My wonderful husband :)
Yes. I did just quote "Alligator Sky" to describe how I felt about my first book signing/launch party. Can I help it that Owl City is just that epic that he knows how I'm feeling?
This is Nate-la, who is actually a character in the book!
So if you hadn't guessed it yet, this post is ALL about my launch party because I finally have some pictures to post on this blog that have to do with my book and not just random pictures of cute kids I don't know.
Just signing away
Well, in true Camp fashion, Josh and I got a late start and the whole ride up to the launch party was full of Josh telling me to stop looking at the clock because we'd be fine... we ended up being there a half hour early by the way. So that's a good thing!
The books were actually pulled off the shelves for the signing, but we snapped a picture before they took them all down.
The bookstore had ordered 20 copies of the book, which I thought was a good idea since I couldn't shut up about the launch party and thought maybe quite a few people would come just to make me stop posting about it.
Ha!
Little did I know we'd sell those 20 copies in the first hour, making the other hour a little awkward as I told people "Yes this is my book! Oh... um... you can't actually buy it though. But here's a bookmark if you'd like one!" Which, by the way, I was surprised by how many people who took my bookmarks said, "Hey you've cut your hair!" Apparently I need to get on that and tell it to start growing out faster so people can recognize me!
My lovely Cousin Charity who is my 'inside connection' in the store.
Now, I know I'm kind of an awkward person by nature so I was really worried about talking to people I don't know about my book. I thought I would sound too pushy or braggy if I told people about it (which is ridiculous since the point of a book signing is to tell people about your book). But miraculously, I must have used up all of my awkwardness on the ride to the bookstore because I was relatively normal! Well... except for the fact that when people weren't talking to me I was just smiling away, making my face hurt and I'm sure looking like a complete lunatic. But hey, better a happy lunatic than an angry one right?
Me and my mom :)
It was surprisingly easy to talk to complete strangers about something that was so personal to me. Maybe because my book means so much to me that's why it's easy to share. You feel a need for other people to love your book just as much as you. That and the fact that I had a chance for someone to win a Seagull Books giftcard made it easier :)
So to sum it up, the launch party was AMAZING. I no longer have to wonder what book signings are like, and I'm officially addicted to talking to book people. Because as a writer I HAVE to be a reader, and people coming to book signings are probably readers. So what better people to talk to than book people? We may be odd and prefer the company of books over other more popular activities... but we're kind of endearing aren't we?
So next time I have a signing, come and join me my fellow book people! Because I love you :)
Until next time,
Shannen
