by Gail Barrett

(From the December 2005 issue of the Update.)

All right, I’ll admit it.  I’d fantasized about this moment my entire life—having my very own book signing.  And I could imagine it so clearly in my mind—sitting at the linen-draped table, smiling graciously while fans lined up to buy coveted copies of my best-selling book.

So yesterday, the dream finally came true—or at least part of it.  I actually had a book signing.  Reality, however, didn’t quite match the fantasy I’d dreamed.  But I did learn several things from the experience:

Lesson one: People believe that authors work in book stores, or at least that we know everything about books.  I shouldn’t have been surprised at this.  Back when my husband worked at the Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center in Long Beach, California (dispatching helicopters and cutters to rescue boaters in distress), people would routinely call and ask if the grunion were running (grunion are fish that come close to shore to spawn).  Why anyone thought that the U.S. Coast Guard would keep track of the grunion always mystified me.  Do people call the Air Force to ask about the migration of geese?  But since the Coast Guard operates around the water, people assume that they know about everything in it—just as an author must be an authority on anything related to books.

So no sooner had I sat down at my table, brimming with excitement, pen in hand, a stack of my debut novel at my side, when a lady trotted up and asked where the dictionaries were located.  Never good at come-backs, I gaped at her for a moment, then told her the truth—that I honestly didn’t know because I didn’t work there and had never even been in the store before.  She looked affronted—even upset—as if it were somehow my responsibility to know.

She wasn’t the only one who thought so.  A short time later, another woman approached the table.  By now, I’d been joined by Karen Anders who was signing her November Blaze anthology.  The woman asked us if we thought books about bird-watching would be in the hobby section.  Fortunately, Karen (a veteran at book signings) is faster on the come-back than I am.  She smiled brilliantly and told the woman in a very enthusiastic voice what an excellent guess that was.  That woman walked away happy.

Lesson learned? Satisfy the customer, even if you have no idea of the answer because (shock!) you don’t actually work at the bookstore.

Lesson number two: Try to get your table placed somewhere near the appropriate section for the type of book you write.  Since this was a multi-author event, the store manager had spread our tables throughout the store.  Unfortunately, Karen (with her Blaze anthology) and I (with my Silhouette Special Edition) landed in the Christian book section.  Flanked by Bibles and other inspirational works, we didn’t lure many romance buyers to our table (even though Karen assured me that the sex in her Blaze was very inspiring).

Lesson learned? People reading Christian books aren’t necessarily interested in sensual and erotic romance novels—or at least not in public.

Lesson number three: Bring along friends.  It helped that this was my first-ever book signing and, therefore, a novelty for my friends.  Not only did they show up and take pictures, but also they bought numerous copies of my book (one friend alone bought fifteen copies).  Thanks to them, my book signing was not just successful—it was fun.  We went out to dinner afterward to celebrate, laughed and just enjoyed each other’s company.

Lesson learned? No amount of books sold can ever equal the joy of having good friends.  And that lesson matters most of all.

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Gail Barrett is a WRW member.  Her debut novel, Where He Belongs, was a November 2005 Silhouette Special Edition release.  Watch for her next book, Facing The Fire, in April 2006 from Silhouette Intimate Moments.  You can visit her website at http://www.gailbarrett.com .