Tell -Tale Publishing - Blog

Book Signing Events Are Like Selfies

by Francesca Quarto

          When my first book was published by Tell-Tale Publishing, I was thrilled, excited and amazed at what I knew was an important creative accomplishment. After I enjoyed an ego boost and mental happy dance, reality set in like slowly hardening concrete around my success.  Now, I had to do the unthinkable; I had to self-promote!

          My books (I now have the second published in my “Witch of Appalachia” series) needed exposure to readers of Urban Fantasy and potential converts to my genre.

          I’ve noticed while slogging through the posts from friends, family and complete strangers on my FaceBook page, an excessive number of what’s called in the new lexicon, “Selfies”.  These might be described as spontaneous self-portraits, except that most seem as staged as a walk down a runway at a Hollywood Premier.

          While I loathe, detest and generally just dislike, any form of self-promotion, after my books were published things changed.  I had to bite that narcissistic bullet and get out there to get known!

          The first thing I did was contact a local community TV station.  Getting the host of a popular talk show to invite me to speak about my first book also opened the door to bringing up the fact that it is part of a series I was writing. 

          Next, I called a newspaper publisher in the area and got a telephone interview with a reporter.  The hook: local writer makes debut as Urban Fantasy Author for Tell-Tale Publishing served the purposes of introducing me to the community and giving a grateful nod to my publisher.

          I was lucky to land my first Book Signing gig at a Barnes & Nobles under specific terms, but they have since stopped entering into such unique arrangements.  However, if you don’t approach book sellers, you will never have opportunities no matter how limited!

          I have signed up for several holiday events this season and been fortunate enough to have several more occasions for book signings and sales on my calendar.  Some charge fees for booth or table space; some are freely given due to friendships or personal connections.  I use it ALL now, to promote my work.

          The Internet has become the invisible highway, allowing us to traverse every speck of our planet.  Almost as importantly, Social Media has created a new language that we, as creatures of the written word, must learn and apply to our craft. 

Getting ourselves recognized among the millions of “Selfies” is the challenge of the ages for the new or emerging author.  Putting the effort into self-promotion takes a dedication to squelching any tendency toward humility about yourself or your work.  After all, you are your own best friend, or your own worse critic!  You choose; then go ahead and snap that picture!