My book signing at Park Road Books in Charlotte was a wonderful experience. As expected, my wife and I sat at a desk in front of the store and smiled at everyone who came in. A few people stopped to talk. These were interesting people who wanted to know about my book but also took time to tell us about their own lives. There was man of about seventy who declared that liquor and a good book were the only true necessities in life and a fascinating woman who described a magnificent vacation she’d taken with her husband, hiking through New Zealand.
Most people who walk into a book store either know specifically what they are after or have a general idea based on authors they’ve heard of. The percentage of customers who are searching for a new voice is relatively small. I know this because I’ve been there myself. So my expectations were low and when I made a few sales and met people who were looking for new and interesting ideas, I was very pleased.
At five o’clock, when we were starting to pack things up, a wonderful thing happened. Pat J. Schultz, the author of the memoir Making Sweet Lemonade arrived. She had bought Motherless Soul at Park Road Books a few days earlier. She explained that she had lost her mother when she was a young girl, just as my character Emily had. The book spoke to her and left her with a positive feeling about the story I had told and also about her own life. Her only complaint was that the novel kept her up late at night, reading furiously. She brought her copy in for me to sign. It was covered with underlines and questions that reflected her enormous enthusiasm. My wife found Pat’s book on the shelves, so we bought a copy. The picture above is of the two of us holding each other’s work. I can’t wait to read it. I believe that talking to Pat was not only fun, but enough encouragement to keep me disciplined with my work on the next book. We’ll see what happens there.
The next step is to find another place to hold another signing. I’m thinking Raleigh, but I’ll keep everyone posted when I’m certain.
Book signings are not always profitable for an author , but they are an interesting experience. Glad you enjoyed the experience.
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