Hannelore,
Thanks for the quotes! I'm going to print them out and use some of them. I think my signature sign will be:

"May God continue to Bless you in your own WHATEVER! journey"

What do you think?

Beverly
www.talk2bev.com
author, WHATEVER! A Baby Boomer's Journey into Middle Agr

Those are wonderful quotes. I love quotes, too. I collect them. Heck, they could be considered a hobby of mine, I suppose. I also love the trivia games that ask "who said this?" Don't you?

One word of caution when using a long quote is that it can get really tiring for you hand. I learned that after a few signings and now I save the long ones for people who buy directly from me.

Another tip would be to keep a pad nearby and if someone gives you a name you aren't familar with, or could be spelled more than one way, just gently shove the pad over to them and say, "I want to make sure I get this just right for you, so could you spell that for me?" I take my buyers very seriously, as I know you do, and so I want to make sure I spell their name right. Or you could just ask and right it down on the pad the first time they spell it, and THEN autograph the book. It HAS saved me a bunch of times from embarassing myself.

JJ

That's a perfect quote, Beverly...and it comes from you.

Wow! A lot of great ideas posted here. I've only had three signings, so I am in the learning process. I love the "teasers" idea and will work today on printing some out for my next signing.

Some of you talked about serving food. I've found that most people aren't interested in the food, anyway; so why spend money on it? Chocolate, however, is another story. Everybody appreciates a piece of candy! I give out peanut butter cups and peanut butter filled kisses, since my book is "Hugs, Hope, and Peanut Butter." I took cookies to my first signing; but they're more work and mess, so I think I'll stick with candy.

I suggest taking an enthusiastic relative with you to signings. I'm rather shy, but my sister is a motor mouth. She showed up at a signing where I wasn't selling any books and she took the bull by the horns talking to people and telling them they were missing out by not coming over and talking to me, etc.

I try to meet people as they enter the store and greet them, give them a freebie (book mark or whatever) and ask if they'd like to take a look at my book. I have a well worn sample with pages marked for them to look at (to see the illustrations) But sometimes, the manager won't let me leave my table! That makes it tough and really hurts the store. They shot themselves in the foot that day.

I love having signings in unusual places like movie theaters and restaurants. At one supper club, the hostess gave each customer one of my book marks with their menu. Several people got up from their tables to come and visit with me while they waited for their dinner to arrive.

I don't sell a lot of books at my signings (yet), but I don't consider it a waste as long as I've sold ONE book and met some new people.

MJ the PBQ

Bout time you showed up MJ...I have a copy of her book and love it. Tell them about it MJ...they will love you for it. She's amazing and too humble to toot her own horn...But she should! She is a terrific boomer woman, even if she is my Yankee friend.

JJ

I'm one of those authors who doesn't like book signings. I will even decline when asked to have one and luckily, my publicist agrees with me.

But, if you must, take a friend just in case nobody shows up so you have someone to talk to. And, JJ is right...your hand and fingers will get sooooo tired if you have a long quote and a good turn out.

I can't believe a woman said that to you JJ! How rude. I always have women approach me who need help and it's a blessing when they do.

Awwww, shucks! Thanks for the vote of confidence, JAW JAW.

If you insist, I'll toot my own horn: My book is a collection of essays I wrote over the years to encourage parents who have sick children. Most of them are funny, if I do say so myself; but some are more serious too.

The purpose of the book is to share HOPE. The best part is that it's illustrated with 40 drawings done by sick kids from around the country. You can read some excerpts on my site at www.hugsandhope.org/excerpts.htm

Oh, the title is Hugs, Hope, and Peanut Butter. It came from the name of the charity I founded (Hugs and Hope for Sick Children - www.hugsandhope.org) and my favorite saying.

A little boy named Colton who has Retinitis Pigmentosa (which causes blindness) dubbed me the Peanut Butter Queen because of my favorite saying: "Love, hope, and joy are like peanut butter. When you spread them around, you can't help but get some on yourself too!"

How's that, Jaw Jaw? Toot . . . Toot . . .

MJ the PBQ

Marsha Jordan
The Peanut Butter Queen
www.hugsandhope.org/pb.htm

I'll "second" what JJ said about not serving food.....why? Because I've been at a signing where people who were just "browsers" got their sticky fingers all over my pile of books AND one of the other writers I was appearing with had someone actually spill an entire soft drink on her VERY VERY EXPENSIVE coffee-table book!!

JJ's other advice is PERFECT.....and I wish you a ton of luck with your signing - have fun with it!

I thank everyone for the wealth of advice to aid me in my upcoming book signing. We have lots planned! Several of my friends have donated gifts from their businesses. We're going to do baby boomer trivia and I'm gonna do a reading from the book. We're also going to have cake because my birthday (#49) is next Wednesday).

I've asked everyone who had some role in creating the book to attend so they may be introduced because, Lord knows, I couldn't have done it without them.

We're gonna cap it all off by singing the "We Are Baby Boomers" song...sung to the Helen Reddy song "I am Woman" It's something I came up with for the book.

If you've got any other sugggestions please share. Thanks so much!

Beverly
www.talk2bev.com
Author, WHATEVER! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age

It would be hard to top everything you've already done.

Something tells me this book signing is going to be a HUGE success and I wish all of us here could be with you. We'll have to settle for being there in spirit.

BTW...Happy Birthday!