What’s It Like Going to a Book Convention as an Author?

What’s It Like Going to a Book Convention as an Author? I just went to the Book Rack in Peoria on April 24th and I’ll tell you all about it.

My tie is a bit out of control, but that’s normal. I got it fixed before customers showed up. Now let me tell you about everything that happened before this picture.

Book Convention – Step 1 Make a List and Check It Twice

First, I make a check list. Here it is:

1. Books – All six that I’ve published: Zombie Turkeys, My Undead Mother-in-law, Paranormal Privateers, Oops!, Secret Supers, and Villain’s Vacation. There are a total of 150 which I carry in a rolling suitcase.
2. 8-foot table and a chair. Where else would I sit?
3. Black table cloth.
4. 6 book stands
5. Turkey puppet and statues including one that holds candy.
6. Electronics: laptop, two cell phones (one for wireless hotspot, one for Square reader), Square credit card reader.
7. Newsletter signup list
8. Business cards
9. Bookmarks. I give one away with each book purchased
10. Sales receipt book
11. Daytimer for notes. I get a lot of ideas at every one of these conventions.
12. Charging cords and power block, and extension cord. I always use all of them.
13. Book banners/signs. I have five. I used four at this venue.
14. Stickers which say ‘Signed by Author’. Surprisingly, people buy more books if I pre-sign them.
15. Cash box to hold receipts and to make change.
16. Duck tape – it’s always useful

Step Two – Pack Everything

This is where I load up my trusty van the night before. The books fill my rolling suitcase. I need another book box to hold the last twenty or so. I’m ever hopeful, so I pack them all!

I really couldn’t sleep if I didn’t pack everything in the car but my electronics and my cash box. I also take a packed lunch and the thermos of tea.

Book Convention – Arrive and Set Up

This usually takes half an hour. I needed an extra ten minutes because the zipper on my suitcase got stuck. I have an extra half hour for things to go bad, so I was ready at a quarter to ten. That’s when the picture got taken. Here are some more:

At A Book Convention – Selling Books

My main method for selling books is reading the first page of Zombie Turkeys, if they’re interested in my comical zombie series. Here I am, five years ago doing that on Youtube

But before you can sell books, you have to talk to people. There were no people there; it was drizzling and about fifty degrees. (That’s about 12 degrees Centigrade).

Then people showed up in the rain. And they didn’t talk to me. They actively looked away from me. That’s a clue–“I don’t want to look at you so I don’t have to talk to you.”

That’s how my time passed, from ten to twelve o’clock. Then I talked to some people. I read Zombie Turkeys. No sales.

Then a lady came by with her eleven or twelve-year-old daughter. Ideal, for me! I pitched Secret Supers to them. “This series is about four 7th-graders in a disabled, special ed class who get superpowers, and then use them to fight crime. They use their disabilities to hide their secret identities.”

Success! They bought both Secret Supers and Villain’s Vacation. Then there was no action for half an hour.

Then the bookstore owner came by, “One of my friends wants to buy all your books. If I give you her phone number, can you handle the credit card purchase?”

Can I? In a heartbeat! I called her and sold all my books to her. I left her signed books at the bookstore. She’d seen the Book Rack posts on Instagram and called her friend to get them.

Next, the lady and her daughter came by again and bought Zombie Turkeys and My Undead Mother-in-law. I was up to ten books sold, and there were still four hours left!

I ended up selling fifteen books.

Got Any Questions?

Do you have any questions? I’ll give you a free ebook, Zombie Turkeys, if you ask me one right now. Or, you can just subscribe to my funny newsletter. I give away five audiobooks (soon to be six!) and Zombie Turkeys to my subscribers.