

Everyone should attend, just for the networking! Free books are icing!

Interesting but sad...With more free time, I thought people would have more time to read. After all, books are one of the best and cheapest forms of entertainment. Publishers are so short-sighted--the economy is getting better each day!

I love the way The Shifter looks lit up like that - such a great cover!

I am SO jealous that Megan managed to get a copy of CATCHING FIRE. I'm dying to read that!

I saw Hank Phillippi Ryan there and I was gobsmacked. Can't wait for her next one!

I also snagged Catching Fire.

And Soulless is yours? I'm absolutely in love with how cute it is!

The cover for Mr. Shivers looks awesome. And the book is fantastic, by the way. Everyone should snag a copy on release day next January.

I saw this on Ally's blog, and thought it was amazing. I've never seen anything like it before (okay, so I'm from a hick town in Canada, but still...). Anyways, it looks great!

Oh, wow, that looks amazing!

So my question is, who paid for this? Those things aren't cheap, probably $2-3k, easy for all that. Will a bookstore see a return on that kind of investment in one book?

Watch Natsha Naked!

I want that kind of publicity!

I just found Ally's page for the first time yesterday and saw this there! What an amazing display!

If a bookstore did this for my book, I would mess my pants.

How cool is that??

(I'm really looking forward to reading it!)

That is so awesome!

Kristin, I have a question, and I can't find a post that quite discusses it... if you are looking for a new blog post topic. :-)

Do you have recommendations for how to know if a new WIP should take the YA direction or the adult direction if it's a fantasy?This new story idea is complex and powerful and has me totally fascinated with this world that's exploding in my mind. I've written a few scenes and done tons of world-building, but nothing is pinning down the character's ages for me. I just know that they're somewhere in the 17-25 age range.

Ally's blog says that it's your voice that matters, and I can see how that would be the case for books like hers, or chic lit books, because today's teens think and act totally different than adults.

But in a fantasy world...especially one like mine that blends aspects of Medieval times (when adulthood started at 16 or so)...that line isn't there. I imagine it has more to do with whether the content and story-telling style interests teens (and of course, the age of the characters).

Anyway, I NEED to pin down their ages, but I don't know how to tell if my fantasy voice is more YA or more adult. And I don't want to write a book about 25 year olds in a YA fantasy voice, or write a book about 17 and 19 year olds in an adult voice.

re: content... this plot includes romance, but I write "clean" like Ally, and this book has a major non-romance plot, woven with the romance. The hero and heroine will get married about 3/4 of the way through the story. I can't cut that out, because that's integral to the plot. Does that mean it couldn't possibly be YA, therefore I should make them older?

Anyway, as an agent who reps both, can you offer any advice re: how I can figure out if I should make my characters slightly younger and go for YA, or slightly older and go for the adult?

Or...if an agent reads my book and likes it, but thinks it would work better in the other market, will they tell me that?

Thanks so much!

I'd like an answer to Kathleen's question as well.

impressive!

Tracy: nothing wrong with hicks from Canada! The display is on a Vancouver store. Kidsbooks is an awesome retailer for children's books.

Yay Kidsbooks!

What a great display!! Yay Ally!!

WOW!!! That's awesome!
Ally Rocks!

As Tina Fey/Liz Lemon would say
"I want to go to there."

Well done Ally. Her first two Gallagher books were thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining. Can't wait for the third.

Two tweets up for Sarah! Congrats to her. :)

Congrats to Sarah! How inspiring for up and coming authors

Yah for Sarah! You go girl! If I had to put my money on a debut author drawing a crowd, it would absolutely be her. I can't wait for her book to come out in the U.S.

Yeah Sarah! She is a way fun person...hope she comes back to Hawaii...

Good for her. Congrats!

Congratulations to Sarah! What a wonderful treat. :)

Before I'm ready to sign, I'll be sure to learn to tweet.

Huge congrats! That looks like a good line.

I'm already saving up money for this book. (The online sample chapter was brilliant.) I'll be on it like white on rice as soon as it hits our shelves.

That is my nightmare. Book signing starring me and no one shows. I'm happy that didn't happen to her!

Anon 1:26,
Never fear! My first in-store signing started out slow. I write fantasy but live in a town where the median age is 65 (not kidding). So I just got out in front of my table and started shaking hands as they walked in. "Do your grandkids read Harry Potter? Oh, they'll love my story." Etc. So even if your shills don't show up right away, you can create an audience/create some buzz around you and have a lovely signing after all.
Sandy Lender

Her launch party sounds like a ton of fun. I can't help but wonder what the price tag was though. Even with splitting the cost between two authors, I have a feeling that she is spending more than most working author's will even make.

Good for her if she can afford it - unrealistic for the majority.

Love the tips. I think most of us can pick and choose what would work best for our particular situations from these.

I hope this isn't a dumb question: when Mari talks about getting a bookseller to sell books at the event, does she mean just her books (and her co-host's books) or books from the seller in general? I figured just her books but wanted to make sure.

Kristin, I had the same question as AC. Also, love this post! It's so interesting to hear how people put there own flair on things. In a past life, I was a rock musician and we had CD release parties - similar thing. As with all aspiring writers, this is our dream come true.

Thanks for the tips. This is the kind of thing that is so non-intuitive for me.

Hi, everyone. This is the author who co-hosted with Marianne. We really spent VERY little on this event. That had a lot to do with our media contacts, but more to do with the way Mari approached the venue and gift bag sponsors. Much of what was donated was free, because vendors knew members of the media would be at the party.

On this question--"When Mari talks about getting a bookseller to sell books at the event, does she mean just her books (and her co-host's books)?"--the answer is yes. Just Mari's and my latest books were on sale, and we used traveling bookseller Mobile Libris--they offer a great service and we didn't have to worry about selling our own books while we wanted to mingle!

Thanks for posting, Kristin!

Great ideas! I'm bookmarking this one for whenever I'm eventually published, since I love the thought of self-promoting in style.

http://climbthesky.blogspot.com

As Melissa said, the cost was extremely minimal. The restaurant gave us the space for free. We spent $75 each on the chocolates/muchies at the bar. (Which is approximately a dollar a guest.) Melissa bought a bag of candy to stuff the gift bags and I bought three children's games (which I'm thinking of donating to charity now that the event's over.) And that was it!

I'd say total we spent $100 each. Which, I might add, is tax deductible as well.

:)
Marianne

These are great ideas for any kind of business promotion party, not just a book launch. They would work well the next time we host a party celebrating some milestone for our magazine. Everyone loves goodie bags, even the companies that get to contribute something to them. With the attitude that this kind of party gives everybody promotional opportunities, it becomes easy to ask people to participate. Thanks for sharing these ideas.

My release party: a bottle of champagne and some cake with my sister and brother-in-law. We had to be quiet, because my niece was asleep in the next room, but it was excellent.

What fantastic ideas, thanks for sharing with us.

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.


Sharon

http://www.autoloans101.info

To Melissa and Mari, Thanks for the clarification on the bookseller and the cost of the party. I wish I could have been there - it sounds like a blast! And, best of luck to you both on the success of your books.

You had Scott Westerfeld there? How cool is that!!! Sorry. That fan-girl comment had to come out.

Maybe I'll give out sheriff's badges and get-out-of-jail-free cards for my book party.(when/if it's ever published)

WandaV

Wanda, I have to admit, I was pretty fan girl at his being there, too! Especially when he was showing us illustrations for his upcoming steampunk novel Leviathan. Sooo cool.

Thanks to Marianne and Melissa for their advice. Congrats on a successful book party!

Ms. Mancusi just agreed to a Q and A for my blog to help her promote GAMER GIRL. It was really great of her. My first author interview and it turns out her agent is my dream agent!

Whoops! Was I supposed to say... er...type that? Oh well, my secret's out! :)

Sounds like a great party. My co-author and I did some of the same things right-- and also we did some wrong.

We too used Mobile Libris, but they only brought 30 books, and we were sold out almost instantly. We should have asked about this ahead of time. There were quite a few more guests who would have bought books. Also, they up-charged from the cover price! They charged 33.00 for a 30.00 book, which I found embarrassing. Surely their cost was nowhere near that price.

Also, we got a liquor sponsor, so there was one special cocktail available to guests free. We also paid for beer and wine. But the restaurant absolutely overcharged me in the end. If I had it to do over again, I'd be more careful.

Learn from me!

I really love this idea of people buying books to donate. I'll definitely tuck this away for the future!

Are you charging for this blog because I feel like I'm getting a lesson from an insider.

Thank you for great information and I didn't have to pay fees, get a hotel or wear a lovely badge!

Kiki

Appreciate the BEA reports, but have to comment. You're back home again in Denver, and playing on the iPod is Back Home Again by Denver. Coincidence or are you playing with us? Either way, I like it.

And yet the unpublished masses of us would give so much to be involved in that reverse horserace. Keep on keepin' on, and maybe one day we'll all get there. Thank you so much for what you do, Kristin. You and other agents who blog and let us know about the ins and outs are a real blessing to us.

Thanks

Did you get any feel for trade vs. hardcover for genre fiction? Would the issues be any different from those for literary fiction?

I can't remember the last time I bought hardcover fiction. For $25, that story had better be the best ever.

When I started to blog, I just jotted down the song without thinking. Then I totally started to laugh but honestly, that's what was playing on the iPod as I was writing the blog entry.

I couldn't make this stuff up. I'm not creative enough.
k

But Kristin, did you bring back a stack of books?

I found the subject matter of hardback vs. trade paperback very interesting, but you were pretty vague on the subject (or at least apprehensive). More please. :)

I actually prefer trade paperbacks to hardcover and don't mind if a book debuts as trade paperbacks. Promotional and price concerns aside, I just prefer the format. To me, it is the best of both worlds of a hardcover and a mass market paperback: it has the durability of a hardcover, but it's slightly lighter . It's got the flexibility of a mass market paperback, but its pages are larger, which means there are less of them and it's slightly easier to read. I like their heft, how they feel when I'm reading them or carrying them ... and that tactile sensation, to me, is why I will always love physical books, even though I can't wait to see how publishing continues to grow in the electronic medium.

Yet I digress. I will often wait until a book comes out as trade paperback (like I am with Douglas Coupland's The Gum Thief) before I buy it. So if the issues around publishing as an original trade paperback can change so that authors are still getting the same benefits they do from original hardcover, I'd love to see more original trade paperbacks. :D

freakishly good timing on this since this very morning I had an editor offer to publish in trade paperback but not hardcover (without more revision). basically had the same conversation with my agent, but it's sure nice to hear it from another source!

long-time-blog-reader-who-is-going-anon-because-some-lovely-agent-in-Denver-says-you-shouldn't-discuss-ongoing-pub-efforts-online-till-they're-DONE-bless-her-for-that

I'm totally jealous. Jeph Loeb is one of my favorite writers ever.

It seems to me that publishing in hardcover is more about publishers' snobbery than about serving the writer or the reading public. I'm sure there is status associated with coming out in hardcover, but don't you lose potential buyers/readers? What is the goal?

Loved the discussion about comics. As a long time reader of that genre (actually what inspired me to write in the first place) I am also still shocked by the coolness and legitimacy comic books have gotten in recent years. I believe the first Spider-man movie is largely responsible, and then the amount of good comic book movies that followed is what has kept comics popular. Either way though, I'm glad that starting about five years ago I was finally able to start talking about reading comics openly without people thinking I was a scary dork.

I didn't get to attend the Graphic Novel breakfast, but the two panels I attended about graphic novels and video games were very interesting. It sounds like a lot of your events turned out rather boring. I'm sorry. (Although the trade paperback vs. hardcover thing does sound like something I'd enjoy.)

Horse racing in reverse! Ha! The autographing area was crazy at times- particularly when I was in the line next to Christopher Paolini's and couldn't see the end of his.

I buy hardcovers all the time; whether from new or established authors -- doesn't really matter much. If the book is so awful that I cannot finish it -- it goes back to the store the very next day. That's only happened twice. Too bad. So sad.

Oh and autographing stalls? wtf?!

I don't do hardbacks. True, I have a couple non-fiction book in hardback, and The Lord of the Rings (in one volume) and The Hobbit in special faux-leather-bound editions, but that's it.

Why should my shoulders and back suffer any more than they have to? I have 1 pb in trade size (costs a bit more than regular pb, but as another poster said, the type is easier to read for my tired old eyes), and, naturally, a ton in the usual old pb size (can't beat the price!). Much easier to carry around than those darned hardbacks!

I wouldn't shed a tear if the industry got rid of hardbacks for novels.

It was nice to sit next to you at the Graphic Novel Breakfast. Thanks for the children's book recomendations. I picked up Knuffle Bunny Too yesterday and my daughter loved it.

This was my first BEA and I spent a lot of time wandering around aimlessly, completely lost. It was an interesting experience, though. However, I too felt like there wasn't much innovation going on. Thanks for the post and this great blog. I'll add a link to mine.

For me, the graphic novel thing started with my awareness of Harvey Pekar due to the film American Splendor. I knew Maus from before then, but AS really made me see what it could all be about.

I was at BEA for the first time ever, working to meet people for the benefit of my employer, the Ohioana Library Association -- and Harvey Pekar is an Ohioan.

I also attended the morning buzz meeting, so as soon as my books get here from the show, I think I can list out the 6 titles of new books being pushed by editors.

Leslie (from Ohio!)

I love the horse racing - author signing stalls. That made me smile.

My niece and I are waiting... for the Breaking Dawn event that will be at Borders in August - now that's a serious fan.

That's a very good point. I think a lot of aspiring writers tend to be bitter towards successful ones out of jealousy. Especially in a case like Stephanie Meyer's, where her trip from non-writer to ultra-popular, best-selling author looks incredibly fast and easy on the surface (although it probably wasn't really as easy as it looks--it never is...). But you're right that it's MUCH more productive to try to learn from successful writers than to get all bitter and sulky because they're on the NYT bestseller list and you're not (yet).

I think the 'why' is definitely worth contemplating.

I have known others to think that would be 'selling out' but so far they seem not to have sold anything, yet alone 'out'.

I have also known beginners to answer that 'why' as though it were a catalytic motivation rather than a structural element.

Say you identify 'Harry Potter' as a magical fantasy myth that allows children to interact with adults as equals. So is Narnia, and a half a dozen others that I can't recall at the moment. Do not write a mfm with kids vs adults!

However, if you just happen to be writing a kid's story with a little magic, a land away from adults or midway between them, then it would be of definite use to employ some of some of the forms already proven and true, so that the 'why' that so many people seem to be interested in is also answered.

And if you want to be a rebel, remember it's easier to break laws you know than laws you are ignorant of. Besides, ignorance is no excuse, so better a sheep than a lamb and also the difference between a rebel and a petty criminal.

wplasvegas (not anonymous, I just have somehow po'd goggle blooger and I don't know why)

This is why I read Eragon. I wrote my thoughts about it at Fantasy Debut and got a bit of flack for posting a mostly-positive review. It was important to me to figure out why this story was popular. I'm not sure I succeeded, but it assuaged my curiosity.

But I also think that the "why" is not exactly discernible. We can all put forth theories, but in the end, I'd rather worry about my own writing then try and figure out why something else is popular, when that question seems unanswerable.

Some writers obsess too much about over what the current trend is, and then try and mimick it. But it doesn't seem to work out though, not quite in the same way.

Interesting comment. One thing Kristin doesn't mention is that a lot of best sellers aren't that well written (Da Vinci Code, anyone?), and yet they sell well because they are good stories. I think it's fair to say that while it's important to hone your craft, craft is no substitute for story telling.

I think too, certain bestsellers can become a sort of peer pressure situation within the kidlit community.

If you're the "only" one who hasn't read the Twilight books, etc,, then that in and of itself makes you different. It's easy to give in and buy them, to fit in, which perpetuates the sales.

Same thing with adults and something like The Davinci Code -- I've yet to find a single person that really loved the book, yet it seemed everyone read it just so they could chime in on how badly written it was.

I agree totally and have two good examples from real life ...

I'm not a James Patterson fan, but to ignore his successful formula in commercial books is silly. He has something to teach all of us about pacing, accessibility, flow and plot -- not to mention promotion.

And while I didn't get involved in the controversy surrounding the DaVinci Code's religious theories, I thought on a purely technical level, the book was a very, very well constructed thriller, and there's something to be learned from that also.

LurkerMonkey

I am reading The Host right now for that very reason, to find the "why." It is not a title I would have chosen to read for pleasure. Writers need to keep abreast of what's out there, not to follow a trend they wouldn't naturally be a part of, but to heighten their awareness and grow with the industry.

Often my sister writers will tell me they don't care what the trends are; that they are going to write the book they want to write whether or not it's what's selling. And that passion is necessary to see the process through. But there's more to it than that.

As Karen Wester Newton stated above, a lot of the bestsellers aren't that well written. But they're bestsellers. So we're back to the "why." High concept helps. And just think...if you can come up with a high concept book and write it well, then you're ahead of the competition. I just wish it were as easy as it sounds!

Thanks for the fresh perspective!

Something similar goes on in the minds of reviewers/critics, I think. Many of them seem to assess a book in light of how they, the critics, would have tackled the same topic or plot the author has selected. (Or, worse, they use the review to discuss why the author should have selected a different plot or topic.)

A more useful approach -- more useful to a reader, at any rate -- would lay out something up front like "I think, based on the following evidence, this is what the author meant to accomplish with this book." Said evidence to be followed by an assessment of how well the book hits the mark.

Sure, this would make book reviewing harder for the reviewers. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. :)

I'm reading the Host Right now. As the person above me wrote, It's not something I would normally pick up.

The big BUT here is, I work in a book store and need to keep myself up with what's hot. No one else in the store really wanted to read it (or could take the time for a 600 plus page book)... so I thought I'd be the one to read and share.

I'm actually really loving it. I've put it in my staff pics and share it with people who read everything from classic Lit to Sci-Fi to Womans fiction.

It's *not* the writing that has hooked me. the book itself is overly long and many pieces could have been tightened or removed to speed the pace of the book. Several things are repeated to good effect, but others are simply stating the thought in another way.

In this case, it's the humanity behind the story. I Love books that make you think about different things. This book really makes you think about humanity.

It's the story itself... which any author, new or established, rough or polished in their craft, can strive for. That in itself is very motivating.

-Mel

Okay, this is Just Me and my opinion and certainly not the word of any almighty diety, agent, or editor...

The popular books appeal to a broad range of readers. Harry Potter wasn't just a YA book, it had enough darkness that it drew in adult readers. The Gallagher Girls series isn't just a teen romance, it has suspense, action, mystery.

The popular books can be picked up and enjoyed by about 80% of the population.

The cult classics, like Terry Pratchett's Discworld, sell well (he's a top UK seller) but it isn't "popular" because the genre only appeals to a rabid 10% of the population. But they are rabid fans who will buy anything Discworld related. The same for Star Wars, the mech series, Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Terry Brooks, and Louis McMaster Bujold.

For a writer this means that what genre you want to write will determine whether you become the super-popular author who dominates the NYT even if you don't edit (although no good agent would let their author try that stunt) and being the Cult Classic who has a devoted following but not the recognition status.

I'm biased, I like the genre books, I like sci-fi more than anything, and that's what I'm comfortable writing. I don't ever expect to have a fan base like JKR. But, provided I live through edits, I may get a small group of devoted fans. Maybe. I have to convince an agent I'm worth the trouble first.

But, edits first!

One word, entertainment.

Even if it's not of stellar quality, if it's entertaining then people put up with what may be wrong with it. For instance, the Sunburn Song on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-QJ2dwObJk

These guys wouldn't win American Idol, but you'll watch the whole thing and probably email the link to others because it's really entertaining. (the link is via my blog).

Oh!! I love Stephanie Meyer. I'm reading The Host now, as a matter of fact.

This is great advice, Kristin.

I have to admit I read Twilight and so didn't get why it was wildly popular vs. the mountains of other vampire books. I read it really, really wanting to like it because, hey, I *like* seeing success like that. I cheer those writers on because they drag people who don't normally read into bookstores and leave them wanting more. YA writers should be throwing rose petals in the paths of JK Rowling and Stephanie Meyer.

But... I just didn't get Twilight (loved Harry Potter though). Average, boring girl meets Gary Stu perfect vampire. Hundreds of pages of unresolved sexual tension ensue. Girl is almost killed. The end. No particularly new or interesting take on vampires. Characters were blah. The plot was... there... sorta. The narrative read like better-than-average fanfiction. I was completely turned off by the POV character because I thought she was weak and boring and stupid. And I am starting to think that may be it -- people really related to that character's averageness and voice, whereas I... just didn't.

The Host sounds really interesting, and I'll probably pick that one up even though I didn't care for Twilight.

I so totally agree.

I've noticed in the (unpublished) writer's community that it can be quite hip to trash the most popular novels. Some people sneer at the quality of the writing and rattle of a list of "rules" that were broken per page or something like that.

It all comes across a bit like sour grapes. And I want to be clear, obviously you can dislike a popular book. But, they are popular for a reason. Why don't we try to find out why?

I'll admit I was one of those jealous of Stephanie Meyers...until I read the books.

Of course there are flaws, but I got an understanding of why it is so popular. She really speaks to her audience--teenage girls who are insecure, who are going through all that sexual tension, who are still dreaming of prince charming. She hit the nail on the head.

Then older women, who still face some of the same things, got hooked in too.

That's a lesson right there--knowing your audience. Reading Twilight taught me a lot as a writer, and now I'm a bigger fan than I ever planned on being, even if I still can't stand Bella, lol.

Renee, I've got a feeling that some of the nastiness when it comes to hugely successful books boils down to this: the perception of two separate sets of "rules." One for them, one for me. The wildly successful author can break any rules she wants, while the rest of us are told to toe the line.

I've seen this in my niche market. "You can't have a divorced hero!" Then the fabulously talented Patt Marr comes along & does exactly that, and it works.

And this wasn't said after the speaker had read my book. Nothing of that nature. It was just a rule. End of topic. No discussion, please.

This honks off unpubbed writers, and rightly so. Wouldn't it be better for the overall discussion if the rule-givers say instead, "Yes, she broke this rule, and it worked because..."?

Anonymous said exactly what I thought after reading the Twilight series. I also felt that the protag was dangerously narcissistic and a bad friend.

However, my daughter, who is smack in the demographic the books are aimed at, loved them. She couldn't really articulate why except that for all the faults, which she recognized, the books were a good read.

I recently read Twilight, and it really helped me put my own writing into perspective. I've tried so hard to follow all the rules, yet here is a book where it is nearly impossible to find "said" as a dialogue tag, every emotion is overexplained with purple prose, the romantic interest is a Gary Stu, and there is absolutely no plot in sight for the first 300 or so pages.

Yet it helped me understand that it really is all about emotion; whether we as writers manage to tap into the emotions of our target audience. The average reader will not comb the book for POV switches, weird dialogue tags, the amount of times "gasped" was used, or scenes where the MC looks in the mirror to describe herself. The demands to correct those "mistakes" have been born out of the relatively small, language-obsessed circle of writers and writing professionals, and I freely admit to being one. But those things do not matter to the reading public, not one bit - Meyer's books have definitely proved that.

So, why fret so much? :-)

I think what so many people don't get is that the story itself is what people remember, and the writing is just the vehicle that delivers the story. It's not at all about trends, it's about delivering on expectation. When a reader picks up a book, they hope they'll get 'lost in the story', that it will so captivate them that they'll read it in one sitting, and the ending will be worth waiting for.

What do the big breakout books have in common? Killer story structure....the book delivers on the reader's expectation or exceeds it. When it exceeds it, word of mouth happens. A few books that come to mind that are still at the top of the bestseller lists are The Kite Runner and Water For Elephants. Both books have a somewhat similar story structure, where everything 'connects' at the end...that ripple effect when the book ends, and the reader is completely satisfied and tells their friends 'you need to read this.'

Twilight has this too, two teens who cannot be together, yet can't stay away from each other, characters that ring true, flawed, and normal, and a hero to lust after.

I have to agree with Emily. I am a Twilight fan to the nth degree, and the emotion factor in Twilight is off the charts.

When Bella is depressed, I'm feeling a little down. When she's happy, I'm right there with here, and when she's terrified, I'm afraid to turn the page.

SM has a way of toggling that emotion button throughout the entire story, and I can't wait for Breaking Dawn!! My calendar is marked :o)

Thank you so much for saying this.

In addition to my original stories, I write fanfiction based on a very well-known young adult novel (the original author is aware of our writing and is both supportive and encouraging). Many of the writers on the site, though, aren't just young (many are 13-14); they are inexperienced and, well, not very good writers. Yet :).

When I see a story with horrendous writing that's got dozens of reviews telling the author how wonderful it is, though, I read the story trying to pinpoint what it is they like about it. It sure isn't the grammar, heh heh, and there usually isn't much of a plot; but over time I've noticed a few specific aspects that draw a lot of readers in.

While this is on a different end of the spectrum from a published novel, the thing I've figured out is that it isn't always just the writing that does it, especially when you're looking at readers who don't have a good grasp of writing themselves. Sometimes there's something less technical, less rule-related, hiding right there on the surface.

I read Twilight for exactly that reason- I wanted to see what all the hype was about, and figure out why it was just so popular. And I found I had a greater appreciation for it by reading it with a critical eye, dissecting it to see what was so appealing. As I read it, I constantly thought about how this part was too wordy, this part a little too purple, and other things from a technical point of view, but when I actually finished the book, I found that I liked the story for what it is. It brought me back to being a teenager and the intensity of the feelings I had then and all my wistful daydreams and I smiled and wanted to read more. It really does all lie in the story, even if the story is not particularly original, and shows that even if your book is grammatically perfect, it needs to have some spark if it's going to appeal to a mass audience.

I'm sorry but whatever SM has to say, I really am not interested in hearing it; just can't get past the level of the prose -- which is awful in any given paragraph. I read the excerpt for The Host which up on her official website and life is way too short to wade through material like that.

I don't know if all writers are like this, but I have to try really hard to read a novel just for the story. I find myself critiquing it as I would while revising my own manuscript...

Kristin, I'm so glad you guys had a good time!! And I couldn't agree more with this post.

A lot of writers/readers fell for the hype of a fantasy book (we're talking a few years ago). He was supposed to be the latest and greatest, story is great, blah blah blah.

Except, from reviews I've read, his characters are one dimensional (women who are witches are all evil; gorgeous, normal women have non-existent IQs; all magical men are gorgeous, smart, etc.). I can't remember his name offhand, but I think a lot of people in the fantasy community really got p.o.'d big time because of all the hype.

Which is one of the reasons why I tend to stay away from those hyped to the hilt.

For instance, I didn't get a copy of The daVinci Code until last year. I turned the pages like crazy; and I decided that despite the wooden characters, it had me interested to the very end.

So of course I had to blog about it:

http://tinyurl.com/4ro8oy

because I figured Dan Brown had something to teach me about making my novel into a page turner - something that readers wouldn't want to put down.

Of course, I still haven't analyzed it, lol, but I'll get around to it some day.

Great tips! I'm tucking them away for future reference. :)

Just the kind of advices I need. Especially number 12. Small talk???? Agh! Thank you so much, Robin.

This is really helpful!

I've found that sweets are always a winner (white chocolate mice in my case, or mousecakes if I find time to make them) as are badges. Badges just seem to be the killer giveaway - although they have to be cool enough to adorn a bag.

Another thing I've found useful is to have a friend - not necessarily another author - come along who can mill about and make people aware that you are who you are (maybe by carrying the sweets and offering them out). It not only puts you at ease by knowing that a friend is with you, but it also aids the folk heading to you.

These are really great tips! Thanks for sharing them. I saved this post to my "promotion ideas" folder for when that day comes. Thanks again!

I'm so glad to know the tips were helpful, guys! Thanks.

And Alex, a resounding yes to having a buddy there, even if they are not an author. The buddy system rules, for all the reasons you mention!

I'm not sure if this is how I leave indie bookstore nominations, but I wanted to recommend three.

First is The Reader's Cove in Fort Collins, Colorado. Their website is www.thereaderscove.com. This bookstore has a true community spirit and I think is especially noteworthy for the way they go above and beyond supporting local authors. I posted on my blog about the letter-writing campaign they've organized for children's author Todd Mitchell (writerjenn.blogspot.com if you want to read more about it and join in the efforts to help) and they have another campaign going to try and get a local pediatric psychiatrist's book on Oprah.

My second nomination is for The Linden Tree in downtown Los Altos, CA. (http://lindentree.booksense.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp) This is a wonderful, wonderful children's bookstore. I worked there for about a year and I thought I knew a lot about children's literature going in, but boy did the staff there prove me wrong. They REALLY know their stuff. I don't know if he still works there, but Tom especially could field the most obscure requests. The Linden Tree has an incredibly wide selection of children's books including educational materials for teachers and they have a great selection of children's music, audio books, and educational toys.

And my final nominee is Boulder Bookstore in Boulder, CO. (http://boulderbookstore.booksense.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp) This is a big store--three stories in a charming, old building on Pearl Street (downtown shopping district) of room after room of books, books, books. It's a must see destination if you are a booklover visiting Boulder, CO, but be prepared to spend hours wandering around the store. They also offer a wide range of author events with a little something for everyone. (Although they bend toward the liberal side because Boulder is traditionally a liberal town.)

I just want to reiterate the bit about every author having signings where only a few people show up. Years ago, I lived in Gresham, OR which is more like a suburb of Portland. It had a small children's bookstore and so when Paula Danzigger hit the road to promote the Amber Brown books, they booked her there for an afternoon. Well, no one showed but me and maybe two others. FOR PAULA DANZIGGER!!!! She was fabulous. She was so nice and friendly and she was wearing purple sparkly Doc Martens. She signed the two books I bought, but also the first book of hers that I'd ever read, back in high school. I was just starting to write then and she wrote: I hope to see your name on a book jacket someday.

Well, she didn't live to see that (not that she'd remember anyway), but seeing her so happy and cheerful even though I was the only one there for most of the hour, just totally inspired me.

Thanks for these tips! I think every writer has that nightmare vision of sitting alone in a bookstore with a table full of books, while the clientele scurries past, avoiding eye contact.

I wonder--do picture book writers appear with their illustrators? It seems like it would be great, as well as more comfortable, to have both of them there. And the illustrator could draw pictures to entice people.

Jennifer, thanks so much for the nominations!

Joelle, that is the perfect story to illustrate exactly what we're talking about. Thank you so much for sharing it! And lucky you, to have a few moments alone with the lovely Ms. Danzigger!

Liquidambar, as a general rule, the author and illustrator don't appear together, mostly for logistical reasons--quite often they live on opposite sides of the country, or even in different countries! Also, coordinating the two schedules could be problematic. But I do love it when someone can draw something quick and fun in a book they're signing. That's always a huge bonus!

Fabulous post, Robin! Thanks much--

Mary

Yowza! What a useful blog post. I'm taking notes. Thanks for the great ideas.
I'd heard recently from an agent at a conference that the average number of people who show up to book signings is . . . three. Here's to us introverts being waaaay above average.
And I loved that story about Paula Danziger, Joelle. I took one of her workshops a couple years ago and found her to be so generous and knowledgeable. Of course she'd have been full of fun and grace even though her book signing wasn't well attended. Look what an important impression she made on you. One never knows the impact she can have on one person.
Thanks Mary and Robin for promoting the indies. What a great idea to show them the love they so deserve!
Regards,
Donna