Ive met Brandon Sanderson

[filoph94]

I have met Brandons Snaderson. And, no, it wasnt in a booksigning, or convention, it was when i worked at Broders Bookstore. He walked in,but before that, Ive had no idea who he was, o I just though he was another regular customer, until he came up to the counter with a large stack of books, some multiple copies. I said:Damn sir, shopping for your kids?" and he simply said "No, i wrote them". He gave me a copy of Elantris, not signed, then signed the books he had picked up. I read Elantris, and was fascinated. aqfter that, I bought all o the signed books of his,and have been trying to follow his work to the best of my ability, but it is difficult, being in Iraq. I am currently reading Warbreaker.

[Fireborn]

Firstly, thank you for being a soldier.
Second, that's really cool.  I want to meet him, and he lives not too far from me.  I even have a friend who I think has met him, but she has only read Elantris.  She refuses to read his other books, I have expressed my shock at such a proclamation and wish that I could be in her shoes.  But what can you do?
Cheers.

[guessingo]

Is it common for authors to go into random bookstores and start signing books?

Just curious. I don't recall seeing signed books in any bookstores I go to.

[Peter Ahlstrom]

Yes. A book is more likely to sell if it is signed, so writers often go in and sign books at any bookstore they pass, especially if it's an area they haven't been before. (Brandon doesn't do it near his house, but does when he's on tour, including airport bookstores.)

Most authors stop doing it once they're fairly well known, because it's a bit of a hassle.

[guessingo]

It seems like a huge hassle. Authors seem to only make about $2/book for hardcover. That is a real pain to make $2.

being an author is tough...

[Creative_Vortx]

It seems like a huge hassle. Authors seem to only make about $2/book for hardcover. That is a real pain to make $2.

being an author is tough...

I doubt it's so much about the $2 he makes. It's likely he does it because if somebody is more likely to buy a signed book just out of habit then that's another mouth to spread the word of BS. The more people there are the more his name gets passed around. It's the best marketing in the world, word of mouth.

I have met Brandons Snaderson. He gave me a copy of Elantris.

Now I love BS even more. This is why he is great, gives away his book at a seconds whim and lets everybody have a digital copy of Warbreaker on faith alone. Love it.

[guessingo]

I actually don't understand why people value signatures at all. I don't get it.

I guess it is just me, since most people seem to find them valuable.

[Miyabi]

I actually don't understand why people value signatures at all. I don't get it.

I guess it is just me, since most people seem to find them valuable.

It's the fact that the author himself has done something to this particular book.

Then value of numbered copies is even more due to the fact that it was one of the first ones he signed.

Of Brandon's books I have 4 #1's.  Elantris vol 1 and 2 in Japanese, The Final Empire 1 and 2 in Japanese.
2 #2's, Warbreaker and Hero of Ages.

1 #42, Scriveners Bones.

[filoph94]

I aboslutely love Brandons work, but I must admit, I know nearly nothign about him compared to you guys. Lol, this is actually the second day Ive had a proile here, and Ive already learned a ton of stuff. I WANT to know more about his previous, unpublished books, or have copies of his titles in foreign languages, but I just dont have the time right now, or the know how of how to go about getting those things.

[filoph94]

I actually don't understand why people value signatures at all. I don't get it.

I guess it is just me, since most people seem to find them valuable.

It's the fact that the author himself has done something to this particular book.

Then value of numbered copies is even more due to the fact that it was one of the first ones he signed.

Of Brandon's books I have 4 #1's.  Elantris vol 1 and 2 in Japanese, The Final Empire 1 and 2 in Japanese.
2 #2's, Warbreaker and Hero of Ages.

1 #42, Scriveners Bones.

When you say Elantris volume two, do you mean a second installment, or like what JRR Tolkien did, and wrote it in parts? Because i there is a second book to Elantris, it is So going in my amazon shopping cart lol

[Miyabi]

No.  Japanese people like small paper back books that easily fit in pockets so Elantris was divided into two books and Final Empire was divided into three.

[Liam]

No.  Japanese people like small paper back books that easily fit in pockets so Elantris was divided into two books and Final Empire was divided into three.

Why don't they get bigger pockets?  I wore cargo shorts and pants in high school so I could fit Wheel of Time books in them.

[Miyabi]

A lot of times they are dressed in slacks and a dress shirt on their way to work on the train or sitting in an office between things when they read.

Pretty sure a pair of cargo pockets on slacks would look very odd.

[Liam]

A lot of times they are dressed in slacks and a dress shirt on their way to work on the train or sitting in an office between things when they read.

Pretty sure a pair of cargo pockets on slacks would look very odd.

I was just joking.  I know enough about Japanese culture to know that that would be odd.

[drackmire]

I have met Brandons Snaderson. And, no, it wasnt in a booksigning, or convention, it was when i worked at Broders Bookstore. He walked in,but before that, Ive had no idea who he was, o I just though he was another regular customer, until he came up to the counter with a large stack of books, some multiple copies. I said:Damn sir, shopping for your kids?" and he simply said "No, i wrote them". He gave me a copy of Elantris, not signed, then signed the books he had picked up. I read Elantris, and was fascinated. aqfter that, I bought all o the signed books of his,and have been trying to follow his work to the best of my ability, but it is difficult, being in Iraq. I am currently reading Warbreaker.

Where in Iraq are you? You can PM me. I am also in Iraq, and coincidentally am also reading Warbreaker. Small world... I will be reading Mistborn once my Kindle arrives.

Yes. A book is more likely to sell if it is signed, so writers often go in and sign books at any bookstore they pass, especially if it's an area they haven't been before. (Brandon doesn't do it near his house, but does when he's on tour, including airport bookstores.)

Most authors stop doing it once they're fairly well known, because it's a bit of a hassle.

It's probably along the same lines as why he has been posting his writing online on his website. He explained that providing an audience with a sample ends up selling more. I'm not going to break it down like he did Here, but suffice it to say something small like this can generate a lot of buzz via word of mouth. I've only read a few chapters of Warbreaker (the free copy from his site), but I know for sure I will be reading the entire Mistborn trilogy, and most likely all of the books in The Stormlight Archive series as well. Not to mention any future books he'll be producing.