When a book signing goes awry...

Recently I had a signing for my October book, Madison’s Children. Everything was going smoothly. People were showing up and buying books. That always makes this author happy.

 Suddenly a young girl came in, maybe nineteen or twenty.  She pushed passed the ladies waiting for a book and came around the table to my left side. Plopping a big spiral notebook on the table, she said, “I’ve written a fantasy paranormal and it’s really good. I need you to tell me how to get it published.”

I was thrown by her aggressiveness. I signed a book, gave a lady a bookmark and thanked her. Then I turned to the girl and asked if she could please wait until after the signing.  I’d be happy to talk to her, but at the moment I was rather busy.

She said her mother was waiting and she couldn’t.

Linda

I’m always glad to help anyone who has an interest in writing, but I don’t have a clue how to get a fantasy paranormal published and I told her that. And I really don’t have the power to get anyone’s book published.

She thumbed toward my books on the table. “But you know how to get those published.”

The lady waiting for a book looked at her and then at me. I had to do something.  The paying customer was getting annoyed. I smiled sweetly when I really want to beat my head against the desk. “As I said I’m busy right now…”

She glanced toward the front door. “I can wait a few minutes.”

Groan.

I signed another book and talked to a couple of women. The girl never moved and I wondered if she thought I had some sort of magic to get her book published.  When the last woman walked away, I thought I’d start with the obvious and told the girl that to get published she’d have to submit her manuscript to a publisher.

“How do I do that?” she asked.

It was looking like a long afternoon. She really had no clue. She only had a dream and I found that hard to discourage, even if she was pushy. I told her to look inside one of her favorite paranormal books for the publisher and go online and find their Web site. From there she could find out their guidelines and how to submit.

 She stared at me and said, “I don’t have a computer. I can’t afford one.”

Taking a long breath, I replied, “If you’re going to write you really need to consider getting one, but you can use one at the library for free. And you can’t send a spiral notebook. You have to type your manuscript using proper formatting.”

She frowned. “That’s a lot of work.”

“Yes. It takes a lot of work to get published.”

As she mulled this over I asked, “Would you like to buy a book?”

She shook her head. “No. I don’t read those books.”

Conversation over shot through my head like a blot of electricity. But I keep smiling. And it wasn’t easy. I was talking to her while I was signing books for people who were actually buying them.

I spoke to a lady who asked about the next book in the trilogy. The girl kept standing there with a puzzled look. A woman opened the front door and motioned for her to come out.

“That’s my mom. I gotta go. She’s tired of waiting.” She picked up her notebook. “I can get information online and it’s free at the library?”

“Yes.”

She walked out. No thank you. Nothing. Probably the most bizarre book signing I’ve ever had. Over the years I’ve had several people come to the signings to ask how to get published in series contemporary. I’ve stayed late and talked to them, trying to help. I even offered to read a couple of chapters.  But the whole book signing I felt like I had a mosquito buzzing around my head.

What would you have done? I’d love to hear your answers.

I’ll draw a winner for a copy of Madison’s Children from the posts.

Linda Warren
2009 RITA® Finalist TEXAS HEIR
www.lindawarren.net
The Belles of Texas, a trilogy, starting this summer
Caitlyn's Prize - SuperRomance July 2009
Madison's Children - SuperRomance Oct 2009
Skylar's Outlaw -SuperRomance Jan 2010