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- Thread starter rgold
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Greg's a great guy. He's actually got a second career as a horror writer these days, and I first met him -- Christ, almost 15 years ago now at a Horror Writers of America function. I was a full-time editor in those days, and me and some fellow editors were gossiping about the business, and Greg turned and looked at me and said, "God, it's just like the music business. We always stand around and bitch about our jobs, too!"
Hoo yeah. I've had signings like that...
I did a lot of signings for the mystery anthology I'm in, and at any given signing there'd probably be about a half dozen of the authors--some of whom, unlike myself, are actually known authors with many novels to their credit--and there were a couple where we substantially outnumbered the audience.
At one craptacular Borders event they had eight of us set up at a table about two feet square right at the front of the store. If anyone had actually come to see us they would have had to stand in the way of the door to listen to us read or talk. We actually had a pretty good time signing stock while talking about how laughably bad the whole thing was. It was as though the bookstore employees found the presence of writers to be very intrusive and bothersome. I don't know why they even set up the event! 
It's really disappointing to hear you all talk about book signings like that. I sure wish there was more support for the authors. I think it's great that you would even take the time to do book signings. I live in a town of about 100,000 in North Texas. We have a Hastings bookstore and a Barnes and Noble but I can only recall one book signing in the 15 years I have lived here and that was by one of the Cowboy football stars. If a Star Trek author ever came near hear for a signing I'd go but unfortunately I'd probably be the only one to show up. 
Kevin
Kevin
Brilliant. Now, I want a photo like that.
Dayton and I once did a signing at my alma mater, the University of Kansas. It was on a night during finals week, which meant, if the campus hadn't changed much since my days, students either were drinking -- I mean studying (crack those books, kids!) -- or gone. But the bookstore staff was very gracious and enthusiastic. Hell, a student even recognized us in the parking lot from our photos on the promo posters.
We had six people show up. Some might think that's not so bad. The people were my aunt and uncle, my college newspaper adviser and his wife, my old roommate and the guy who lived two floors up from us who came to the comic-book store with us.
Oh, and all of Dayton's friends.
Still, it's one of my favorite of our signings.
Then there was the time we drove to Arkansas for a weekend con appearance and sold one book. (Okay, maybe it was more.) Then again, we got to hear about Robin Curtis' sex life. I could stand to hear a little more.
Bubba D.
Who was the lucky recipient at the time?
Last time someone did that, it ended up with quite a few commissions, as I recall...
Paul
Of the single sold book or Robin Curtis?
Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman
They might be the same person...!
Like the KRAD says, it's a crapshoot. Which is exactly what I told authors back in the day when I was working in a bookstore and would have a poorly attended signing. Now that once in awhile I get to do signings, it's my mantra. And I've been at great signings too, thanks to being in books with other authors that people would actually come to see! But the bad signings make more amusing stories . . .Ktrek said:
It's really disappointing to hear you all talk about book signings like that. I sure wish there was more support for the authors. I think it's great that you would even take the time to do book signings. I live in a town of about 100,000 in North Texas. We have a Hastings bookstore and a Barnes and Noble but I can only recall one book signing in the 15 years I have lived here and that was by one of the Cowboy football stars. If a Star Trek author ever came near hear for a signing I'd go but unfortunately I'd probably be the only one to show up.
Kevin
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