Timewaster's Guide Archive
General => Rants and Stuff => Topic started by: Shrain on November 14, 2005, 12:08:55 PM
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Okay, so I've been doing the assigned reading for my book pub overview class. My prof sent us a bunch of PDF articles, one of which was written by an old student of his as a directed study project. ("Book Marketing & Promotion: Reinventing the Wheel Every Time
How Publishers Market Adult Trade Fiction
by Shannon Edwards)
It's been MUCH more interesting, actually, than a lot of the other marketing stuff he's "blessed" us with. (Sheesh, I'm bad with numbers!) Then I ran into this lovely set of guidelines for authors who are making an appearance at a bookstore. They gave me a chuckle, particularly #2, 7, and 10. So, I thought I might as well share the mirth. Enjoy.
Bookstore Signing/Appearance (Author Rules)
1. Make eye contact with all visitors
2. Be happy if no one shows, show enthusiasm for it
3. If booksellers like you, they will sell your books in the future
4. When reading from your work, pick an entertaining passage and practice
beforehand
5. Small groups – sit and chat about writing!
6. Be honest about being nervous!
7. Don’t drink alcohol
8. Invite sales reps or other publisher reps for a drink or snack afterwards
9. Send thank you notes to those who coordinated signing
10. If the bookstore offers you a free book, don’t pick the most expensive book in the store!
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7. Don't drink alcohol
There's a particular author from Cascadiacon who might take issue with that.
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Oh? Do tell! Now I'm curious.
Originally, I wanted to go to Cascadiacon. But I just wasn't able to make it up there because I was right in the middle of moving cross-country (uck, I don't want to do that again for a while!).
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There's a particular author from Cascadiacon who might take issue with that.
Lol. We have the pictures to prove it.
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Here it is. (http://norroway.thelemur.net/view_photo.php?set_albumName=Cascadiacon&id=Seattle_010)
Gotta love that expression from EUOL.
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That's my "If he's like this on THIS panel, what's he going to be like on the alien sex panel he's doing next?" look.
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That's my "If he's like this on THIS panel, what's he going to be like on the alien sex panel he's doing next?" look.
WOW, that is seriously hilarious--both your expression, EUOL (hi again by the way). and the soused author beside you. haha. Man, I'm sorry I missed that con...
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You should have heard him lisp.
I'm *still* bummed about missing the alien sex panel.
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that looks like a fun trip! i am so jealous.
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Yeah, cons are great if you have a good group of friends to hang with the whole time (while of course allowing time for splitting up and meeting new people). I'm looking forward to Anaheim next year. And by the way, Brenna, if you read this--if you're in Seattle by that time next year, you guys are driving down with me. :) (Unless I'm flown for work, of course.)
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Everyone go to Worldcon next year!
And, uh, register early so you can nominate your favorite two new authors for the Campbell award.
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I'm still working on budget for that. I'm happy to take contributions for it, though.
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Heck, I'll even take collections for no particular cause whatsoever. But, as for Worldcon and Campbell nominations, I think we all know who should be filling the coffers....
<EUOL: I take CCs, Paypal, personal checks, and money orders. :D>
I'm definitely planning on going, though, despite the hefty $175 reg fee. I should be visiting UT again in August anyway, and I have a friend in Ontario, CA whom I could stay with--the forensics panelist I met at CONduit--so that'll help with the costs. I'm sure he'll want to register for Worldcon, too. It'll be awesome to know so many people there. Who all is coming besides Stacer, EUOL, e, EricJames, and Fell?
Oh, Fell lives in CA somewhere, right? So I imagine a bunch of you guys might crash at his place. "Hurray!" for friends who live in con cities! :D
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No, not Fell. Ookla.
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Oops. Ookla, I mean...
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We don't have unlimited space in our apartment, but we can fit a few people for sure, as long as you don't expect to be comfortable... People driving down might consider air mattresses, etc...
We live in Anaheim itself, but like 15 minutes from the convention center. Convention center parking is $9 per day, no in&out privileges. And there's only street parking at our apartment. (This is essential information for something like 9 months away.)
Ontario's close to an hour's drive.
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I haven't even thought about such things at this point. If I do go, there's a chance I'm going for work, myself, which will be nice.
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Stacer: Ah, now that's the ticket--going to a con on someone else's budget. Yay!
Ookla, thanks for the acommodation/parking tips. I realized that Ontario is about an hour away, but I figured it was a better bet than paying almost $100 for a hotel each night, and I didn't know if I could crash someplace closer. So it might be great to crash elsewhere even if it's cramped. I'll definitely keep your kind offer in mind. Thanks. :)
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Ookla! You actually live in Anaheim? Where?
I grew up in Anaheim off of LaPalma. I still have quite a few friends/acquaintances in the area that I plan on imposing upon for WorldCon.
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Ball & Western. We go to church on Orange just west of Knott. And we can hear the Knott's Berry Farm fireworks every night...though we're not that close (as it's up off La Palma)...
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My grandparents lived in Anaheim for years.
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You live in Anaheim?? Why didn't I know this? I just left there this morning at 6am. We were there for GenCon SoCal and I was helping out demo for J.T.'s company.
I'm sad now I didn't get to see Ookla. :(
Did you see anything on the news about the arsonist setting a fire on the 11th floor of our hotel last night?
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Ball & Western. We go to church on Orange just west of Knott. And we can hear the Knott's Berry Farm fireworks every night...though we're not that close (as it's up off La Palma)...
The Orange Avenue Building. I know that building very well. I grew up in the Cypress stake, in the Buena Park IInd ward and went to the Crescent Avenue Building.
Home, Sweet and Smoggy Home.
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Ah, smog. I'll get to enjoy that again when I move back to California. :P
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Did you see anything on the news about the arsonist setting a fire on the 11th floor of our hotel last night?
No. But then, I didn't watch the news... Was that you, or J.T.?
You should have come by. >:(
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Ah, smog. I'll get to enjoy that again when I move back to California. :P
You're moving back to CA, Chimera? Soon or just something you plan on eventually? Did that internship for the New Era not come thru? I think you said they'd get back to you before Thanksgiving, right?
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I haven't heard from them yet. :(
Even if I get the internship, I told them I wouldn't be able to do it until Spring or Fall of next year. I am moving home to try to get my health under control--I go through cycles, and it's been bad for awhile. So I'm not going to do school right now but go home and save money and get back on my feet again.
Life doesn't always go the way you would like. But it will be good to spend some time with my family and I may find I like California more than Utah, now that I am an adult.
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Ah. Well, I'm sad to hear that's why you're moving... :( I hoped maybe you'd just been bitten by the wanderlust bug or something. But at least you'll get the TLC you need, right? It's nice to know that you can rely on your family when your health or whatever blows up in your face. Still, I wish you were heading to CA under better circumstances...
Oh, and good luck with that special diet. My mom did something very similar. No yeast-bearing foods, no meat except rabbit, no sugar. Given that my mom was born with a major sweet tooth and that yeast is in just about everything these days, she wasn't such a fan of this diet. But if it works, then it's worth it. Best of luck!