Welcome back to Austen Promises and the Writer’s Journal!
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One of the things I had decided to give up this year was book signing events. Unless they were local, I didn’t want to do them. I have largely kept to that. I did not go to the Lake Festival this year with my books, and did not apply to be part of the Author Alley at Loganberry Books in Shaker Heights, both of which I have done the last two years.
The only event I planned to do this year was the Knights of Columbus Vendor Fair in October, because it’s only a few miles away. That plan recently changed.
Many of my readers know or will remember that I was elected President of my local Romance Writers of America chapter. We hold a conference every year, though I have never attended. I knew I’d have to go this year, because I have to introduce the speaker. I also knew they were doing something the evening before the conference, but I had not planned on going to it. Then, I discovered it’s a meet and greet and book signing, and it would be really bad for me not to be there. Since I had to go to the meet and greet, I decided to go ahead and be a part of the book signing.
I don’t have a huge amount of books to sell. I have anywhere between one and nine copies of each of fifteen books, except for Matches Made at Netherfield, which is the book I took to Author Alley a couple years ago. I have seventeen copies of that, all with the old cover. <insert eye roll>
Anyway, I have packed up the books into smaller, easier-to-manage boxes. I’ll put my table covers and things in the big plastic box. I have printed out email signup sheets and have taken inventory and printed the sheet out. I really should make a list of things to do, so I don’t forget anything.
I know I have to plug my portable charger in, so I don’t have to worry about my phone dying.
I have to get money out of the bank to use for those who prefer to pay with cash. I have a list of what denominations I want and how many of each bill.
I have to make table signs. I at least need one with my name, in case the chapter doesn’t provide them.
There’s more, but you get the idea. 🙂
I think I’ll keep everything boxed up and downstairs after next Friday night. The Vendor Fair is in October, and the four weeks between events will fly. Why lug stuff up and down stairs if I don’t have to, you know?
I kind of hope I sell a lot of books. I’d like to stock up on newer ones. If I sold all the books, I’d make $280. I sell at a discount at fairs, which is why the amount is so low. Plus, most of my stock has old covers. I don’t like charging more when the books are not the newest versions.
Anyway, while I’m not so much looking forward to peopling (despite being really excited to meet Jane Friedman,) I’d really like to see what I can do as far as selling books. I plan to compare my newer covers to my heart covers as far as sales go, to see if they make a difference in person as opposed to online e-books. I already know a period-/genre-appropriate cover boosts sales for e-books. I’ve proven that.
I’ll have to let you know how it goes. 😀
Come back next Wednesday for another peek into my journal! <3
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