Book talks and signings

Writing a book is the easy part; selling it is much more difficult. A good way to promote your book locally is to get involved with the library system and all the bookstores, and try to arrange book talks and signings from time to time.

Book talks tend to be the better deal, as you're generally there for a shorter time and you sell more books – but of course you have to talk in front of a crowd, which for some is not easy. A book signing, usually at a bookstore, is easier but you may be there for three or four hours and sell just a few, or none at all. It depends on the bookstore and how busy it is, and how well the store manager promotes the signing event. That's another good thing about book talks: generally speaking, those who sit down to listen are people that have come especially to see you, and are much more likely to buy your book than someone who happens to pop into a bookstore.

The best day I had was talking in front of 75 people at a formal luncheon (see first public speaking below) but even then I only sold fifteen books. I'm grateful for that, but I hear of authors doing the rounds and selling forty or seventy in a day, and I've never come anywhere close to that! Selling a few here and there hardly seems worth the effort... and yet it's all part of the process. You've got to start somewhere, right?

I made my first ever TV appearance on a local cable show called The Bookshelf. It was interesting and not half as nerve-wracking as I expected, because there was no audience, just a couple of presenters and fixed camera – not even any TV crew.

Another great way to promote your book locally is to get involved with the school system. I did one impromptu ten-minute talk at a school and sold twelve books. But what's really nice is that the teachers at the school seemed so happy to have an author present (even an unknown like me). And my books are making the rounds with all the local schools and libraries now, enjoyed by the media specialists and librarians, recommended to students and bookworms... it's really nice, and a little strange, to know that so many people are reading it. The fact that it's just a small handful of copies being passed around doesn't matter. It's not all about money, and if it was, then I'd be wasting my time! I think an author is better off getting his books out there, spreading the word, rather than trying to make a quick profit. I'm hoping that the slow but sure growth in readership will pay off one day.

So make yourself known locally. It's completely free, mostly fun, and pretty rewarding.

The following are tagged/related posts from my blog...

Book Talk at Rossville Library

Posted on January 22, 2010

I had fun at the Rossville Public Library last night. I never did count the number of showees but I seem to remember ten or fifteen.

As usual I don't bother planning what I'm going to talk about, and I'm pretty sure this shows! All I really need is a starting point, as once I get started on a subject I'm hard to shut up. But it's more fun that way, and plus, even if I planned what I was going to say and read from a script, often the audience will ask a question and the talk will shift to a different track and I'll go off on a tangent. So I wing it, and enjoy it more than I ever did when I tried to stick to a script.

Back in England, when I worked at a large company for fourteen years, I had to do Health & Safety presentations for rooms of 10-20 people. I hated it! In those days I planned my 20-minute talk carefully and often floundered when I "forgot the next bit." And like many people, I suffered from what the lady in Training called "the flutters," where the heart is hammering and your words are tumbling out and you're forgetting to breathe. But these days, being much, much, much older, I don't get that problem anymore. Instead I just get a sort of cold dread ten minutes before the talk. But it vanishes instantly, and everything's fine, and I wonder: What was all the fuss about?

I think most people feel nervous about talking in front of people, whether it's a small group of ten or fifteen, or a larger group of 75 as I had to face during my first public speaking at the Walker County Chamber Luncheon last year. I don't know how I would feel in front of hundreds, but I guess I'll have to deal with that when I'm as famous as J. K. Rowling. ;-) I'll never forget watching J. K. read an excerpt from one of her Harry Potter books; she stood up on stage in front of thousands of fans (and millions sitting at home watching TV) and looked pretty nervous about it too. But she did good. Yikes, what pressure! Still, if I was earning a few bob like her, I guess I'd force myself to go through that too. Maybe.

In the meantime, my own humble book talks (which consist of me rambling about vaguely book-related things mixed up with whatever subject the audience gets me on) are a lot of fun, at least for me.

Interesting for the audience? You'd have to ask them.

Book Nook in Dalton

Posted on November 29, 2009

The book signing event at Book Nook in Dalton was great! It was slow in terms of books sold, but it's a really neat place – a small shopfront but a store that stretches back and back and spreads over two floors, with two bridges on the upper floor to get from one side to the other. The place is crammed with secondhand books, and on weekdays food is served (which I'm told by other customers is excellent). At various places around the shop there are cafe-style tables, and upstairs large sofas to lounge on.

I just wish Book Nook was located in Chickamauga and not "so far away" in Dalton! Still, my good wife works in Dalton and I bet she'll be popping in every so often now that she knows the place exists. If anyone in the local area is interested, here's a map to get there.

Unfortunately the store doesn't have a website, and my day job as a website designer compels me to contact the store owner and put this right. A regularly updated website, particularly for a store that holds book signing events, can be a great help in attracting customers.

So, I didn't sell many books but I did get to leave some behind for display on the shelves. And I've already agreed to come back on a weekday for a single-author-only book signing, when it's a little busier. Aside from that, it was nice to meet and talk with the other authors present.

Next stop: Calhoun Library on 8th December.

Book signings and events galore

Posted on November 17, 2009

I've been busy over the last few weeks arranging events to promote my books, and have added a new Upcoming Book Signings and Events box at the top of the home page. Some bookings may show as greyed-out, meaning they're only partially confirmed – otherwise they'll show as a green light, with a confirmed date and time.

Yesterday I was told that Island of Fog is being processed for nearby Rossville Middle School's library. The media specialist at the school read the book and liked it, and wants it to be part of the school library system. This is great! And she wants to include the book, along with its sequel, Labyrinth of Fire, in December's "Tale Time" for 4th and 5th graders. This is where, every month, she shares books – "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue." In this case, my books are the "something new."

Island of Fog is currently available in two local bookshops, Books Neverending in Rossville, GA, and Rock Point Books in Chattanooga, TN.

Meanwhile, Labyrinth of Fire is selling like hot cakes! I'm chewing my fingernails a little, wondering how it compares to the first book, but I've had two good reviews already. Also, my agent, Whitt Brantley Management and Talent, is now (or will shortly be) representing the new book. He remains hopeful that the story will, in some form, be picked up by a producer or publisher in the future. We just need to remain patient!

Library visit, events, agents, editing, and reviews!

Posted on October 23, 2009

Well, I enjoyed my visit to Chickamauga Library yesterday. I had an audience of around twenty teenagers, which was a terrifying prospect but turned out to be really nice. They were a great bunch, and it's made me a little less nervous about visiting schools in the future (when I get around to contacting all the teachers I've met in the last few months).

A few more things are in the pipeline. I'm planning to be in Rome again on November 7th, for a little shindig in the grounds of Berry College, and a book store in Dalton on November 14th. More on both these events later. Meanwhile, the owner of a local book store, Rock Point Books, is buying ten of my books to put on the shelves and has invited me to do a book talk thingie in December. This store has a lot of events and they get a good turn-out, so that should be interesting. (I designed their website; it's good having contacts like this!)

I got a note from Whitt Brantley, my TV and Film agent. He said, "Unfortunately, Trancas has passed on Island of Fog. So, that will probably rule out Kensington Publishing interest as well. Anyway, back to square one! We'll eventually get something going!" That's a shame. Trancas is the production company involved with all the Halloween movies. But Whitt has fingers in other pies too, so he'll just keep plugging away.

Labyrinth of Fire should be completely finished by the end of this weekend. Editing is a slow business as it involves going through the entire book over and over. I've been reading it carefully, changing bits, correcting typos, etc, and now I have brother Darren's proofreading corrections to go through – and there are a lot! He's very thorough. Anyway, the book should be available on or before November 15th, so in the next few days I'll put up a pre-order page for those who are interested. :-)

I'm still getting really nice comments about Island of Fog. I got one recently via Facebook, from a lady in Australia, who said, "I borrowed Island of Fog from my mother ... and I just wanted to tell you I thought it was great. It was nice to read a story where I wasn't constantly reconstructing sentences in my mind (I did creative writing for 2 years at Uni and it has ruined me!). I loved it and was left hoping that there will be more to follow!!!" This kind of feedback never gets old and makes it all worthwhile. :-)

Teen Read Week at Chickamauga Library

Posted on October 17, 2009

I'm back from the Georgia Literary Festival in Rome. It was a cold day, sitting with other authors not IN the library but right outside the front door. We all thought we were supposed to be inside, not outside, so it wasn't just me wot assumed wrong. Sitting outside would have been fine except that it was 48°F, and with the brisk wind felt more like Siberia. If I'd brought a fridge with me, I could have plugged it in and opened the door to warm the place up. My hands were so cold that my signature read "Jack Frost." I didn't dare stand up lest I bang my head on the icicles.

Eventually the organizers of the event took pity on us and allowed us to move our tables just inside the entrance, where the sliding doors opened and closed for the rest of the day.

It was okay though. I sold a few books and met some nice people. We were all miserable together. I think it would have been much better if it had been a nice, warm sunny day... but you can't control the weather.

My next appointment is at the Chickamauga Library on Thursday, 22nd October, 2009 (my 40th birthday, yikes!) at 3:30pm. This is part of Teen Read Week. I'll be there for about an hour – a short read and book signings, and so on. If you're in the Chickamauga area, please come on down and make me feel worthwhile. :-)

Georgia Literary Festival 2009

Posted on October 16, 2009

This is a quick reminder to say that I'll be at the Georgia Literary Festival in Rome on Saturday 17th October 2009, from 9am to 5:30pm, along with a bunch of other author type people. The event will be split between the Rome City Auditorium and the Regional Library, and it sounds as though the organizers have their hands full with an overwhelming response this year!

I'll be at my table in the library, and I expect my pen will start smoking from signing all those hundreds of copies of Island of Fog. I had a sudden panic attack: what if I run out of books? But hey, that's a problem I'd like to have. :-)

It's a shame Labyrinth of Fire is not quite ready to go, but I can't do anything about that. You can't rush great things, right? Still, it's in its final editing stages and will be ready soon.

Impromptu talk and book signing at Rossville Middle School

Posted on August 25, 2009

I don't want to harp on about every book talk and event, but this one was great! Brandy, from the Rossville Library, phoned yesterday to say that the local middle school was having a small shindig, a sort of parents' evening, and would I be interested in having a table with my books on?

Well, of course I would! So off Brandy went to organize it. A little later she phoned again and said, "It's all arranged – but the teachers want you to speak to the parents and kids."

Yikes! Well, I said yes, since it was only going to be a short talk, just a few minutes or so. So, that evening, I met the teachers and was amazed at how eager they seemed to have "a real live author" there. I'm not used to this sort of attention; I'm just some bloke wot rote a book! Anyway, I "spoke" – or shouted, since the parents and kids were gathered in the gymnasium where voices get lost in echos. It was okay though, and afterward I sold a nice bunch of books – mostly to kids for a change!

Although I wrote Island of Fog for the 9-12 age group, more adults than kids have read it. I've revised my age group to 9+ now, and have been told it's more like Young Adult. In any case, it seems to suit all ages. But I'm keen for more kids to get hold of it, and finally it's starting to happen. It was really nice to meet the teachers and they kept asking if I'd come and talk to classes about writing and so on, and I kept saying yes, of course! So hopefully I'm "in" with the school system now. Meanwhile, completely separately, I'm "in" with another local middle school just because I built their website for them a few years ago.

I recently completed a website for another author, who lives in England. David Schutte, a writer of children's mysteries, tells me that he's visited over 200 schools in England. He does a talk and then manages to sell a healthy amount of books. That's what I want too, although I should add that it's really not about the money – it's about getting as many copies out there as I can. The more copies I sell, the more "weight" I'm likely to have in the eyes of big publishers in the future. "What, you sold 2000 copies on your own?" they drool. "You obviously have a following! Can we publish your book for you?"

That would be cool. I believe about 95% of self-published authors don't ever break the 500 barrier, or anywhere close; most sell less than 100 books and then bite the dust. I plan to do a little better than that! Big publishing houses make money by selling a hundred thousand copies of a FEW books, while print-on-demand companies typically make money selling a handful of copies of THOUSANDS of books. My goal is to be one of those "rare success stories" who sells a substantial amount of his self-published books.

So library talks and book fairs are fine, but it's the middle schools I'm most interested in. That's where my target audience is.

Three library book talks finished

Posted on August 23, 2009

Over the past couple of weeks I've done a TV spot on a local cable show, plus appeared at three libraries. I finally got to see the DVD copy of the cable show, and it was okay – not quite as bad as I expected, but still pretty squirm-worthy to see myself on TV.

Book Signing

I sold a bunch of books between all three libraries, which is nice. In LaFayette I was happy to be told by two separate people in the audience (both of whom had read Island of Fog beforehand) that they read the book in record time – because they got to a point where they couldn't put it down. That's REALLY nice to hear!

My little girl Lily particularly liked the book signing part because she got to hand the books to the buyers. She wanted to scribble in them too, but I didn't think that would go down very well.

My next scheduled event (unless something else crops up in the meantime) is the first ever Balloons & Tunes Festival on September 18th, 19th and 20th. Looking forward to it! (I designed the website, by the way – my day job!)

On October 17th I'll also be attending the Georgia Literary Festival.

Ray Atkins book talk and signing

Posted on August 14, 2009

I had the pleasure of meeting Ray Atkins when I did my TV spot on Wednesday this week. Well, last night Ray did a book talk at the LaFayette Library, so I went along.

He did a great job. It's my turn to sit in that same chair next Thursday, 6.30-8.30 PM, and I hope I'm half as interesting. (What I mean is, I hope I'm at least half as interesting.) Ray, who won the "2009 Georgia Author of the Year for First Novel" award, read excerpts from his two current books, The Front Porch Prophet and Sorrow Wood, and very entertaining he was too. I particularly liked the bit where a house was being transported by a groaning helicopter to a new location, and the porch fell off and squashed a dog.

Surprisingly, the title of the book, The Front Porch Prophet, did not originate from this scene, but from a love poem he wrote to his wife many years ago – he'd sat all day on the porch writing it. Ray remembered that it was an awful poem, and his wife had urged him to throw it away but keep the title for future use. How fitting that the title now works so perfectly for his debut novel.

Another scene that Ray read, from Sorrow Wood, was about digging for a well. A useful tip in life: if you're tired of digging, just secretly pee on your boots and claim you've struck water – and let all the others jump in and dig like mad.

I never personally liked reading aloud from a book, but I can see how it's helpful in getting the flavor of the book across. Before Ray read aloud, all I had to go on was the jacket blurb, and while interesting, I wasn't sure if it was my cup of tea. No monsters or anything. But afterward I was pretty sure I'd like it, so I bought a (signed) copy of Prophet. Now I'm going to have to think carefully about which bits to read from my own book when I do my book talk next week!

Oh, and I have to mention the snacks, which were finger-licking good. The hot apple dumplings and pumpkin cake were drool-worthy. Thanks, Wendy's mom!

Reminder: I'm at Rossville Library on Tuesday 18th August from 4-6 PM.

The Bookshelf interview on UCTV-3

Posted on August 11, 2009

Today I actually went on LIVE television for a half-hour interview at the local UCTV-3 studio in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. I knew beforehand that it would be a cozy affair, with no audience present but possibly viewers calling in. It was actually a lot more cozy than I thought possible – a large room with several different sets for similar interview shows, and three cameras set up with cables and wires trailing off into a room beyond.

I thought it was odd that no-one manned the cameras. There were two interviewers, Wendy and Tim, and I half expected one of them to get up and switch on the cameras when we were ready to roll. But just before 12pm, a tinny voice came through a speaker and said "Are we about ready? Live in two minutes..."

So that made me squirm a bit.

The desk at which Wendy and Tim sat had a large green backdrop. If I hadn't seen an example of the show already, I might have wondered what kind of scenery the tech guys were going to superimpose. How about a zoo? That would have been funny. Imagine the hilarity of an interview being conducted from the chimpanzee house. Or on a roller coaster ride. But no, the green backdrop was replaced with a scene of a library. I know, because I could see it on the monitor.

The 12-1pm show included two authors, and the first up was Raymond Atkins, author of The Front Porch Prophet and his new book, Sorrow Wood. So I was able to sit and watch him squirm for half an hour while I waited my turn. Halfway through his interview, a huge light started flashing. It was distracting enough that Raymond paused, but the interviewers motioned for him to continue. Turns out the flashing light meant "Caller!" Tim picked up the phone, pressed some buttons, and said, "Hi, you're live on UCTV's The Bookshelf. What's your question?" Then it went dead. The caller had hung up. Either bottled out, or realized that this was NOT the number for Papa John's Pizza.

They cut to commercials at 12.30pm and I got into the hot seat. Oddly enough I wasn't nervous at all. Well, maybe a little bit. I tried not to look at the monitor when all attention focused on me. I just answered questions. I don't know how I sounded, but I do remember being surprised at how much I was able to waffle on without pause. Me, falter? Nope. String coherent sentences together? Hmm. One question was the inevitable "How does an Englishman end up in Georgia?" which I was happy to answer for all those women out there drooling over my English accent. I'm kidding!! ...although I've lost count of the times local people have commented on my accent. I often get the feeling people are listening intently to my accent but not hearing a word I'm saying. And that's okay.

I didn't get any callers. Apparently callers are rare anyway.

So that's the TV interview done. Hopefully I'll be getting a DVD of it soon, and if it's vaguely presentable I'll upload it here so you can all have a good laugh. :-)

PS – I also signed the film agent's contract this morning, so I now officially have a film agent who is (or will be) pitching my book to producers. He has one producer already interested in taking a look, but of course "interested in taking a look" is a long, long way from actual production. More on this in a few days.

TV interview and appearances

Posted on August 6, 2009

I have a scheduled TV spot next Tuesday, 11th August, on a local cable channel. The program is The Bookshelf, and I'll be on at 12.30pm. Luckily, only a handful of people in the local area will see it!

Oddly enough, I'm not nervous about this one. I'm more nervous about other upcoming appointments: book talks and signings at three local libraries throughout August. My previous public talk, in front of about 75 people at a formal luncheon, was surprisingly easy despite butterflies beforehand, and despite this being my first "speech" for about ten years! I shouldn't be nervous about a small talk in front of a handful of people at a library, but I am. Oh well, I'm sure it will all pan out in the end. These things have a habit of turning okay, rather than a colossal humiliation.

My local appointments are:

  • Appearance on TV show The Bookshelf (local channel 3) – Tuesday 11th August 2009
  • Book talk and signing at Rossville Library – Tuesday 18th August 2009, 4-6 PM
  • Book talk and signing at Lafayette Library – Thursday 20th August 2009, 6.30-8 PM
  • Book talk and signing at Chickamauga Library – Saturday 22nd August 2009, 10-12 PM

On a side note, and speaking of TV, a couple of weeks ago I was contacted by a film agent who expressed an interest in my book. The last time we spoke, he said he would "most likely send a contract offer" for TV/movie options on the book. We'll see what happens in the next week or so.

If you don't yet have a copy of Island of Fog, you'd better hurry before I'm rocketed to stardom and picked up by a huge publishing house. My current editions will then be scarce and worth millions. :-)

First public speaking

Posted on June 23, 2009

Today I conquered a minor fear and spoke about my book, Island of Fog, in front of 75 people at the Walker County Chamber of Commerce Membership Luncheon. I'm a member of the Chamber primarily for business purposes... and yet here I am promoting my hobby instead of my business!

I had the usual butterflies in my stomach (that'll teach me for eating caterpillars earlier) but I think I did okay considering it was my first "public speaking" since my best man speech a decade ago. Dare I say I enjoyed it, despite having a couple of blank moments when I had to study my cheat-sheet. Did the members of the audience enjoy it? You'd have to ask them.

The ordeal – sorry, the talk – lasted half an hour, and then, when it was finished, I sold fifteen books in what seemed like two minutes flat. Talk about a whirlwind! I didn't know how many I'd sold until I counted the dosh. I didn't even get a chance to properly thank the very nice lady who helped me. I'll thank her properly when I see her next.

So anyway, a pretty good day. Maybe I can get the hang of this public speaking thing after all. In August I have other things lined up including talks at local libraries and an interview on a local cable TV show! I have to say, though, that this is a bizarre experience. This just isn't me. I'm used to sitting at a computer all day, keeping to myself, working on websites. This business of speaking in public is completely foreign to me!

But then, I am a foreigner here in Georgia, USA. I think the audience was more interested in my British accent than what I had to say! :-)

Down Home Days

Posted on May 4, 2009

So there I was on Friday night, loading up the van in torrential rain and thinking, "Well, better that it rains NOW than tomorrow morning!" Saturday morning was, of course, the planned annual Down Home Days in downtown Chickamauga, Georgia, which last year was attended by 12,000 people milling about the streets. Chickamauga is a very small town, basically a few roads with gift stores, so this street festival thing is a pretty big deal – various small boutiques and booths, plenty of hot dog vendors, fire truck tug-o'-wars, the procession of colorful wagons, and bands playing throughout the day and into the night. And I had a tent of my own, from which I could promote my new book, Island of Fog.

Trouble is, the weathermen had predicted rain on Saturday. It came early, that Friday night, and I was hopeful those big thunderclouds would just dump their load and be done with it. Well, they dumped their load all right, and I had to back the van right up to the front door to load it up.

Saturday morning was dry! Hurrah! Around 8.20am, Nessa and I went into town and set up our tent and table. We were done by 9am, and ready for action...

Booth

I like how Nessa created the "fog" with some white netting over a silvery tablecloth. Laying the books underneath was very clever and fits right into the book's gloomy setting! Throughout the day the banners drew lots of curious looks, and it was almost funny how many people slowed and stopped as they read the blurb. In my last post I mentioned a cotton candy (candy floss) machine, which we were going to rent so we could give out free "fog on a stick," but we found out that the nearby food vendors probably would have kicked up a stink about it, so in the end we decided not to bother.

Keith Robinson

Anyway, after we got set up, we sat back and watched others feverishly getting ready, then Nessa went off and got us some breakfast. As we sat there eating, thinking "this is gonna be all right," the rain started. Just before 10am it started hammering down; the thunder boomed and the lightning flashed, and we had to cover everything up to protect against driving rain. In seconds we were soaked, despite the tent. The tent, being a cheap one, wasn't angled steep enough to allow water to run off; instead it collected on all four sides and the fabric was in serious danger of collapsing under the weight, so I had to keep poking at it to tip the water off. The rain went on and on, for two hours. A couple of vendors gave up, put all their stuff away, and drove off. According to weather.com (via Nessa's Blackberry) it was supposed to be an 80% chance of rain all day... and then 100% chance of rain in the morning only... and then 60% chance of thunderstorms all afternoon... and then 100% chance of scattered showers throughout the day... and the temperature ranged from 60-75 F. Basically the weather reports were worthless. All we knew was that it was raining RIGHT NOW!

Just after 12pm it finally stopped. So far not a single member of the public had showed up – they, of course, had far more sense. But around 1pm people started arriving, and the grey sky started brightening a little. It never turned blue, and there were more slight drizzles throughout the day, but the storms were over. By mid-afternoon it was busy, and continued to get busier as the day went on.

Crowds

During this time I got talking to an author across the road, K. D. Pitner (or Kathy), who was selling her own book. At some point we exchanged books, and throughout the day we each sold about the same amount (she sold seven, I sold six). I'm not really sure what I expected to sell, but I'm okay with six. More would have been nice, and there were certainly quite a few "interested" people who said they'd be back later just before they left. Unfortunately that never happened. Or maybe it did, but I left at around 6pm and for all I know some of these people were there all night.

Face Painting

But by early evening the crowd had "changed" – the shoppers had gone, and now it was time to watch the bands play on the huge stage that had been erected. I figured nobody was going to be buying books now!

An interesting experience, and definitely not the wash-out it tried to be in the morning. But in future I'll probably stick to book fares. I was very pleased with my banners though – they turned out great, and the 6 x 4 hanging behind me did a great job keeping my box of books dry.

As usual for this sort of event, Lily had to have her face painted. And, also as usual, there were many, many kids walking about with baggies full of water... and a goldfish. Nessa succumbed to Lily's pestering and bought her one too, so I spent many hours baby-sitting a goldfish before we packed up and left. That goldfish, which Lily imaginatively named Nemo, is now in her room, settling into a new 10 gallon tank. Heck, we planned to get her a goldfish or two at some point anyway...