Shelf Esteem

HEY!!!

SOOO much to tell you!  And given that it's summer and most of my time is spend frolicking (happily) with Miss M, there hasn't been a lot of time to tell it.

I'll catch up though, I promise.

In the meantime, I want to start with a HUGE thank you to everyone for all the amazing positive feedback about Populazzi.  Blogger reviews have been incredible (I'll be posting links – on my to-do list), as are the reviews posted on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.  I'm so grateful to everyone for their support, and their help in spreading the word!

Saturday I had my first book signing, which I'll post about tomorrow.  First I want to do a LONG overdue post about something that happened last week…

I SAW MY BOOKS AT A BOOKSTORE FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!!

I was in Santa Monica, on the Third Street Promenade with my daughter, sister-in-law, niece, nephew, and my niece's friend.  We had just seen The Smurfs (I'd scream "Don't see it!", but the kids all loved it, and my husband did all the art for the promotions and merchandise, so instead I'll scream, "Buy the toys!"), when I suddenly realized it was August… and we were less than a hundred feet from a bookstore.

I strode in, my passel of familial groupies backing me up.  Speaking half to myself, I kept repeating, "There's no guarantee they'll have it.  They might not have it on the shelves.  It's very possible it's not even there, and if not, that's okay."

We troop into Barnes and Noble, take the escalator upstairs, zoom towards the YA New Releases, and I immediately see books from authors I love and chat with regularly: Katie Alender's From Bad to Cursed, Jennifer Jabaley's Crush Control, and Jessica Brody's My Life Undecided.  Then I see it – sharing the same shelf area – Populazzi!!!

The great: It was positioned full-cover, facing out, centered beneath a sign blaring "New Teen Fiction."

The less great: It was on a bottom shelf.

There was only one course of action.  I moved it to the top shelf.

One of the many reasons it's good to know other authors?  I would never in a million years displace the book of a friend in favor of my own.  I recognize that shouldn't make a difference, but um… all I can do is extend my humblest apologies to Jan Blazanin and plug her book A&L Do Summer here because… well… I swapped my bottom shelf books with her top shelf ones.

Next my family and I got goofy and excited posing with the newly-placed tome, myself in particular:

After the photos, we backed away a respectful few feet to watch.  Every time a teen entered the row, all six of us whispered, giggled, and grabbed at one another as we stared — would she choose Populazzi? 

When one of the teens looked at us with terror in her eyes, we decided to vacate.  Driving away the clientele was not so much in our best interests.

Then I got an idea — I went to the Information desk and asked if they had "Signed by the Author" stickers because I happened to be {polish nails on chest of sweatshirt} an author with a book on their shelves!  The woman behind the desk (let's call her Gayle) was all kinds of excited, and "pulled the stock" to have me sign the books.

"The stock" was the three books on the shelf.  This didn't bother me — I'd rather them have to order more than send inventory back.  My daughter, however, is apparently auditioning to be my new agent.

"That's all?" she asked.

"Well, um," stammered Gayle, "that's all for now.  We can always order more.  You know, when these sell."

Miss M glared poison.  Gayle shivered.  Not even kidding.  Have I mentioned Miss M is six years old and cute as a button?

"Well," Miss M finally huffed, "I have never been so insulted in all my life!"

This might not have been the best way to make friends at the bookstore, so I swallowed my laughter and assured Miss M that three books were in fact wonderful.

Then I signed 'em.

I came home glowing, and when I told my husband the story he said, "So… did they ask for your I.D.?"

"No."

"So you could have been anyone saying you wrote that book."

Cue the light of inspiration.  I could have been anyone!  Why, if they're not checking, I could send out minions all over the world to sign my books so they'd get that "Signed by the Author" sticker, and bookstores would display them more prominently!  In no time, Populazzi would rule the Autographed Book World!!!!

Okay, that would be wrong.  I'll stick with trolling bookstores myself.  A tour of the country, stopping into every bookstore imaginable…

Or maybe I'll just go back to the Promenade in a few weeks and see if they have a few more I can scrawl on.  I might want to leave The Muscle at home though — Miss M packs a lot of intimidation into that little frame of hers.

Your turn — authors, do you seek out your book in stores?  Do you ever "adjust" its positioning on the shelf?  Do you ask to sign the stock, and if you do, have you checked back to see if the book is stickered-up and more prominently displayed?

Readers, do you look for autographed books when you're in a store?  Are you more likely to buy a book, or at least pick up a book, if it's autographed, or does that not make a difference to you?

Can't wait to hear!