Book Fairs and Lessons Learned

A couple members from my publishing team, a writer friend and I went to the Naples Books & Authors Festival this past weekend. It was a last minute decision, so we didn’t go to any of the panel discussions or classes. We walked along Naples’ posh Fifth Avenue, where authors had tables at various restaurants and shops, pawning their books and autographs. We were given a “passport” and if we had it signed by at least 15 authors, we entered it into a drawing. Some (quite rude) people at the festival hopped from author to author just to get their passports signed, not giving a rat’s you-know-what about the authors or their books. I kind of felt like the whole set-up with the passport idea was just a way to get people into the businesses.

Anyway…we went to actually talk to authors about their writing and publishing experiences. We didn’t get to do that so much. But it was definitely a learning experience, because, I am sure, I will be one of those authors next year. Mostly I learned what I don’t want to do when attending a festival. Don’t get me wrong – the authors were great and I applaud their participation and determination to sell their books, which range from various fiction genres to local history to family memoirs.

But there just seemed to be a lack of enthusiasm by many of the authors and I don’t think it’s because they don’t love their books. We were there on the first day, before it even officially started, so I cannot believe it’s because the authors were tired and ready to go, either. As a visitor, I didn’t leave most of the tables dying to read the books – so I didn’t come home with a single book in hand (though, I have a couple I’ll be downloading to my Kindle). I’m not sure what it was, but it left me with the feeling of, “Do I really want to do this????”

So, lessons learned for all of us who will be in these authors’ shoes one day (because whether we want to do them or not, we know we will):

• Make your space exciting and inviting. Perhaps there were rules about what you can do and/or perhaps these authors just didn’t know what kind of space they would have until they actually arrived, but for the most part, they set themselves up at a table with a couple of their books out, maybe some bookmarks or other marketing materials…and that was pretty much it. If you have a beautiful cover, make a poster of it. Maybe add some balloons or something attractive that represents your book or character. Of course, cookies and cupcakes always work well.

• Give something away (besides bookmarks). Have a drawing for a free autographed book. Give them a reason to come to your table and talk to you, not just to get their passport signed.

• Offer a gift if your visitors purchase from you right there and then, something they won’t get if they buy online or at a bookstore. Sorry, but an autographed book only works if the visitor came to the festival to meet you specifically and get your autograph. If they’ve never heard of you or your book, that alone will not make them want to buy.

• Most importantly, be enthusiastic! Act happy to meet each and every person and draw them into conversation. It helps to have a friend or two with you and not to talk personal stuff and distract you from visitors. You want a companion who will pull people to your table and spew greatness about your book.

If I think of more, I’ll definitely let you know. In the meantime, share your own thoughts. Have you ever been to an author festival or book fair? What was your experience? What do you suggest authors do to make it worth their while?

This is it!!!

Big news. Big, BiG, BIG news! I’ve been holding back on posting this. The decisions were made a couple weeks ago, but then I had a panic attack. How would we get it all done? Are we sure we can do this? Am I freakin’ crazy?!? Then I calmed down and knew yes, my team can do this. Because we rock like that.

Then I had stage fright. Do I really want to announce this to the whole world???? That makes it so real. A commitment. A we’re-going-to-do-this-if-it-kills-us kind of thing.

But at some point I just have to say it, otherwise, no one will ever know, right? And if no one knows…yeah, that’s just not good marketing.

So here it is.

The. Big. Announcement.

What: PROMISE

When: July 30, 2010

Who: Me, You & the Whole World (I’m aiming high!)

WOOHOO!! Yes, this is it. My first book, PROMISE, will be published on July 30, 2010!

You might be confused by the title, because the original book had been PURPOSE, then when I split it, the working title of the first book was PATIENCE. But after some discussion of various ideas, PROMISE nailed the book perfectly. And it was funny, because that one little word changed my feelings about the split. Yes, I still wish it could be read all together like it was meant to be. But now that I have a title that pulls together the Big Idea of the book, I feel so much better about it being on its own.

Thank you to all of my readers and commenters for helping us pinpoint a date. Your replies to this post made a difference. We figure a month after Eclipse’s release, the excitement will have died down and fans will be looking for something new to latch onto. Hopefully, it will be PROMISE.

For those who know me personally, the date has meaning. But it’s also a very special one for my characters. I took a page from J.K. Rowling and gave significance to this date. And secretly, I’m hoping the book launch will take the spotlight off of the personal meaning of the day, which I wish would stop coming around so dang quickly every year.

So, what is PROMISE? Here’s the (nearly) final blurb:

When Alexis Ames is attacked by creatures that can’t be real, she decides it’s time she learns who she really is, with or without the help of her mother, who guards their family’s secrets closely. After meeting the inhumanly attractive, multi-talented Tristan Knight, however, Alexis retreats behind her façade of normalcy…until she discovers he’s not exactly normal either. Then their secrets begin to unravel.

Their union brings hope and promise to her family’s secret society, the Angels’ army, and to the future of mankind. But it also incites a dangerous pursuit by the enemy – Satan’s minions and Tristan’s creators. After all, Alexis and Tristan are a match made in Heaven and in Hell.

What do you think? Does it grab your attention? Does it spark your interest? Does it say enough? And the big question: Does it make you want to read it?

First Page Blog Fest

I’ve been a very bad blogger lately. I try to get at least one post up per week, am happy if I can get two and it’s been two weeks since my last one! Blogger fail. But I have been holed up, finalizing edits for my first book. Important announcements will be made this week!

For now, just a couple things. First, as you can see, I've made some changes. Instead of managing a website and a blog, I've combined them into one. So you can now get here through www.KristieCook.com and you can also see other information about me and my books. Soon, I'll have links to the web site for the first book. Very soon. ;-)

Second, my friend Eisley Jacobs, a fabulous writer, is preparing to go to Ethiopia on a mission trip. Her story will give you goose bumps. Please visit her blog and if you can, help her out. Even just a little bit, as you’ll see in the story, will help her reach her goal.

Third…OMG, The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins!!! If you haven’t read these yet, I don’t care your age, you MUST. Great characters and a suspenseful story line that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I could not put these down. I’ve read them both twice in 8 days (I went through them so quickly the first time, I was afraid I missed important details). I know I’ll read them at least one more time before the third and final book comes out in August. Some people may not like Katniss, the main character, in the first couple pages but you can’t help but feel for her by the end of the second chapter. If you have a heart, anyway. So go read them! You won’t be sorry! And I hope the rumors are true that they’re making these into movies. I can’t wait!


Finally, I signed up for a First Page Blog Fest for April 2nd. With the holiday weekend, I completely forgot about it. Oops. For more First Pages, start here for all the links.

Here is my delayed entry, my first page of my first book releasing this summer. These first 25 lines have been so hard for me. In fact, they used to be completely different. I still don’t know if I like this as the opening. So your feedback would be wonderful.

Does it grab your attention? Enough to keep reading? If you read these lines in a bookstore, would you buy the book? Or at least read another page or so before making a decision?

Here it is…

9 Years Ago

The sensation of being watched clung to me like a spider web, invisible threads bristling the back of my neck and down my spine. I brushed my fingers across my shoulders, like I could drag the feeling off and flick it away.

It was ridiculous, of course. Not just ridiculous to think I could pull it off so easily, as if it really were strands of a web, but it was even more absurd to feel it in the first place. Sometimes people stared with curiosity when they picked me up on their “weird radars,” but usually they just ignored me. No one watched so intensely.

Yet the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end at the feeling of eyes boring into me as I visited my favorite Washington, D.C., monument for likely the last time. I sat on the stone steps with the stately Thomas Jefferson behind me and gazed over the Potomac River tidal basin, enjoying the peace just before sunset. Well, trying to enjoy it anyway.

I blamed the feeling on my unruly imagination, with it being twilight and the sky looking so ominous. It was the perfect setting for one of my stories. The sun hung low—an eerie, orange ball glowing behind a shroud of clouds, a column of steel-blue rising around it, threatening to snuff it out. I envisioned something not-quite-human watching it from the shadows, waiting for the cover of darkness to begin its hunt.

That’s all it is, just my fascination with mythical creatures, I told myself. Uh-huh. Right.

Surrendering hope for a peaceful moment, I hurried to the closest Metro station. The feeling of being followed stuck with me on the train ride home, but at my stop in Arlington, I forgot the spooky sensation. Some kids from school stood near the top of the escalator as I stepped off.

“Hey, there’s the weird girl who heals,” one of them said loudly to the others. “It’s s’posed to be really freaky to watch.”

“Hey, freak, got any tricks to show us?” another called.