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Book signings - advice


BookJumper

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So, I've never actually been to a book signing, unless you count the single time when I was little and accompanied by mum. Too many people, too much standing up.

 

But, I've decided I've had enough of being a hermit, and I plan to take myself down to meet as many interesting authors as I possibly can. The first one is Dacre Stoker, great-something-nephew of Bram and author of the official sequel to "Dracula" based on his ancestor's notes (excised out of the book from Bram's publisher), "Dracula the Undead".

 

What I need to know as someone who's never been to a book signing is this: for such events, how many hours in advance does "arrive early to avoid disappointment" mean? The store is enormous & a tourist attraction if that makes any difference, which it probably does.

 

Thanking you all in advance.

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I would probably arrive at least ab hour before the scheduled start time, just to make sure I got in. But then, I'm one of those folks who arrive incredibly early for everything, so in aiming for one hour before, I'd probably be hanging around for more like 2 hrs - LOL!

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I would say at least an hour as well - I have only ever been to one book signing (apart from my own ones, and they don't count!), and that was Michael J Strazynski. The queue was half way round the block ! Lovely man though.

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You see, the only signing I ever tried going to before wasn't for a book at all - Paul McCartney was visiting Milan to sign copies of his solo collection Wingspan. I asked my parents whether I could skip school in order to camp in front of the record store from the night before; they said no, so I rushed there after school and obviously all tickets had sold out. When I asked what time they went by, I was told that they'd all gone before 7am.

 

Obviously authors are slightly different (unless you're J.R. Rowling), but I was wondering how different? I was aiming to arrive at the bookshop about two hours before the siging, but I'm unsure whether this would be too early or too late.

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I'd say 1-2 hours would be about right, Bookjumper. At least if you get there 2 hours ahead of time and you see that there's no crowd formed yet, you can have a wander around since it's in a bookshop! :motz: Is Stoker going to be giving a reading or anything before the actual signing? If so, there'll probably be chairs set up and won't have to worry about getting in the queue until afterwards.

 

I've been to 3 signings, one for a local author Jon Hassler and 2 for Matthew Pearl. All were so much fun and I hope you get to see as many interesting authors as you can! :smile2:

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At least if you get there 2 hours ahead of time and you see that there's no crowd formed yet, you can have a wander around since it's in a bookshop!

I was thinking this too, but then with my luck a queue 'round the block would form the minute my back is turned...!

 

Is Stoker going to be giving a reading or anything before the actual signing? If so, there'll probably be chairs set up and won't have to worry about getting in the queue until afterwards.
Not that I know of, although that would be nice :D just wish I could have got hold of the hardback for the occasionas the paperback is quite poorly bound, but Amazon didn't have it in stock :smile2:.

 

I hope you get to see as many interesting authors as you can!
Thank you :motz:!
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  • 2 weeks later...

And remember that if your going to get a book autographed, make sure the book is purchased FROM that bookstore. As a matter of fact, I'd call the bookstore to see if you have buy the book the day of the booksigning or if you can bring your copy with the receipt. Depending on who the author's publishing company is, they may put stipulations on it, like how many copies can be signed and if they will do more personal signings, like to such and such, etc...

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Thank you for the suggestions :lol: although by this point I've been to two signings and I must say, I was taken aback by the big W's organisation - room open early so no queues, chairs laid out for the pre-signing talk, bringing people up a few at a time to avoid signing queues... They had big piles of the books in the events room (I admit to scouring them in search of the copy in the most pristine condition), which you could get signed and dedicated (the helpful W girls wrote your name down on a post-it note and stuck it on the title page). You got

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Would you only go to a booksigning if its a book you wanted signed or would you go to all book signing?

I'd only go if I wanted the book signed, methinks - ticketed events cost money (which you only get back if you buy the book afterwards); unticketed events mean long queues, which I couldn't manage even if I wanted to. Any reason you ask :friends0:?

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Football... sorry, no, I don't think so :friends0:. Oh, I cried and jumped and sang Fratelli d'Italiaaaaaaaaa with my hand on my heart back when we won the World Cup, but on normal days I don't even read the sports section of the free morning paper, nevermind books about the thing. And in any case... Scotland's a bit far away :D!

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