I'll sign copies of BLEEDER at Barnes & Noble, Green Bay WI, on Saturday June 5, 2-5 pm, and at Barnes & Noble, DeKalb IL, on Saturday June 12, 1-5 pm.
The era of 'the book signing' may be coming to a close, and not because printed books themselves may be passe soon (big piece in the Wall Street Journal today about ebooks). Have they ever been a good marketing strategy for non-celebrity writers? It helps if one is speaking to a book club on the premises, or offering a workshop of some sort, but to just show up and be shown to a table is ineffective. "Book signings," even if fairly well publicized, just don't draw a lot of people. A writer has to work the room, passing out bookmarks and initiating conversations with strangers.
At least it is a good opp to meet book sellers face to face and befriend them, since they will be your sales people long after you leave, making recommendations to customers largely because they got to 'know' you.
Book signings as public events also give you an opp to get your name and book title in local newspapers and radio 'community calendar' shows. Only a few people may show up, but many, many people will have seen the announcement. That's gotta be worth something.
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