Book SigningOriginally uploaded by freshfiction This week’s guest blogger, Susan Wiggs, had a post about the most horrible signings she’s ever been on. And I found it interesting reading. I also thought about the comments. I haven’t always been so lucky to live in an area where authors come every week to sign their books. When I was younger, in the sixties and 70s I lived in a very rural area and don’t remember ever visiting a real “book store” that wasn’t run by the Mennonite Church. Which trust me had a very small fiction section. And that store was 40 miles away and we only went once a year to pick up grandmother’s materials. Our reading time was spent reading a chapter every day from the Bible and reading through the World Craft Encyclopedia. Our local library was located over the one engine firehouse. It was a small room with about 1,000 books in it. I did learn to love Zane Grey and Elswyth Thane. But it wasn’t somewhere we visited often. Then I went to college and oh, what a world there was! Books were sold in stores like the downtown Philadelphia Woolworth which I haunted every Saturday…

This week I again went to a book signing. This time the author was MaryJanice Davidson. I don’t personally read this author, but have many friends who do, so were anticipating a big crowd. When I arrived at the bookstore it was obvious that they too were expecting a large crowd as there were plenty of seats available, but not enough to hold hundreds of people should they show. I have to admit to being surprised by the low number of people who showed for the signing. Admittedly the weather was less than desirable, but when I headed out who knew that North Texas was going to be bombarded…certainly not I. I was inside and dry and warm. Yes, the lights flickered, and yes, I was worried about getting home but those things could wait to fret about until I had all my books signed. What you don’t read her but you were getting books signed? Yes, I got books signed for friends. I’m trying to be good and let various friends around the country know when an author is coming to Dallas and getting a book for them should they desire. After all if I was honest wouldn’t I…