Book Sightings

Last month, my post on this loop focused on the ways in which seeing your book on the shelf is a little like seeing your child off to their first day of school. It’s a scary time, a time when any mom wonders if their child will do well on their own. Well, I’m very happy to say that my “baby,” The Daddy Catch, is getting along well with all the other books on the book shelf. I think that’s due, in part at least, to the fun I’m having promoting it.

One of the most enjoyable ways I promote my books is by holding a book signing. I love meeting people who enjoy my books or, failing that, indulging in a little people watching. For The Daddy Catch, I’ve had a few book signings.


Starting with a signing at my favorite Barnes And Noble. Kaori Suzuki Fischer is the Community Relations Manager at this store and, since she just won RWA’s Steffie Walker Bookseller of the Year Award, a book signing in her store is always special.

That’s my dear friend and a wonderful author Lara Santiago on my left and another good friend, the amazing Rachel Hauck, on my right.



Next up was a book signing at a rather unusual location, a fly fishing shop in Titusville, Florida. Anyone who’s read The Daddy Catch will understand, though. The Fly Fisherman was the inspiration for the heroine’s fly shop in the story, so this book signing was a special treat for everyone involved. The owner of The Fly Fisherman, Gary Kokaisel, went out of his way to make me feel welcome. Thanks so much, Gary!

After a terrific book signing at The Fly Fisherman, it was on to Tallahassee where women’s fiction author Maria Geraci and I spent a lively afternoon signing books and talking with fans at the Books-A-Million on Thomasville Road. I have to admit, I was a little worried about this book signing. Not because of the awesome venue or the incredibly helpful sales staff, but because the manager of the store ordered 144 copies of The Daddy Catch. Wow! Fortunately, only half the order arrived...and I sold every single one of them. What a great afternoon that was!

There’s just one more book signing on my calendar for The Daddy Catch. And it’s one I’m really looking forward to because, on July 24th, I’ll be signing books at Fish Tales and Cocktails, a fund raising event for Casting For Recovery. This fabulous group sends breast cancer survivors on fly fishing retreats free of charge, so I’ll be donating a portion of the proceeds from this signing to a very worthwhile organization. I can’t think of anything I’d rather do on a Sunday afternoon than spend time with avid fly fishers in support of a wonderful cause.

A Week Of Firsts

Ever have one of those days? One of those weeks?

Usually, when someone asks that question, there’s a negative connotation. But I’ve had a series of those days that folded themselves into one of those weeks…in the best of all possible ways. Starting with the release of my debut book for Harlequin American Romance last Tuesday. Walking into a book store and seeing The Officer’s Girl on the shelf was so exciting I grabbed the first sales clerk I saw and said, “This, this is my book!”

Poor woman. She obviously didn’t understand. It took another couple of tries before she realized I meant I’d written the book. Once she did, the joy spread until the next thing I knew, a voice came over the speaker announcing “an author” was in the building, and if anyone wanted to, they could come on over to the Romance section. And it was super when the clerk asked me to sign the copies of The Officer's Girl they had in stock.

I also participated in my first official book signing this week. And boy, what a book signing it was! Every new author should have nearly 300 eager fans show up and a staff to hand out tickets so attendees wouldn’t have to stand on line for hours. You probably already guessed not all those people were there to see me. And, much as I’d love to insist they were, you’d be right. The book signing kicked off the annual Washington Romance Writers’ Retreat. Held at Turn The Page Book Store Cafe in Boonsboro, MD, the other signers included the amazing Nora Roberts, Charlaine Harris, and Roxanne St. Claire.

For me, it was still a blast. Chatting with the attendees and being part of this event was such a fabulous experience, I’m eager to do it again. And, since I just completed my second Harlequin American Romance, maybe I'll be able to next year when Catch of a Lifetime is released.

Here's a photo of some of the crowd at Turn The Page.

Book signings

From left to right, Connie Brockway, Michele Dunaway, Alexa Hunt (aka Shirl Henke) at MORWA's after-the-meeting book signing.

I don't do many book signings anymore. I don't play much golf either. I consider the reasons for both about the same.

First, let me say I love both golf and book signings. I see the chance to sell even one book to a new reader as a thrilling experience. The trouble is the time factor. Book stores expect you to sell mega books in two hours, not just five to ten. Since I'm not Nora or John Grisham, that's probably not going to happen. After my first signings, I noticed my numbers sold at signings went down. My family and friends came to my first signings, but now they don't stop or blink an eye. My being published is "old hat," just like them being journalists, or teachers or something. Just another day at the office.

Golf is about the same way. I discovered that my second time playing, I birdied on the second hole. I've never done as well since. For me, the ideal golf date is tooling around, tearing across the course in the golf cart trying to see who can be the first one to the next green. Since you're not supposed to do that, well...you get the idea.

Book signings can be the same way. The first ones are fun and exciting. Doing one for every book can get old quickly, and if you aren't Nora or someone "really" famous, you'll sit there and smile a lot. The only people who talk to you want directions to the bathrooms. There are others who hover at the end of the aisle and whisper about you. You keep smiling anyway.

Don't get me wrong. Both book signings and golf can be a lot of fun when done properly. With signings, you have to be willing to get out from behind the table and pimp yourself. Yep, that' s the only word for it. You have to be willing to talk to everyone who glances at you. Think of walking through all the sales booths in the middle of the mall. That person who jumps out and offers you hand cream--that has to be you with your book.

Just as golf is more fun to play with someone, so are book signings. Having someone there to chat with while people are chatting about you makes you feel a bit less conspicuous. It also makes the time fly, and if you tag-team the reader who stops for one author, you can often get them to buy both books. You're also guaranteed at least one sale--the other author at the table.

Now I've been a little tongue in cheek here, but all of the above is true. If the other authors are willing to share some of their funny signing experiences.....

And, if you are at RWA this summer, come see me and chat. If nothing else, I promise to know where the bathroom is.

Michele