The Art of Book Signings

I always try to be extremely witty on blog posts but I think I only ever manage to be informative. Take for instance this post... I was going to talk about the strategy of holding a book singing and all the ins and outs. (And then I hear my readers begin to snore) So instead, I think I'll talk about how hard it was for me to even leave my house to hold a book signing event...

In just a little over a month I have gone from an overly-excited extrovert to an extreme-pathetic introvert. I don't know how it happened. The idea of having to go out into public and sell my book, my name, my ideas, my face, the inner longings of my heart seems just too much for me. I feel a bout of hives creeping up my neck every time I think about holding a book signing.

My first book signing was so easy. I went to a close friend's Stella & Dot party and she said, "Hey, bring some of your books with you to sell." And so I did. I got to her house early, set up my small display and everyone bought a book that night. I felt like a gigantic success. Selling books was going to be a breeze!

My second book signing was a private party for another good friend of mine and she was the only one that bought books... fifteen to be exact! We went to lunch after the book signing and ran into a couple of friends at the restaurant who followed me to my car before my meal arrived and bought two books right out of my trunk! The ledge of book singing fear was getting farther and farther away from me!

And then suddenly the date of my BIG book signing at my church grew closer and closer. I watched the days pass faster and my anxiety rise higher. You see, the other book signings were easy because I knew everyone and somehow knew they would buy a book to support me. That's comforting. But to be at a book signing with tons of people you have never met before, that's a whole other story.

On April 20th, after a long and wonderful day at a retreat, I headed over to the main church to set up my table. My husband graciously carried all of the boxes in to the church and helped me set up the display. I hadn't even brainstormed about how the table would look! Fortunately, my wonderful friend and therapist had thought ahead for me and had a lacy table cloth in her trunk and a vase full of Gerber daisies for me!

Long story short, I met a lot of people that night and then all day the next day (I held a book signing after all five Masses that day). Some were eager to buy my book. Many walked away without buying a book. Some wanted to talk. Others asked questions that I was not prepared for and yet the Holy Spirit didn't let me down. I found out that my answer to "What's your book about?" was not enticing enough and that people really want to read memoirs. So many people asked if the short stories in Mended Fences were stories about real people. I was hoping to sell every Mended Fences book I had in my possession (which was over 400) and have people groping for more copies. I walked away from that weekend with a sense of purpose and a more humbled expectation of book sales and tons of people to pray for.

And that leads me to my most recent book signing. It was held at Coffee Waves coffee house on a Saturday afternoon. I was much more prepared for display this time, except that I left the outside signs at the house. So my husband dropped me and my cargo off at the coffee house and went back home for the signs. I was left all by myself ... exposed to a world I was not willingly wanting to be a part of. I thought the anxiety of holding a book signing would wear off after my first one, but the idea of hiding in the bathroom for the next two hours was growing more and more appealing by the second.

After I got everything set up, the Holy Spirit whispered in my ear to pass out push cards to everyone in the coffee house. I ignored him. He got louder. I ignored him louder. Finally when I saw my husband outside it was guilt that got me out of my chair. I didn't want him to find out that I was allowing my fear to keep me from doing the work of the Lord. And so I courageously passed out push cards to everyone. A couple of people came up and talked to me for a little while. One woman, Sandy, bought five books for all of her PhD study club and asked for prayers. Sandy - we're still praying for you! And another woman, Charlotte, came over to talk to me and said she loved to review unknown authors on her kindle. Charolotte, thank you for talking with me and I'm looking forward to hearing about your son and your story.

All in all, I have learned a lot about exposing myself to the world-wide public. It's not easy to be an artist (all you artists out there know what I'm talking about) but it's worth it, you know. To be able to share a piece of yourself, even if it is rejected, is what life is all about. And I'm learning to embrace this experience. I'm sure in time it will get easier and I will handle rejection better. Until then, keep me in your prayers and buy Mended Fences - it has something for everyone in those nine short stories.

God bless you all,
Angel Seidenberg
Author of Mended Fences

Published!

Three years ago my life changed dramatically, almost overnight. And if you had told me then that a dream would come true for me... well, I probably wouldn't have believed you.

On April 20, 2012 my husband and I decided to have a date night. It was a wild and crazy one too! We had a lovely dinner together and then... we sat down at the computer and worked on finding publishers that we could send my short stories to. (Told you it was wild and crazy!)

The Holy Spirit kept sending us back to Tate Publishing Company. So we compiled the stories together in a Word document with a introduction letter and a table of contents. By the time we got done it was almost midnight and we were both tired. We prayed together and then submitted the short stories. (Tate Publishing Company is a traditional publishing company that allows you to submit unsolicited manuscripts)

It was the only publishing company we sent my stories to. We planned to send more out the next day...

That was Friday.

On Saturday, Eric from Tate Publishing Company called me about my manuscript. He gave me some really great information about Tate Publishing and said he would begin reading my manuscript that day. I was delightfully shocked and excited that he wanted to get started right away. He told me he would give me a call on Monday...

It is now December and I am four months into the eight month publishing process with Tate Publishing Company. The beginning of next week I will have in my hands an actual book to proof read! I'm not sure how I will respond but it will more than likely look like the scene in Julie and Julia when Julia Childs received the first cookbook she wrote from her publisher.

In just a few short months Mended Fences will be read by many in America (and I'm hoping those in other countries too!). And I'm excited to see the impact it will have on my fellow country-men and women. I'm still in shock at my dream coming true and at this remarkable chance to live the life I've always dreamt about.

How great is our God? I continually stand in awe at His mercy and compassion for us, but most especially at the amount of love He shows us if we but turn our face to Him.

Here's to the great success of Mended Fences!

God bless,
AS

A Good Read

I just finished reading a book called, "Jane Austen ruined my life" by Beth Patillo and what a yummy delight it was! At every twist and turn of Emma's (the main character) journey we find a succulent puzzle piece to the mystery she has fallen into.

Completely fictional, aside from locations that Jane Austen lived or visited, the book wets your appetite about the true nature of Jane Austen through "hidden" letters. It almost convinced me to chuck all of the information I have learned through my literary tenure of Jane Austen and accept a new truth. Fortunately, Beth gives us a brief note at the end that the information that Emma, her main character, procured was fictional.

I sighed a note of relief - and I'll be honest there was more than one moment that I questioned how this information could have been kept secret OR how we had not known it by now!

Mark of a great writer on Beth's part to be such a proficient at creating a fantastic story.

And now I'm off to put pen to paper... because I just can't help myself and the heart of a novelist must be heard!

Yours truly,
AS

Just a Note Away

Do you own a piano? And if so, have you ever had the pleasure of sitting in another room and listen to it being tuned? It's a slow process, you have to be patient. The piano tuner tinks away until each note is on pitch and then for the next thirty minutes he plays this incredible music.

Music I've never heard my piano make because, well, I'm not that advanced yet. He starts off with Bach, where the music saddens you and sets your heart to contemplation, and just when you're settling into the story of the melody he switches over to jazz, the piano producing funky, hip shaking music. From there he goes right into Mozart and if you've ever heard Mozart being played loud you know all too well how breath-taking it is.

And then before I know it he's finished and headed out my door, leaving behind the faint sound of well played music clinging to my skin.

Now that my piano is tuned, I really do need to set up a schedule for my day. Otherwise I'll probably end up sitting in front of it all day and neglect my writing. I'll add making a schedule to the list of chores I have to accomplish today.

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