Last night was my very first book event at Pages in Manhattan Beach. It was a small, intimate affair with a very supportive and enthusiastic audience. I don’t love to be the center of attention (which is why I’m the introverted writer that I am), but I was comfortable last night. It was fun to talk about the book and answer questions. I had one beer beforehand. That helped.
Tips other writers gave me that came in handy:
- Keep the reading short (10 to 15 minutes)
- Don’t read any passages that include spoilers. I just read from the beginning of the book to avoid this
- Bring a gift to the store. I brought an Instagram-friendly succulent
- Offer refreshments. The store provided this for me, which was really nice of them–wine, champagne, cheese, crackers, fruit, cupcakes
- Consider a small giveaway, something people can take home with them. My mom had pens made with my website address on them
- Bring a good pen for signings. The store will have one if you don’t, but it’s good to have one you like
- If the store has copies of your book leftover, sign some of them so they can sell them as coveted “signed copies”
Thank you to everyone who came out! It means so much to me.
My next event is at Laguna Beach Books on June 5th at 4pm.