Interview with Chris Henderson

Today Chris Henderson has posted an interview she conducted with me about my new picture book The Pea In Peanut Butter. This is a link to that blog if you'd like to take a peak. http://thewritechris.blogspot.com/
I'd love to hear anyone's comments, especially if you have read the book!

Interview with Kailee from The Pea In Peanut Butter

Today a fellow published author, Kelly Hashway, is interviewing, Kailee, the main character in my new picture book The Pea In Peanut Butter. Check out her blog for the interview and a chance to win a free autographed copy of the book http://www.kellyhashway.com/apps/blog/show/7500545-interview-giveaway-the-pea-in-peanut-butter.

The Pea In Peanut Butter as well as Kelly's new picture book May The Best Dog Win, are both available on www.amazon.com.

What are your thoughts on charging for book signings?

I was reading an article in the New York Times about some independent book stores who are starting to charge a fee to attend a book signing. This is hard to believe. What is next? I mean, charging someone to walk into a store, hand an author a book they already paid for, just to get their signature is just really pushing the limit, in my opinion. After all, first they have to purchase the authors book and then they have to pay just to enter their signing?

I think it makes the author look greedy, but in reality, it’s the book store that is charging the fee and the author gets nothing. Life as an author is hard enough but with this new trend, I can totally see this leading to first time authors or  authors who aren’t that well known, being rejected. Will these book stores not allow us to have a book signing because we won’t bring in enough revenue to the front door? After all why would people pay money to have an unknown author sign their book?

In the article it says that independent book stores are tired of people acting like they are just another library. People are typing names of books into their iPhones, going home and ordering them on-line or elsewhere and they think that is putting them out of business. Well I hate to break it to them but that is going on everywhere not just bookstores. Consumers should have an option of searching for a better price. That is the way of the world.

Here is a quote from the article: “We don’t like to have events where people can’t come for free,” Ms. Holman said. “But we also can’t host big free events that cost us a lot money and everyone is buying books everywhere else.”

It seems as though everything is about money these days. Isn’t getting people in your store worth whatever it takes? Not everyone who walks into a store buys something. That is a risk that all retail takes in owning a business. The way the world is heading, we won’t even be able to walk into a store anymore without paying a fee at the door.

How do you feel about this? Would you pay $5.00 or more to hand your book to the author just to signit?

Here is the link to that article if anyone would like to check it out.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/22/business/media/22events.html?_r=2

My First Ever Book Signing Experience

Most of you know by now that I have just gotten my first picture book The Pea In Peanut Butter published. I mean after all, I talk about it almost daily!  I wanted to share with you all my experience with my trip back to my hometown in which I read my story to the kids and then signed books afterwards. I did this at the library in my hometown and the neighboring town.

Anyway, I am feeling so blessed. Normally I’m kind of a negative type person as far as myself goes. I am always thinking that everything good that happens to me must have been a fluke or something.  But after this experience… well I just feel blessed. It was no fluke. I really did get a book published and my hometown really did make me feel like a celebrity for a few days! And remember, I haven’t lived in this town for over 30 years now. And on top of that my parents, sister and brother really did drive all the way down from Virginia just for the day to support me. That is definitely no fluke and it doesn’t get any better than that!

Now how did the people of my hometown make me feel special? The town newspaper did a front page story all about me… little (well not so little in size anymore) me! Both the libraries made fliers about my coming and signing. Both libraries had volunteers on hand to help me with anything I needed. They all told me how honored and excited they were to have a real live published author in their library and one that was from that town to boot. But one of the best parts was that the attendance of some of my old classmates, friends, and even parents of friends was just well, almost overwhelming! Gosh my head swelled to the size of a giant beach ball! At least in my thoughts anyway.

And the kids. What do I say about the kids! I had little girls come up to me after the readings and tell me they loved my story and thanked me for coming and reading to them. It just melted my heart and right then, I knew EXACTLY why I decided to write picture books. Those little kids smiles, laughs and sweet words are what it is all about for me. One thing I must share with you all is after one of my readings I asked the kids, “Do you have any questions?” The cutest little girl in the world raised her hand. “I do, I do. What is 99 plus 9?” Oh my gosh that was the funniest thing! My story had absolutely nothing to do with numbers, not one thing. I told her, “Well I write stories, I don’t do Math but I think it is 108. Can I ask you why you asked me that question?” Her answer was, “Cause I didn’t know the answer.” How funny is that!!!!

Ok, I’ve bored you all enough so I’ll just end by saying it was a huge success. I sold over 70 books and have gotten more orders. Would I do it again? In a heart beat!! Now I have to get busy scheduling book signings where I’m living now and get that next picture book written!

Thanks for listening and if you have any book signing experiences to share, please do so!