My Fascination With Book Signings

I recently bought a new special pen, one with a thick rubberized grip to help me steady my hand during recent book signings for Sidonia’s Thread. When I wrote my story, like many authors, I wasn’t sure what kind of reception it would garner. It was written as an homage to my strong, clever, talented, independent mother with the hope that others would find her as inspiring as I finally did, although it took me a while to feel that way.

It didn’t take very long after the book’s publication to gain attention, at least in my local area of Connecticut and Massachusetts. Now I find myself at events and libraries, speaking about my story using some of the illustrations from the book and some additional images to portray the events in my mother’s and my life together. At the end of each presentation, there’s the inevitable book signing, which is the best part. It is then that members of the audience come up individually to have me sign their book and ask me their special questions or tell me a little about their own life story – of sewing mothers, immigrant communities, secrets they shared with parents, the novel they still haven’t finished–all of which, in turn, provides inspiration for me.

I look forward to many such book signings in other parts of North America where I can hear a little about your story. My new pen and I are ready.