I was part of an author event on Saturday night at our local bookstore where we had a meet ‘n greet the authors, a Q&A session, and a couple short documentaries. A fun evening, because you always meet new people and authors you haven’t met before.
No book signing is the same. And believe me, I’ve had my share!
It also gave me an idea of what to write for today.
My first book signing was a group signing. My first two books were released and I was seated next to long time author Roberta Geillis. I envied the long line of readers waiting for her to sign their books, many of them carrying all her books. I was ready to offer to sign her name just so I would look busy. I always hoped I would reach the point where fans would show up with bags of my books. It took four years before that happened and what a great feeling that was!
We all have memorable fans over the years and one really sticks in my mind.
In 1991 I gave a workshop at a conference in Texas and participated in a group signing there. A good friend and I sat at our table and smiled as people walked around the ballroom. One elderly woman stopped in front of me, peered at my name plaque and said, “you’re not the one” and moved on. Ooookay. A little later, she returned and asked if I was also Linda Wisdom. I wrote my first Silhouettes as Linda Wisdom then switched to Linda Randall Wisdom when I moved to Dell Candlelight Ecstasy. When I started writing for Harlequin American Romance, they wanted me to keep the Linda Randall Wisdom name. I told the woman yes and she puffed up sputtering, “you need to tell a body these things!” I felt I needed to apologize and did while giving her a bookmark that listed all my books. She asked me if I’d sign even used copies of my books and I assured her I would.
I didn’t return to the conference for two years and guess who showed up at the signing? You got it. That woman not only walked up to my table, she carried bags of all my books and asked me to sign each and every one. I couldn’t believe she hunted down my books and I happily signed them all.
There have been other fans at signings I’ve remembered over the years, but that woman will always be a favorite.
And couldn’t you see her in a bookstore seeing new Linda Wisdom books and muttering, “she still needs to tell a body these things” or “humph, someone else writes as Linda Wisdom”.
Linda
No book signing is the same. And believe me, I’ve had my share!
It also gave me an idea of what to write for today.
My first book signing was a group signing. My first two books were released and I was seated next to long time author Roberta Geillis. I envied the long line of readers waiting for her to sign their books, many of them carrying all her books. I was ready to offer to sign her name just so I would look busy. I always hoped I would reach the point where fans would show up with bags of my books. It took four years before that happened and what a great feeling that was!
We all have memorable fans over the years and one really sticks in my mind.
In 1991 I gave a workshop at a conference in Texas and participated in a group signing there. A good friend and I sat at our table and smiled as people walked around the ballroom. One elderly woman stopped in front of me, peered at my name plaque and said, “you’re not the one” and moved on. Ooookay. A little later, she returned and asked if I was also Linda Wisdom. I wrote my first Silhouettes as Linda Wisdom then switched to Linda Randall Wisdom when I moved to Dell Candlelight Ecstasy. When I started writing for Harlequin American Romance, they wanted me to keep the Linda Randall Wisdom name. I told the woman yes and she puffed up sputtering, “you need to tell a body these things!” I felt I needed to apologize and did while giving her a bookmark that listed all my books. She asked me if I’d sign even used copies of my books and I assured her I would.
I didn’t return to the conference for two years and guess who showed up at the signing? You got it. That woman not only walked up to my table, she carried bags of all my books and asked me to sign each and every one. I couldn’t believe she hunted down my books and I happily signed them all.
There have been other fans at signings I’ve remembered over the years, but that woman will always be a favorite.
And couldn’t you see her in a bookstore seeing new Linda Wisdom books and muttering, “she still needs to tell a body these things” or “humph, someone else writes as Linda Wisdom”.
Linda
Sounds like she's an interesting lady. I could see her showing up in one of your books someday. :)
ReplyDeleteMason
Thoughts in Progress
That's true, Mason.
ReplyDeleteHm, who knows, maybe there's a speck of her in Irma!