Questions on a Theme

What’s the best question you’ve ever been asked as a writer? What's the worst? And what question do you wish you were asked but nobody’s ever asked it?

Brenda here. I'm going to anchor this week's question around bookstore signings.

The best question: Could you sign my copy? Meeting readers and having them like my work enough to purchase a book or be willing to take a chance and buy one without having heard of me before is always hugely gratifying. It never gets old.

I met Tom at a signing on Saturday and he tells me that he's bought every one of my books, now including the latest being Who Lies in Wait.  Of course, I had to sign his copy!

The worst question: Can you tell me where the washrooms are? I've been asked this one often at store book signings. After explaining that I don't work in the store but am there signing copies of my books, the person disappears never to return. 

Would you mistake me for a store employee?

The question nobody's ever asked that I wish they would: Can I back my car up and you fill it the trunk with copies for my book club, friends, family ...? Yeah, that would be a pipe dream. It tends to be one book sale at a time, and it can take a lot of work to convince somebody to buy a copy. I have a great story though. I was doing a signing at a local Coles, positioned at the entrance to the store. A woman came out having purchased an armful of books. She stopped and asked me about my series, saying she hadn't noticed me on the way into the store. We had a nice chat and she disappeared down the mall. A few minutes later, she returned, walked past me into the store and had all the books she'd bought earlier refunded, She then came over to my table and bought the entire series.

I used to dread store signings because I found it difficult, and frankly horrifying, to ask somebody to buy my books. I'm not normally a pushy person and sales would never be my chosen profession. However, I've done enough of these now that I'm more comfortable asking somebody to have a look at my books. Rejection is always a risk, but I've met a lot of great people and the good has far outweighed the bad. I've sold quite a few books along the way too :-) 

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