Book signings/reading? Help! What's your opinion?

A few days ago I was telling an artist friend about this promo I was thinking about doing for Courage of Fear… the promo I spoke about in "brunch with a friend." I asked him for his input on it. Basically what he advised was that he believed folks enjoyed the escape that came from reading a book. His opinion was that if an author placed the author too deeply or intimately with the audience it would take the thrill out of the journey.

What is your take on that? Do you believe such a promo would ad