Sign Here

I just had the most amazing experience! For years I’ve wondered what my first book signing would be like, but now I don’t have to wonder anymore. Barnes and Noble (which by the way has been one of my favorite stores since I was little) was wonderful enough to serve as the venue for my very first book signing. It was everything I wanted it to be and more, and I learned a lot.

First things first, you have to go out of your way to sell yourself and your book. Even with my table set up at the front of the store, everyone had to go right by me if they wanted to enter, I still had to be the one to reach out to the customers. Few people acknowledged my presence. I had to be the one to strike up a conversation if I wanted to draw their attention. This is something that’s always been really difficult for me, I’m sure a lot of you can relate. I’m an incredibly antisocial and anxious person, talking to strangers is not my forte.

That’s not to say I had to draw in everyone, there were a few people that came right up to my table to ask about the book, but the majority had to be coerced. I tried a couple of different conversation starters, but the one I had the most success with was simply asking them if they enjoyed reading fantasy. I don’t know if you realize this or not, but the vast majority of people that hang out in bookstores enjoy reading fantasy. Once I had their attention, it was easy to steer the conversation towards my book.

The other thing I learned was I need a better way to describe my book. I’ve spent countless hours thinking of ways to explain my book to potential customers, but I still don’t feel like I’ve truly captured the essence of The Land of Shadows. It doesn’t help that it’s going to be the first in a series of seven. It feels unsatisfactory to just describe the plot of the first book without at least touching on the rest of the series. At the same time I want to have a clear and concise message that doesn’t last for half an hour. Even though my “elevator pitch” still needs work, it was at least good enough to draw in a couple dozen readers.

Something that I didn’t expect throughout the day was I actually met a couple of aspiring authors that were looking to get their own works published. Even though I’m definitely not an established author yet, I’m glad I was able to give them some advice. If there’s one thing I want to do with the little amount of fame my novels might bring me, it’s help other writers to realize their dreams. I’m so grateful that God has given me this opportunity to make a living with my passion, and I can’t wait to help others find that same opportunity. I wish everyone reading this luck in their own endeavors, and as always happy writing out there.