What About Book Signings? Do you do them, or go to them? by Morgan Mandel

If you're in the area, three of us Acme Author List members will be over at the Snowbird Craft Show 2010 at Prospect High School Field House on Sunday, Novem ber 21, 2010, from 10-4pm, signing our books. Free parking, raffle, concessions, bake sale. I, Morgan Mandel, plus Debra St. John and Margot Justes would love to say hello to you.

On one of the egroups I belong to, and also on Facebook, some of the members confessed they disliked doing book signings. I admit they can be discouraging. With the economy the way it is, often the public is attracted to the big name draws, not us midlist authors.

I do lots more online promotion these days, but I do like to get out every once in a while, like I'll be doing on Sunday,  to spread the word. I know it's hard to believe for some of us, but there are people out there who still don't use computers, and still enjoy reading printed books.

What about you? Do you participate in book signings, at bookstores or other venues, either as an author or as a reader? What's your take on the best place to sell a book?

Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com/
Killer Career, a romantic suspense, now 99 cents at Amazon and Smashwords.

Book Signing Pics - Barnes and Noble DePaul Center - Jan 13

Busy day at a Killer Career book signing at Barnes & Noble DePaul Center, in Downtown Chicago.

So, today, I'll just leave you with a few pictures from the event.

I had a great spot, right in front of the Bestsellers.

Hope that's a sign of things to come.

Until Next Time -
Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com/
http://www.morganmandel.com/
http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel

More About the Festival by Morgan Mandel

We had a crazy, fun, frustrating, bonding time at the Frontier Marketplace where I, June Sproat, Debra St. John and Margot Justes sold and signed our books. On Saturday, we battled rain and water dripping into our tent. We moved the table, bookmarks and other paraphernalia back and forth to protect our wares. Sunday, we hid from the sun, then an unexpected bout of rain forced us to again move our table and protect the books. In the midst of this great adventure, I also had just received the proof for my romantic suspense, Killer Career, which I tried to go through to spot errors. I didn't get as far as I wanted to, since there were so many interruptions. I finally managed to finish it Tuesday night and send in my revisions.

Anyway, the great thing about such doings as Festivals and flea markets is the people we meet. It's fun to have people remember us. I had more than one person come up and mention about buying one of my books last year, or still having one of my bookmarks. Also, last year we received an opportunity for a book club presentation from meeting someone at the Festival Marketplace. This time, we received information about another opportunity to get our books and author names known at a flea market in Palatine,

Such appearances are not only judged by how many books are sold, but also what contacts are made. We've been very fortunate so far in that respect. Yes, the days are long - 10-6pm, but we still plan to come back again next year for more.

SPRING IS SPRUNG? By Morgan Mandel

Crocus blooming in my backyard - A promise of Spring.

It's April in Illinois. Back and forth, the weather goes. A teasingly warm weekend, complete with sunshine, warm breezes and birds chirping. The buds are blooming, the grass is greening. All is right and wonderful. Wow, I'd forgotten how nice days like this can be.

Then comes Wednesday. Cold, drafty, damp. The wind bites. I guess the birds are out there somewhere, but I don't hear them. The buds are still blooming, the grass is still greening, yet all is not so great or wonderful. Gee, this is not the kind of day I like at all.

Writing is like Illinois weather. There are so many ups and downs, in the same minute, hour, day, week, month, and year I couldn't possibly name them all.

GIRL OF MY DREAMS was published the beginning of the year. That was a glorious day. All was bright and beautiful. The world was full of promise.

It didn't take long for cold reality to set in. I had a lot of work to do. Bookmarks, postcards, book signings, reviews, blogs, interviews, you name it. The world did not look so pretty.

The bookmarks come in and I love them. I mail my postcards to my Christmas card list. Friends and relatives rejoice with me at my Book Launch party. I guest blog and get nice comments. I do online interviews and draw favorable feedback. My sales numbers go up on Amazon and fictionwise. I receive e-mails saying they like my new book and ask when the next one will be out. All turns bright again. Being an author is great.

Wait a minute. I don't have enough time to devote to my work-in-progress. Not only that, I still have postcards to mail to libraries and bookstores. I have a panel to get ready. Chicago-North RWA's Spring Fling conference is April 26 and I need to prepare for the small press panel. On the heels of that is a another panel about getting a manucript ready for publication, this one at the Mundelein Library the evening of April 30. Not to mention, all the promises I made to people that I still need to fulfill, like getting bookmarks made for the Chicago-North RWA authors for Spring Fling, which I wished I'd done months before. As Library Liaison, I'm again collecting data for the MWMWA Library Bulletin, this time for Spring, which I hope to get out by mid May. Then there's my newsletter. I've already skipped one month. I'm determined to get the combined issue out soon.

Being an author isn't quite as rosy at the moment. Still, like all the other times, I know I'll see the light of day. My tasks will be accomplished and all will be bright and beautiful again - at least for a while, until, like the fickle Illinois weather, more tasks loom.

That's okay. I can take it. After all, I've survived many a Chicago winter. There's always another Spring to make everything good again.

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
www.myspace.com/morganmandel
www.juniorscave.com/morganmandel.html
http://bookplace.ning.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
http://mysteryturtles.blogspot.com
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com