I arrived in Ottawa a day early because #1 Daughter needed some help getting ready for a party she is having on the weekend. Always nice to be needed.
She’s gone off to work, so I am going to spend the morning writing, then wander into the Market, do a little shopping, have a nice lunch, wander back and get ready for my book singing later at Chapters, South Keys. Ah, the life of the Urban Professional.
Nice for a day or two. Then I need to be back home on the farm. I’m getting a bit tired and a bit burned out.
Generally I really enjoy book signings. I find I can really get my energy level going and can run through my patter, “Winter of Secrets is...” with enthusiasm every single time. Last week I was flagging a bit on the Sunday and I actually barked at a woman who asked me a question, thinking I was a store employee. Then she stopped and looked at my books and bought one! I was horrified at how I’d behaved and settled myself back into my groove. And had a very successful day.
Winter of Secrets is my third book out this year, and that’s been too much. Next year I have only (only!) two, Gold Fever in the spring and Negative Image in November.
Tomorrow afternoon, Saturday, I will be signing at Prime Crime on Bank Street. An absolutely fabulous little mystery bookstore that is everything you want in an independent store. Sadly, this will probably be my last event there. I’ll check with them tomorrow on what’s happening, but I know it isn’t good news.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Notes from Book Signings
Book signings are funny things. You have to have a pretty tough skin, which I guess I do, because some people can be darn rude.
Here’s one incident, which will probably go down in the annals of memorial moments: A woman came up to the table, looked at everything, listened to my canned speech, and picked up the last copy of In the Shadow of the Glacier. She said, “I might be interested in this. I’ll look at it while I have my coffee.” And took it away.
For about an hour I explained to everyone who came that I was sold out of the first book in the series. I could have sold that book several times over.
The woman came back just as I was preparing to leave, pointed out a typo, and put the book back.
I was genuinely shocked.
Then there was the woman carrying a couple of paperbacks of bestselling American authors. I said, “I see you like mysteries, may I introduce you to mine?”
She said (having not even picked one up), “I wouldn’t like those. I only read authors I like.”
And I said something like, “That’s too bad for you.” I was not going to bother being polite.
But I have found that the good moments usually outweigh the bad ones, such as last week in Bellville when a woman came in with a bag bulging with books. She had all of mine, even Winter of Secrets, and wanted them signed. Or in Kingston when two women came in with a couple of my books to be signed and bought two they didn’t yet have.
There are people who seem genuinely pleased to have met me, and really interested in my books. And the ones who want to take fifteen minutes to tell me about their writing project.
I try and have fun with it, to roll with the punches and enjoy the good moments. After all, no one is making me do this.
Here’s one incident, which will probably go down in the annals of memorial moments: A woman came up to the table, looked at everything, listened to my canned speech, and picked up the last copy of In the Shadow of the Glacier. She said, “I might be interested in this. I’ll look at it while I have my coffee.” And took it away.
For about an hour I explained to everyone who came that I was sold out of the first book in the series. I could have sold that book several times over.
The woman came back just as I was preparing to leave, pointed out a typo, and put the book back.
I was genuinely shocked.
Then there was the woman carrying a couple of paperbacks of bestselling American authors. I said, “I see you like mysteries, may I introduce you to mine?”
She said (having not even picked one up), “I wouldn’t like those. I only read authors I like.”
And I said something like, “That’s too bad for you.” I was not going to bother being polite.
But I have found that the good moments usually outweigh the bad ones, such as last week in Bellville when a woman came in with a bag bulging with books. She had all of mine, even Winter of Secrets, and wanted them signed. Or in Kingston when two women came in with a couple of my books to be signed and bought two they didn’t yet have.
There are people who seem genuinely pleased to have met me, and really interested in my books. And the ones who want to take fifteen minutes to tell me about their writing project.
I try and have fun with it, to roll with the punches and enjoy the good moments. After all, no one is making me do this.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Give a book for Christmas
As we all know times are looking dire for some part of the publishing industry, particularly independent bookstores, these days. At Type M for Murder we'd like to suggest that everyone think of giving books as gifts this year. To that aim, we are running our second annual Give a Book As a Gift Week beginning today. All week we will be recommending books that we have enjoyed and think would make great gifts. Please come on over and see what we loved and add your own suggestions. There are only two rules: the books recommended can not have been written by someone you know personally and they must have been published in 2008 or 2009. http://typem4murder.blogspot.com
Thursday, November 26, 2009
No Event Too Small.
I have often argued that you can never turn down an opportunity because it’s not big enough. If one person comes to your event, well it might just be the right one person.
Case in point. On Tuesday I was the guest speaker at the library in Fonthill, Ontario, a small town located near Niagara Falls. It’s a long way for me to go, but I combined it with a Monday night stop in Toronto to meet with my critique group, a night at my daughter’s place and then a shopping trip with her. I didn’t intend to buy anything for myself, I was just getting my Christmas shopping started, but picked up a sweater and jacket that went well with the pants I had on.
We arrived at the library with a bit of a sinking feeling. Very small town, very small library. Seven people showed up, which is definitely not good. But I gave my talk and they seemed interested and a few people bought books.
What made it all worthwhile? TV was there. The local TV station came. They interviewed me, filmed about half of my talk, and then took more footage of me talking to the audience after, along with a couple of shots of my books arrayed on the table.
And I was in my new clothes!
Apparently this was the first time the TV station had sent someone to one of these library events.
Christmas booktour continues - Burlington/Oakville/Etobicoke this weekend, Ottawa next. Click here for details. Mention you read this blog and you'll receive a FREE bookmark.
Case in point. On Tuesday I was the guest speaker at the library in Fonthill, Ontario, a small town located near Niagara Falls. It’s a long way for me to go, but I combined it with a Monday night stop in Toronto to meet with my critique group, a night at my daughter’s place and then a shopping trip with her. I didn’t intend to buy anything for myself, I was just getting my Christmas shopping started, but picked up a sweater and jacket that went well with the pants I had on.
We arrived at the library with a bit of a sinking feeling. Very small town, very small library. Seven people showed up, which is definitely not good. But I gave my talk and they seemed interested and a few people bought books.
What made it all worthwhile? TV was there. The local TV station came. They interviewed me, filmed about half of my talk, and then took more footage of me talking to the audience after, along with a couple of shots of my books arrayed on the table.
And I was in my new clothes!
Apparently this was the first time the TV station had sent someone to one of these library events.
Christmas booktour continues - Burlington/Oakville/Etobicoke this weekend, Ottawa next. Click here for details. Mention you read this blog and you'll receive a FREE bookmark.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Massacre at County Road 10
One of the things about living in the country, I am finding, is that other creatures live in the country also. That is nice when you are sitting at desk writing and look up to see a flock of wild turkeys land in the field next door, or hear a coyote on a winter’s night night or cows lowing on their way to the barn on a long pleasant summer evening.
Not so nice when they decide to move in.
I was away for a couple of weeks and got home to find that mice had taken up residence. I am somewhat of a squeamish sort, so with great reluctance decided I would have to get rid of them. I went to the hardware store and purchased several of those little wooden mouse traps. Several days passed while I worked up the courage to actually use them. I guess I hoped that if I showed them to the mice, they would take the hint and leave.
The other night I set two traps, baited with cheese. One went on the kitchen counter, and the other under the sink.
That night I even dreamt about the darn things.
I got up in the morning and went downstairs with much trepidation. The trap under the sink had not been sprung, but the cheese was missing. The trap on the counter had been sprung and the cheese was several feet away. No mice bodies, but to my horror, there was blood all over the floor! With little mice footprints running through it.
So I now have a half-decapitated mouse dying somewhere in my walls.
What’s this have to do with writing? Nothing. If you are looking for some writerly chat, I posed this week at Poe's Deadly Daughters about the origins of Winter of Secrets. http://poesdeadlydaughters.blogspot.com/2009/11/writing-without-net.html
Not so nice when they decide to move in.
I was away for a couple of weeks and got home to find that mice had taken up residence. I am somewhat of a squeamish sort, so with great reluctance decided I would have to get rid of them. I went to the hardware store and purchased several of those little wooden mouse traps. Several days passed while I worked up the courage to actually use them. I guess I hoped that if I showed them to the mice, they would take the hint and leave.
The other night I set two traps, baited with cheese. One went on the kitchen counter, and the other under the sink.
That night I even dreamt about the darn things.
I got up in the morning and went downstairs with much trepidation. The trap under the sink had not been sprung, but the cheese was missing. The trap on the counter had been sprung and the cheese was several feet away. No mice bodies, but to my horror, there was blood all over the floor! With little mice footprints running through it.
So I now have a half-decapitated mouse dying somewhere in my walls.
What’s this have to do with writing? Nothing. If you are looking for some writerly chat, I posed this week at Poe's Deadly Daughters about the origins of Winter of Secrets. http://poesdeadlydaughters.blogspot.com/2009/11/writing-without-net.html
Monday, November 16, 2009
Report from Capital Crime Writers Conference
I’m giving a workshop tonight in Belleville on writing character. I enjoy doing workshops, I like talking about writing and I like meeting people who want to be writers. It is at the Belleville Library at 6:00, in case you are interested.
Home from Ottawa.
I had a great booksigning at Chapters on Rideau Street, and thanks to Gary and Dan for organizing that. It is a strange store though. It joins one major street to another and I soon came to realize that a lot of the people passing my table were just walking through. Perhaps the highlight was when one man came up to me and asked “Where is the mystery section?” I was standing in amongst all the ridiculous fru-fru that now populates bookstores and waved my arms towards my table and said “Right Here.” He bought two books.
The CCW conference on Saturday was just great. It was very well attended, about 100 people I’d guess, and a lot of fun. I was on the panel on building your characters and moderated the cozy vs. Hardboiled. There were also readings by local celebrities and Linda Wiken from Prime Crime books was there selling books, and appearing to do a roaring trade. There was even a wonderful catered lunch. Free.
After a lot of us trundled down the road to Darcy McGee’s and then I went out to dinner with some of my friends.
A really great day.
Made even better by getting a good review in the Globe and Mail for Winter of Secrets. The Globe has reviewed most of my books, but never the Molly Smiths, so I wasn’t even expecting them to review the new one. She even recommended it as a gift.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/books/new-in-crime-fiction/article1361000/
Home from Ottawa.
I had a great booksigning at Chapters on Rideau Street, and thanks to Gary and Dan for organizing that. It is a strange store though. It joins one major street to another and I soon came to realize that a lot of the people passing my table were just walking through. Perhaps the highlight was when one man came up to me and asked “Where is the mystery section?” I was standing in amongst all the ridiculous fru-fru that now populates bookstores and waved my arms towards my table and said “Right Here.” He bought two books.
The CCW conference on Saturday was just great. It was very well attended, about 100 people I’d guess, and a lot of fun. I was on the panel on building your characters and moderated the cozy vs. Hardboiled. There were also readings by local celebrities and Linda Wiken from Prime Crime books was there selling books, and appearing to do a roaring trade. There was even a wonderful catered lunch. Free.
After a lot of us trundled down the road to Darcy McGee’s and then I went out to dinner with some of my friends.
A really great day.
Made even better by getting a good review in the Globe and Mail for Winter of Secrets. The Globe has reviewed most of my books, but never the Molly Smiths, so I wasn’t even expecting them to review the new one. She even recommended it as a gift.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/books/new-in-crime-fiction/article1361000/
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Read an excerpt from Winter of Secrets
I'm all over the Internet this week, blog touring and guest posting. You can read an excerpt (not the first chapter, which is posted on my web page) from Winter of Secrets at http://chrisredddingauthor.blogspot.com/. I continue all week to answer questions from the gang at Criminal Minds at http://7criminalminds.blogspot.com/. I'm very pleased with the way the release of the book has been handled by Poisoned Pen Press's new distribution organization Ingrams Publishing Services (the Manda Group in Canada). By the time I got around to sending out notices about the book to my contacts list, several people replied to say they'd already bought it. A couple had finished it! Under the old model if the release date of the book was November 1 that meant it would start trickling into the bookstores two or three or even four weeks later. Now November 1 seems to mean November 1. Which is just great for setting up booksignings. On Friday I am off to Ottawa for a signing at the Chapters on Rideau Street, but the big event is the Capital Crime Writers one-day conference. There will be panels and readings and signings and books for sale, and all for free! If you are in the area of our capital city, check it out at www.capitalcrimewriters.com. So far I am scheduled to be read by TBD. I hope he or she is good!
It is getting cold enough that my furnace has kicked it (and I keep my house plenty cold, let me tell you.) So this morning I laid a fire in the woodburning stove. I use the wood mainly because it is a lot cheaper than the propane that fuels the furnace, and because I like it. Except that the stove is in the same room as my office. I am soon going to be driven out by the heat. For the rest of the winter I'll be moving my laptop into the dining room when not using the table. Seems somewhat inefficent to me - a nice study that I can't use half the year!
It is getting cold enough that my furnace has kicked it (and I keep my house plenty cold, let me tell you.) So this morning I laid a fire in the woodburning stove. I use the wood mainly because it is a lot cheaper than the propane that fuels the furnace, and because I like it. Except that the stove is in the same room as my office. I am soon going to be driven out by the heat. For the rest of the winter I'll be moving my laptop into the dining room when not using the table. Seems somewhat inefficent to me - a nice study that I can't use half the year!
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