The People I Meet at Signings

I've figured out that there are basically three types of people I meet at bookstores during a signing event. They are:

1) the buyers
2) the not interested
3) the too nice

The buyers are the people that come to my table, listen to my spiel, and buy the book. Some of these people buy it just to support a local author. I love people like that. Too kind. Another kind of buyer is the one who is generally interested. These are few but really appreciated.

The not interested people pass my table and say no thanks when I try to interest them in my books. Most are polite but many are rude. I don't respect this behaviour. We all have our jobs and this just happens to be mine. I sell my books for a living. Please be polite. Nothing wrong with not being interested but please don't make a snarky remark. Just say no thank you.

I've had a few fights with older religious women. They tell me I'm going to hell. I told them hell is probably a lot more fun than heaven. This shocks them. Apparently, what I have written is blasphemous.

The too nice people seem interested in my novel, but then decide not to buy it. Instead of saying, thanks but no thanks, they tell me they are going to look around, catch up with husband, or think about it. These people never return. No one has said that and then come back and bought the book. I wish people would not say that but instead just decline politely. I won't be hurt if you say that. I'm more hurt when they don't return.

At one store in Stoney Creek, one woman checked my website on her cell phone and read my reviews. She came right over and bought a copy. That was cool.

Amazingly enough, at some stores, some of my books are stolen. Yes, I have talked to the pilferers, signed their books and then they steal them. Please don't do this. We authors are poor and need every royalty.

At some stores, I sign a book for someone and they just leave it somewhere in the bookstore. These are returned to me, but it's not pleasant situation. I can't sell the book now because there is someone else's name in it. Yes. I can use white-out but it doesn't look professional. If you don't want the book, don't ask me to sign it with your name.

Any way, those are my comments and beefs about the people I meet when at a signing. Every job has its high and low points.

Saturday, October 4th, from 1-4 p.m., I will be signing books at the Chapter's, Erin Mills Power Centre. If you are close, come in and say hello.

Last Saturday, I was at the Chapter's store in Ancaster. Below is a picture from that day.

have fun,
patty
www.pattylesser.com
@PattyLesser