Did I mention the book comes out soon? 44 days.
That seems a bit crazy to me. It’s like waiting for Christmas but you know you’re going to get this super awesome present that you’ve been waiting your whole life for.
I’m not nervous. I’m not really concerned if people will like it. Because I know some people will and I expect some people will not. I expect some fan letters (actually, I’m hoping to get fan letters … for the sake of answering, not vanity) and I expect some un-fan letters. Which is fine. I created something amazing with God and in no way could it ever not be special to me.
I’m beginning to wonder about marketing. Yes, I should be wondering about my book (hey! I wrote 1,000 words today!) but I’m thinking about bookstores. How does one contact a bookstore to do signings? What if they don’t want you to come? How do you even ask?
Me: Hello? Can I speak to the store manager please?
Clerk: Doubtful. What do you want?
Me: Um, I want to speak to him so I can discuss doing a book signing?
Clerk: Why?
Me: Uh, so people will come buy my book? You’ll make money too from it.
Clerk: And who are you?
Me: Jenn Kelly? I wrote, ‘Jackson Jones: The Tale of a Boy, an Elf and a Very Stinky Fish’.
Clerk: Never heard of you.
Me: You can check your database. I know I’m in there.
Clerk: (puts me on hold for ten minutes. Can swear I hear her laughing in the background with a colleague which immediately makes me wonder if she’s laughing at me or if I’m being paranoid again.) Yah. You wrote a kid’s book?
Me: Um, yes. Actually, it’s for pre-teens.
Clerk: Well, I’ll tell the manager you called. Thanks. (click.)
Would it really go that way? Do bookstores like authors calling them up and offering to do a signing? And what if no one comes? Granted, I don’t really care because I’m in a bookstore for goodness sakes! I’ll just drink my venti soy no water no foam tazo chai and enjoy the ambience. Except I’d have to nail myself to the seat as I’d get up and start walking towards that bright pink covered book.
And then what about local bookstores? There’s one just a few blocks over, but I’m tentative to go in because they aren’t terribly nice. Maybe I should be contacting the local newspaper about this.
I need a rep.
Watching: sadly, Sex and the City movie. I actually cried. I blame hormones.
Reading: Vogue from three months ago.
Listening to: Machine by Portishead… and Christmas music
Eating: brie and crackers and green grapes and a litre of water
