Book lovers, authors,
friends and family converged on The Pressroom in downtown Phoenix this past
Saturday afternoon (12-06-14). When we arrived at the parking lot next to the
venue, we noticed some streets were blocked off with orange cones. It turns out
the city of Phoenix started early to block streets for the Electric Light
Parade taking place that evening. In addition there was at least one auto
accident nearby that closed an intersection briefly. Roadblocks couldn't keep away people hungry to meet authors, buy books and get them signed and soon the large space was filled! You can get an idea of the size of the hall from the picture above taken before the doors opened.
My husband Frank
agreed to be my side-kick and cashier for the day. In keeping with the
Arrowstar Series theme of the Wild West, Frank dressed cowboy style and donned
a black cowboy hat with a silver band. One of my friends commented on a photo she posted on her Facebook page that even though he wore a black hat, there was nothing
sinister about the Italian cowboy.
Seventeen people
entered the drawing to win the complete Arrowstar Trilogy, and I happily
delivered the trio to the winner on Monday. Besides the drawing generating
interest in the books, two big posters flanked our six-foot table. One sported
the Arrowstar arrow from the book covers and advertised the drawing, while the
other showed the horsewoman slinging her rope from the cover of The Storm
Women, inviting event-goers to Join
the Adventure!
Gathering almost 70
authors in one place for a huge event such as this one is the brainchild of
Laura Orsini, a marketing guru and leader of the Meet-Up Group, Phoenix
Publishing and Book Marketing. Her husband, Mickey serenaded the gathering with
his own guitar accompaniment, and Molina’s of Scottsdale made lunch a real
treat with several kinds of burritos and rice and beans alongside tortilla
chips. Drinks for the crowd were plentiful from the bar at the back of the
hall.
My first book
signing ever gave me a chance to think up some witty one-liners to use with my
signature on the front page of the Arrowstar books. My favorite one is short
and sweet, Giddyup! I enjoyed personalizing
books for readers, and I sold more books than I had anticipated! A very nice
woman who shall remain nameless found a comfy couch out of the hubbub of the
room and began reading Arrowstar, the first book in the series. My first
reaction was one of sheer terror that she wouldn’t like it, but she kept
reading for quite some time. Whew!
Getting ready for
the event, publicizing it and interacting with readers all day long falls
under the category, “Take a chance; amaze yourself.” I certainly ranged outside my comfort zone in
many ways. The experience brought me face-to-face with readers, and for that
opportunity, a little discomfort was well worth it!
Today’s Tidbit:
Authorship requires far more than mastering the craft of writing.
Read On!!
Cheryl (aka C. K.)
Photos by Frank Del Monte and Dianna Renfrow
