Six Things To Take To Your Book Signing

One of the neatest aspects of being an author is the opportunity to personally meet the people who are going to read your babies. Receiving reviews is wonderful, but shaking the hand of a fan, looking into their eyes, and connecting on a human level cannot be matched with the two-dimensionality of the written review.  A hundred times over I will pick the gushing, starry-eyed teen over a glowing written review any day of the week.

But, I digress.

This post is timely for me (and I hope for you) because I am enjoying more and more author signing events.  Believe me, this is a list I have developed from face plants I experienced due to my own short-sightedness.  As always, this is not the definitive word on the subject, this is just the junk that works for me.  Onward.

THINGS TO BRING TO YOUR BOOK SIGNING

1. The book you are signing.  And no, I don't want to talk about it.  Just. Bring. The. Book. 
2. Bookmarks you had made for the book.  The correct ones, ahem.  It's a nice touch to tuck one in the just signed and sold opus.  Plus, it WILL have your email address, your blog site, and your facebook URL so your starstruck fan who cannot live until they read every living word you have published can find you and salivate on your public pages. BTW: It WILL means if it doesn't, you should be redesigning them right now.  (Psst....I use nextdayflyer.com)                                                                                                                              
3. Change.  Not of clothing, of the money kind.  I make sure I have change for $100, because people actually still use paper money.  If you are cool enough to have one of those plug-thingies that lets your buyer swipe a card, I wanna be you when I grow up.  I don't have one.  I am not cool. Yet.
   
4. 4.  A thin-point magic-marker in the mood color of the day.  And this is more important than you know.  If the marker is too thick, it will bleed through the page; too thin, and your signature will look weak.  I like the Sharpie Retractable marker in different colors.  It stays fresh even when the cap is off.  So uncool to have to ask your fan if they have a pen.  Not saying it happened.  Just sayin'.
   
5. An assistant.  I can't stress this enough.  You are far to busy signing books and kissing babies to mess with the cash.  For me, I love when my Mum comes and does this.  I give her a cute little cash box, her stash of extra cash for change, and her own Sharpie.  She loves doing it and I love her being with me, for any reason really.  Plus, by removing yourself from the vulgarity of the transaction, you get to remain the aloof and generous-with-her-time famous author.  Or, in your head you do. Uncool, maybe, but still an awesome feeling.
6. Bottles of water.  Seriously, do you have any idea how much talking you will be doing?  After my last signing, I wouldn't have been able to lick an envelope to save my soul.

Lastly, you want to bring your best asset...your beaming smile. After all, why shouldn't you be smiling?  If you are at your own book signing, you are living the dream, baby.  Smile till your face hurts...you deserve it.