I really ought to hire my good friend K. to be my publicist! We had lunch today and after lunch we went into Prairie Lights (Local Independent Bookstore). She couldn’t believe I hadn’t “made friends” with the children’s book person there. So she introduced us…and tried to set up a book signing for me (for my F is for Fire Fighting)…AND tried to get the woman to commit to bringing in a fire fighter and making an “event” out of my signing. The woman was interested in having me do a signing, but JUST a signing…she didn’t go for the fire fighter. Which kind of surprised me. I mean, I know (from my father-in-law) that fire fighters do this kind of thing…and it seems to me that bringing in a fire fighter AND an author would get people more excited about bringing their kids in (plus wouldn’t you think a parent would be more willing to shell out $15 for a book if their kids have just gotten to see real fire fighting equipment and shake a fire fighter’s hand?).

Pelican Press talked to Local Large Chain Bookstore about me doing a TWO HOUR book signing there next month (ye gads!). I’ve done signings for Local Large Chain Bookstore…trust me, the only people who come to those are my friends (well, with the exception of the signing I did at the Cedar Rapids Large Chain Bookstore…I did a signing during the summer reading program kick-off last year and THAT was successful…but that wasn’t just a signing, that was “an event!”).

But my friend E., who is the children’s librarian at the North Liberty Library not only wants me do a book signing at her library…she wants to bring in a local fire fighter (and SHE thought of bringing in the fire fighter herself…I didn’t even suggest it!), who will come in a fire truck that the kids can go outside and see. Now THAT’S the kind of signing I can get excited about. Hopefully Publicity Guy at Pelican Press will understand and not see me as a Difficult Author because I don’t want to do a signing for Large Chain Bookstore…I’ll do a signing at Prairie Lights (just because I’ve never done one there before). And I did suggest several other venues in addition to the North Liberty Library…it’s not that I’m not willing to do any promotion…I just don’t want to do a signing at Large Chain Bookstore.

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