Kevin O'Brien Guest Blogs

TALES OF VICIOUS BOOK SIGNINGS

by Kevin O’Brien 

At the first signing for my new thriller VICIOUS, I met the lovely and talented Nancy Martin.  We were two of about two-score authors participating in The Festival of Mystery in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, which was hosted by the Edgar Award winning bookstore, Mystery Lovers Bookshop.  I must have signed about fifty books.   Between the volume of books sold and meeting Nancy (along with many terrific authors, librarians and readers), it was a good signing, damn good!

But it hasn’t always been like that. 

Any author can tell you, some book signing sessions are utter hell.  You never know how many people will show up to a signing—and neither do the bookstores.   I had a signing years ago, where they’d set up forty chairs in front of my podium.  Only one of those chairs was occupied—by some poor customer reading a self-help book.   The store clerk told me, “If he’s not here to see you, I’ll ask him to sit somewhere else.”

“Who exactly would he be making room for?”  I asked.

Mr. Self-Help and the store clerk were the only ones who sat through my brief, very brief talk.  In poorly attended signings like this one, the clerk always tries to take the blame.  “You know, Tuesday nights can be awfully slow,” or “We shouldn’t have scheduled you opposite Pancake Dinner Night at the high school,” or even bold face lies like, “Don’t feel bad.  We had Mick Jagger in here last week, and hardly anybody showed up.”

After that particular signing, I started telling stores in advance that I won’t be lecturing or reading from my book.  But I’d be happy to sit at a desk strategically located in the store—with copies of my books.  That way, I could smile at people as they passed, interact—and push my thrillers.   This worked pretty well, especially after I put a dishful of mini-Hershey bars out with the books.   I started that trick around the time I had my first New York Times Bestseller, THE LAST VICTIM.  Just a coincidence?  I think not!  

But even then, I’ve had slow sessions when no one will stop by my table.  The time drags on, the frozen smile on my face begins to hurt, and I start eating up my own chocolates.  But then someone approaches me, and I’m so, so hopeful—until they ask: “Where’s the Cultural Studies Section?”

“It’s probably with my will to live,” I want to answer.  “I have no idea where that is either.”

But the truth is every bookstore signing is a great opportunity to meet the people who work in the stores—selling my books.   There are times when I’ve met readers who made a special trip to see me.  And I’ve received emails from people who got hooked on my thrillers after meeting me at a signing.

 As my thrillers have become more popular, the signings have become easier—and even fun.   And yes, I’ll do talks and lectures now.  

But even the most popular authors can have slow nights in bookstores.   In 1986, when my first novel, ACTORS, was released, I went to my local bookstore to catch Pat Conroy signing THE PRINCE OF TIDES.  It was dead in there.  The store owner introduced me to Mr. Conroy, and mentioned that I’d just published my first novel.  For the next half-hour, Pat Conroy talked with me about the ups and downs of publishing a first novel.   I was elated.

I bought the PRINCE OF TIDES, of course, and Pat Conroy autographed it, congratulating me on my first book.  Then he took my ACTORS off the store shelf, plopped his money down for the cashier, and had me autograph it to him.  Talk about a class act!

It just goes to show about book signings, even on a dead night, an author can make a great impression.

New York Times Bestselling thriller author, Kevin O’Brien has written eleven novels.  The latest, VICIOUS, is in bookstores now.   Check out his website: www.kevinobrienbooks.com

  

Comments

[William]

Kevin, thanks for sharing these examples. A book signing can be wildly exhilarating, or maddeningly depressing, depending. The single best thing an author can bring to a signing is a sense of humor..:)

And you're entirely correct: Pat Conroy is the very definition of a Class Act, all the way around....

[nancy martin]

Kevin, I had a similarly delightful experience when I first met Margaret Maron at one of her booksignings. She was so delightful and supportive. But, I must admit she had a big crowd, and I was only one face in dozens.

Thanks for being our guest!

[Dawn]

How cool to meet such a well known author and have him turn out to be such a classy guy! I haven't read your books yet, but given your "endorsed" so to speak by the girls, well, I'm going to the library to pick one up!

[Josh]

I've enjoyed the signings I've attended, whether of my sister's novel in the early '90's in Allentown (she wore a plastic dress with candy bars attached, and we were encouraged to pull them off and eat them) or some of the Tarts in the King of Prussia Costco, a Pittsburgh hotel ballroom, or a Bethlehem or West Chester (PA) bookstore.

I agree that candy is a great magnet to attract attention to your table, and I would recommend it to anyone doing a signing, even if you are established. Established (and well-off) authors could make it like trick-or-treating at rich peoples' houses, where you can get full-sized candy bars rather than little Mary Janes or Clark bars. Forty years later, I still remember the houses that gave out the big candy, and that is exactly what would happen to your readers: they would always buy your new books, because in 2050, they would still remember that you gave them a full-sized Three Musketeers bar at Mystery Lovers Bookshop in 2010.

[Karen in Ohio]

That candy thing is a double-edged sword. You could just end up being poorer by the cost of a bag. Yeah, I do know this from experience.

Fiction writers at least have a prayer of having someone interested in your book. Those of us doing signings for esoteric non-fiction topics (sewing as a business, for instance) have experienced the "shotgun" signings: where you could shoot off a shotgun and not hit a single human being. Sigh. Yeah, that was one of my dumber ideas. lol

[Sheila Connolly]

Wasn't the Festival great? It's wonderful to see so many eager mystery readers in one place, with "must-have" lists in hand.

I suppose those signings from Hell are the price we have to pay--driving to a strange town, in the dark, in the rain, through construction detours, to find all of one person waiting to see you--and she already has a copy of the book.

But on the flip side, I once went to a huge signing event (some 400 authors), which included Nora Roberts. But there was no one in line at her table, so I marched up and talked to her (all the time saying to myself, this woman made $60 million from her writing last year). She was completely gracious, and we talked about Irish genealogy.

So we keep smiling and signing, and building our readership one person at a time.

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Hey Kevin! Thanks for being here..I saw you at Oakmont-you were surrounded! (What a terrrific event--are we all ready for next year?))

Anyway. I once had a nice signing all set up at a big Barnes and Noble. Wonderful posters were made, lots of books ordered. It was scheduled for a Friday evening in October. Oh, I showed up all right. But NO ONE else did. As it turned out, the Red Sox were playing in the World Series. Even I wanted to go home.

But something wonderful always happens, even in those disasters.

[Kathy Sweeney]

Hello Vicious!! (If you look at the cover of Kevin's book, it looks like that's his middle name).

Great to meet you at the Festival and great to see you here at TLC.

If you ever get a chance to meet Kevin, do it - he is hilarious!!

To buy Vicious or any of his other books, start at this link:

http://www.mysterylovers.com/index.php?target=products&product_id=55282

[gaylin in vancouver]

I went to a Writer's Festival in the early '90's and it was absolutely packed for 3 days. I was poor at the time and could only buy one book and got Diana Gabaldon to sign it. She was very nice to me and everyone. I wish now I had been braver and talked to more of the authors in attendance - I didn't think I was supposed to without buying their books.

We don't have many author signings here in Vancouver and when they do happen they are usually in the middle of a work day - HUH?

I have been desperate for new books recently, I will go get Vicious, having the Tart seal of approval is pretty big! Welcome Kevin.

[Harley]

Welcome, Kevin!
I cannot believe that I have never considered adding chocolate to my book signing tool kit. Thank you, thank you. NYT bestseller list, here I come.

I had a similar 3 hours at a PX a few years back, where the soldiers mobbed a nearby part of the store, where some WWE (is that the right initials? Those faux TV wrestler guys?) superstars were appearing. However, a nice girl showed up at my table and begged me for dating advice, as her boyfriend had dumped her after their tours in Iraq. The poor child mistook "DATING DEAD MEN" for a self help book. I did what I could.

[Karen in Ohio]

Oh, Harley, you never fail to brighten my day. ;-)

[nancy martin]

Can I just add that I love Kevin's author photo?

[Alan P.]

As a reader, I enjoy meeting the authors of my books. Given my book filled upbringing, I also see friends who also write books.

People are amazed when they start looking through the signed copies of books we have.

And for all of the bored hours you spend not signing, there is a reader who gets to meet you and sign their book. It becomes a treasure to them.

And Kevin, we were at Grant's Farm (http://www.grantsfarm.com) last week. A children's book author was out in front of the store signing his books. My children love his poems and we have most of his books. He was there from 11 to 3, out side. The temperature was in the upper 80s. Hot, hard work, but the children loved meeting him.

[storyteller Mary]

Someone here a couple of years back did a cut-out on the business card to hold a Hershey's kiss -- it was cute and effective.

[Ramona]

I know an author who brings homemade cookies to her workshops. Pops open the Tupperware container, says "Don't be shy" and passes it down the row. After that, it's impossible not to buy her book. I tried something similar--made treats and attached my business card to them--but my guerrilla marketing was overshadowed by a flood.

I love the Pat Conroy story! What a cool guy.

[Laraine]

For several years, I 'assisted' a friend who is a well-published author, at the LA Times Festival of Books. This meant that I went to panels with her, held her purse & stuff while she did signings or met people, and joined her in the 'green room' where the authors and publishers, etc., hang out between events. We always had great fun. Very revealing: a young, hip authoress who was happy to smile at me from her seat on stage when I was asking a question from the audience, couldn't bother to work up the civility to even respond to a greeting when she discovered in the green room that I wasn't a publisher--turned her back on me to chat with a friend from our mutual alma mater.
Mary Higgins Clark? Brilliant biographer A. Scott Berg? Big-time agents? Pulitzer prize winners? ALL unfailingly gracious and friendly in the green room. Green young arrogant authors, not so much. Good for you, Kevin, for choosing class early on!

[Karen in Ohio]

Pat Conroy, as you know if you've read some of his books, attended The Citadel. When Holly accepted her admission she got a letter from Pat welcoming her as a candidate for the Long Grey Line, which she achieved a year ago.

His wife is Cassandra King, and I hear he's been very supportive of her writing career, although I don't know the details.

[KD Easley]

Hi Kevin, thanks for dropping in. if you get a chance, check out this video about book signings. It's great. Most of us can relate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZoJ5OKmEJY&feature=player_embedded

[ArkansasCyndi]

what great signing stories., I have to admit, that is something I don't look forward to (if I ever sell) I don't mind pushing someone else's work, but when it comes to my own, I become an idiot!

[Nancy Pickard]

Hi, Kevin!

I've never met Mr. Conroy, but I did meet Cassandra King (his wife) at a book event in an ice storm in Lexington, Ky. a couple of years ago, and she was lovely, too.

[marie]

Welcome, Kevin!
I must say that I have only attended one book signing held by my daughter's friend who became a YA author.
However, I must confess that before I was converted to Mystery and Romance novels I was devoted to SELF-HELP books.
Once I became totally devoted to the new genres I skirt by How to Books except maybe cookbooks and crafts.
MLB in Oakmont Pa has been my go-to store for my latest passion. I have received signed copies by Nancy Martin and Hank Phillipi Ryan. I must say that it is thrilling to have signed books in my possession.
Good luck with all your ventures, Kevin. I will looking for your latest titles.
Thanks for coming here today.

[Karen in Ohio]

The author from whom I have the most signed books is Hank! Also have them from Nancy, Elaine, Jordan Dane, Laurie Rigler, Michael Wiley, Roxanne St. Claire, and several others.

Until I myself had written a book I had never asked another author to sign one for me, and I was embarrassed whenever anyone asked. How do you all feel about signing books? Just curious.

[Fran]

We had Kevin in to sign today at Seattle Mystery Bookshop and we were THRILLED that he sold out!

He truly is a class act!

[Karen in Ohio]

WOW! LOVE the new site! And all the new Tarts, too!!

Never a dull moment around here!

[Kevin O'Brien]

WOW, thanks for all the wonderful comments. I love this site, and posted a little blurb about it on my facebook fan page. What a treat to hear from Harley Jane Kozak, whom I've had a little crush on since seeing her in PARENTHOOD (How sick is Harley of hearing that?). Talk about a class act. You can't get any better than those Lipstick Chronicles Ladies! Nancy, thanks for having me on your sensational site. And Happy Birthday, Fran! You guys rock!