Wednesday, March 16, 2011

The Pleasure of Signings

Book signings are fun! At least they are for me. So far, I’ve been on three for BEAGLEMANIA, the first book in my new Pet Rescue Mystery series. The first was at the grand reopening of Flintridge Bookstore, in Flintridge, California, along with several other mystery writers. Fun event!

The second was at Mystery Ink, in Huntington Beach, California. Two wonderful pet rescue groups brought dogs along for attendees to play with, and Sandy Robins, a delightful writer on nonfiction pet topics, brought a Toyota Venza equipped with special pet-friendly safety accessories to demonstrate, too. People popped in and out and bought books. Delightful!

Then, last weekend, I signed at Mysteries to Die For in Thousand Oaks, California. People from their book club attended along with people I knew from writing and pet-related organizations. I gave a presentation that mostly consisted of answering questions about my new Pet Rescue Mystery series, where it is so far and where it’s going. I also discussed aspects of the Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery series, from which the Pet Rescue series has spun off.

One of the most fun things for me was the ideas people tossed to me about ideas for more Pet Rescue books! I made notes, and you never know. Some might appear in the future!

Am I done? Not hardly. Next Saturday is my signing at Vroman’s bookstore in Pasadena, California. It’s in conjunction with the Pasadena Humane Society’s adoption event. Rain is predicted, but I hope the weather behaves enough to permit a good turnout of pet adopters and book buyers.

The following weekend, on Saturday, March 26, I’m signing at the Bookstar in Studio City. Bookstar is located in a former movie theater--and my name is already on the marquee! That signing will be at the same time as a weekly pet adoption event on Ventura Boulevard right outside Bookstar.

That pretty well covers my March signings, but I’m also signing in April. Plus, I’m on some panels. I’m keeping busy. I’m selling some books. And I’m also having one heck of a good time meeting people, getting ideas--and, yes, encouraging the idea of pet adoptions.

Do you attend book signings? Where, and do you enjoy them?

10 comments:

Shel said...

I adore book signings - now that I'm in a location where I can get to them, LOL. I grew up and spent most of my adult life in extreme rural Texas. Most authors, unless they're from there, don't get to Amarillo...*grin*.
But now that I'm a couple of hours out of Chicago, I have gone to several and love, love, love them. I've met Julie Hyzy and the Deadly Divas (Heather Webber, Denise Swanson, Sara Rosett and Marcia Talley); and hope to attend many more signings and meet many more authors.

Dru said...

I love going to book signings to meet and talk with the author's that I read.

We don't get as many book signings here as we used to in the past so now I attend Malice (my second this year) and I will be attending for my first time Bouchercon so that I can meet and talk with my favorite authors.

Linda O. Johnston said...

Wonderful, Shel! I'm hoping to attend Printers Row in Chicago this year, so maybe I'll see you then!

Linda O. Johnston said...

I'll be delighted to meet you in person at Malice, Dru!

Monica Ferris said...

You meet the nicest people at book signings! Plus I love being able to put a voice to the words written by my favorite authors.

Linda O. Johnston said...

I agree, Monica. Do you ever imagine the voices of authors you've met reading their words to you? That's easier after signings where the authors do read aloud from their work!

Betty Hechtman said...

Great idea to mix your booksignings with animal events! I like to go to booksignings more than do them.

Linda O. Johnston said...

Thanks, Betty. I enjoy both!

Janie Emaus said...

I do like book signings and I wish I could have come to some of yours. I'm planning on making the one on the 26th.

Linda O. Johnston said...

Great, Janie! It should be a fun one. Of course they all are!