One of the highlights of this years retreat was the authors we were able to meet and hear discuss their books. Since I have never been a “fan” of movie stars..or even musicians, I was surprised about my reaction to attending an Author event. I am over the top..about how exciting it is to hear them talk about their book..why they wrote it or what their experiences are with life/writing/family..what ever.. An author could probably read their grocery list..and I’d think it was Cool.
Attend as many author events as I can!

As Michael was talking about meeting authors on the podcast today my head was going up and down like one of those bobble thingies in a car window…I love to meet authors. Michael’s statement “life gets in the way” is the main reason I don’t get to attend as many author events as I’d like. I do listen to as many as I can on various podcasts. What interests me most about hearing an author talk about their book is the backstory, the motivation, where the idea came from and what the author hoped to leave with the reader. I also like to hear those nuggets of personal trivia that most will tell. It is also interesting to hear an author speak that I’ve read. They often surprise me. Chris Bohjalian was one of these. His books are often serious so when he spoke at the BOTNS Retreat I was quite surprised at how humorous he can be. A side of Chris I wasn’t expecting.

Though reading a segment from the book is not always my favorite part, sometimes it sells me on the purchase. Two authors at the retreat did just that. When I heard Susan Gregg Gilmore read from Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen, I knew I had to read it. I absolutely loved this book and have passed it on to others. Her reading set the tone for me. John Milliken Thompson’s reading from The Reservoir also convinced me I should read this book. This is one of my favorite books from retreat reading. I might never have read it if not for hearing his voice.

Plug – and I hope you don’t mind, but don’t forget public libraries as great places to hear authors speak, well-know authors as well as those newbies looking for readers. In our neck of the woods in Connecticut, we are hosting our third annual Connecticut Author Trail featuring the excellent authors that call Connecticut home. We have many fine authors and it’s such fun to hear them speak. Matthew Dicks (retreat author) is one of these. He drew a crowd of over 50 in Lebanon’s Jonathan Trumbull Library, quite a night for a small venue. Matthew blew the group away and I’m positive he has many new fans from this appearance.

Wrapping up…I applaud the authors who are making themselves approachable to their fans. We love it!

I recently discovered your podcast/blog, and I love it! I live in Asheville, NC, and we have a great independent bookstore (Malaprops) which hosts frequent author events (at least twice a week). However, despite the fact that books are my life–I work in a used bookstore, my recreation time is taken up with reading, I drool over book catalogs–I don’t enjoy author events. The only author events I enjoy are those featuring authors whose work I have followed for years (e.g., if Tom Spanbauer was coming to Asheville, I would cancel all plans and drop everything to attend) OR if their work is autobiographical in some way (e.g., Elizabeth Gilbert’s event at Malaprops a few years ago was fantastic). Otherwise, I’m not much interested; but I’m not sure why that is the case. It feels a bit blasphemous to state that (perhaps that’s why I’m commenting on the blog and not leaving a voicemail!).

As far as getting my attention for a new author or first novel, I think it would be entirely dependent on the event’s poster or announcement. If I saw a quotation from an author which I already liked or if the new author was compared to other authors whom I already respect, then I may be inclined to attend. Another possible draw is if the new author’s work is in a specific sub-genre which appeals to me–if a queer vegan was promoting his/her book, I’d be there!

Keep up the good work! I love the podcast, and I love that I can find links on the blog to EVERYthing you mention on the podcast.

Thank you!

I must admit that I only make an effort to see/hear authors whose books I know and like.
at the Black Diamond royal library in Copenhagen, they’ve had some excellent author events, with names like Salman Rushdie, A.S. Byatt and Pascal Mercier. It’s held in an auditorium, where a journalist or literature person interview them, and the audience gets to ask questions and have their books signed afterwards.
The 3-4 events I’ve been to have been awsome.

We also have an annual literature festival that I go to when I can – but as Michael mentioned, it can be hard to juggle in between small kids and work!

Podcasts are a great source, I’ve recently discovered
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qnmr , a programme called Desert Island discs, where various authors, actors ect. talk about what book + music they want to bring on a desert island. That’s very entertaining and informative.

Great topic, the author reading/event. I work in publishing and go to at least one or two events a week–many of them not for authors within my house. I love supporting my local bookstore, supporting authors, and meeting other readers. I’m lucky enough to live in New York City/Brooklyn where there is so much to do almost every night of the week. I keep track of events by looking through my local bookstores’ websites at the beginning of the month and keeping a calendar on my blog. This helps me remember and also share the info with others.

Booktour.com is also a good way to stay informed. You can find events in your area and get an email update so you don’t forget.

I really can’t say enough about the author event. I’ve met so many great people by going to them. For anyone who values a sense of community, I highly recommend it.

And, as you mentioned, if you’re not in an area that has many visiting authors, bookstores are starting to podcast their events. The Los Angeles Public Library ALOUD series, The Seattle Public Library, and Skylight Books, just to name a few. You can search on iTunes to get them on your iPod or a quick Google search will probably bring up a few.

I like to attend author events and we have a couple of great indie bookstores in Phoenix (Changing Hands and Poisoned Pen) who host frequent events. The reason I do not go often is because I feel pressured to buy the book. Because I am an avid reader (over 100 books a year), I often borrow books from the library or trade books with my reading friends. I realize that bookselling is a business but I think if bookstores and publishing courted more avid readers without pressuring them to buy they’d find their numbers up anyway. Word of mouth is powerful advertising and I always tell friends about the great books I’ve read.

I am lucky enough to live in Iowa City, home to the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and Prairie Lights bookstore, so we have quite a few author events. I don’t make it to as many as I would like to, but I went to one the other day that was an example of how meeting an author can really enhance the reading experience. Bonnie Jo Campbell came to talk about her book, Once Upon on a River. She read the first few pages of the book, and since I hadn’t read the book yet, I really enjoyed getting a sense for both the topic and the style. But the best part of the event was when Campbell answered questions. We ended up discussing her writing process, and I loved learning about how her childhood, her work experiences, and some of her short stories influenced the novel.

Before the reading/Q&A, Campbell had temporary tattoos featuring her previous book, American Salvage, and even offered to apply them. This personal connection seemed to make the Q&A part of the event even better. It was like chatting with a friend.

I am not really that interested in meeting the author in person.I am far more interested in the book itself.I am amazed there are not more video podcasts about books and authors out there.There are at least 15 knitting video pocasts and more popping up all the time. Maybe I cannot find them. Book bloggers should do them.I adds a nice personal touch and it is like having coffee discussing books with a friend. The knitting ones are just people doing them out of their homes.Not sure what equipement involved but most comment on being on budget. Instead of putting moe-ney into book tours put them and their book in front of a camera.Very casual and just discuss books,life,writting whatever! Alot of us do not live anywhere near a big city to have access to these events.

I haven’t been to very many author events. Being stationed in Germany, I don’t live near any English language bookstores, but I’ll be moving back to the states next summer and although we are not exactly sure where we are going yet, one of my criteria for picking a location is access to a really great bookstore  I would attend as many author events as I possibly could. It’s not so much the author or even the book itself, what appeals to me about book store events, is the idea of gathering with a bunch of people who love books as much as I do and meeting someone who has the unbelievable talent to actually create a story.
I do remember going to an author event several years ago in Richmond. It was my first author signing and I drove the 90 miles from the DC area to go to it. I’m not going to mention the author because the whole thing kind of disappointed me. It was not at a book store; instead it was at some kind of museum. She (the author) actually arrived by helicopter on the lawn. Helicopter! She emerged all dressed in black, surrounded by 2 bodyguards, also all dressed in black. My immediate reaction was, “Really?”. It seemed very over the top and dramatic. The author wasn’t doing a reading or speaking, just signing books. So I waited in line with all the others, finally got to the author who took my book, signed it, gave it back, all within the span of 3 seconds without ever looking up from the table at me. Honestly I left with a very bad impression of the author and the thought that I had wasted a whole day to get a book signed that I didn’t really want to read any more.
But I know that experience is the exception, not the norm and I am really looking forward to having access to as many author events as I can find.

I would go to events of authors I know and like. I wouldn’t go for someone unknown to me.
When I travel, I look for independent books stores to visit. I stopped in Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh NC last month. 1.5 hrs away. I was envious of all the authors they have coming. A remarkable roster. Sigh…
We have a Barnes & Noble in Greensboro. Borders closed. Perhaps that will make room for an independent to open up.

Hello!
I listened to your podcast yesterday on a five-mile walk and thought that this time I’d really write instead of just meaning to. Thought you might get a chuckle out of a memory I was reminded of as you talked about author appearances, especially first-time authors. It was the summer between my junior and senior years in college and I was working at Barnes & Noble. An author was coming to sign her first book, and I was assigned to keep her company, since new authors often sit there looking lonely and unnoticed. We sat and chatted for her entire visit — not a single person stopped by to meet her or buy her book. She had been so nice and asked me as many questions as I had asked her, so I asked her to sign a book for me. She wrote a really nice and personal inscription. The author was Elizabeth Berg who, as we all know, has gone on to tremendous success. Maybe people who hear this will think twice about walking past an unknown author. Besides making their day, you might be able to say you were there at their start!

Love your podcast, Ann and Michael, which I learned about from Jeff Rutherford (neighbor and friend). I used to work at Ballantine and still freelance for them. Right now I’m going to finish reading “Silver Sparrow” which I might have learned about from you? I have such a list of books to read and can’t keep track of how I found out about them all!

I lived in Raleigh for a few years and can’t get over the number of books I got signed at Quail Ridge in that time! What a wonderful store! My favorite author appearance was David Sedaris. He’s from Raleigh, so the store was standing room only with lots of people who knew him. I laughed so hard I was crying as I sat on the crowded floor. Miss that store. . .

The botns retreat was the most entertaining set of author events that I’ve ever been to. The authors were enthusiastic, there was lots of discussion going on, just a really great time. I think the size of the events was a big reason why they were so much fun- most other events I’ve attended have had huge audiences, and just weren’t as much fun. Then (and I totally understand this), you get rushed through the signing line so quickly that you really can’t even say how much you enjoyed the author, their other works, anything. You hand them the book with a post-it note with your name on it, they sign it, and that’s it. The best part of the retreat for me was being able to have conversations with these wonderful people! I feel like that’s what’s often missing.

I wish stores would have raffles or something to be able to attend a dinner, or even a cocktail hour with an author before the big signing event. If the author makes a good impression, the attendees will tell their friends about it, and word of mouth might actually create a buzz and possibly even sell more copies of books that people might never have considered buying before!

I once took a road trip from Los Angeles to Arizona (about 6-7 hours each way) with a friend to hear Diana Gabaldon speak and get our copies of outlander signed. I love being able to have signed copies of my favorite books and hear authors speak (not just read exerpts) about writing, their work, etc. authors on tour live is a great podcast to hear lots of different types of authors speaking without having to make the trip to see them, especially when i was living away from any book store with good author programming.

I have been to a few author events over the years. I live 2 miles from a fantastic indie bookstore that has author events all the time, but I rarely go. Maybe it’s just that bookstore, but I feel like I have to buy the book to attend. Most of the authors are unknown to me and I’d rather go to the event and then decide whether to buy a book or not instead of having to buy a book to attend. (Maybe that’s not always a requirement, but it feels that way.) It’s also a very small bookstore and feels too intimate to me. I’d rather attend a large event with lots of people. I have no desire to “meet” the author directly and talk to them. I’d rather go sit in a large crowd and listen to them more anonymously.

Hi Kristen! Nice to meet you and thanks for writing. I love your Elizabeth Berg story. It’s always a treat when someone you’ve met early in their career goes on to greater success!

Ha, I know exactly who you’re talking about, Shona! And honestly, I can’t blame you for feeling that way.

Donna, I’m hoping that bookstores start doing more with video interviews of their visiting authors. I will be honest, the idea of me on video is a bit frightening! The beauty of an audio podcast is that nobody sees how my hair looks, or how messy my office is!

Gabrielle, sadly I just learned that booktour.com is closing down. YOu are lucky to live in an area with so many great events. I don’t think a day goes by where I see a NYC event that I’d love to attend.

Thanks, Jason! Honestly, I know of at least one author who feels similar to you — they want their readers to know them from their work, and they don’t understand why people want to meet them.

Ooh, I wanna know who that was!  I have a couple of ideas, but . . . I want the dirt.

Because of where I live I tend not to go to author signings.  I would love it if a nearby Chapters location would get a major author, but they tend to go to Vancouver and I live about an hour drive from there and with the signings in the evenings, its not really worth it.  I would go if it were an author that I had read their book or that I was interested in, but for what would end up being a fairly short visit with the author, I wouldn’t find it worth the time or effort.

Due to austerity measures at my house, there was no vacation trip this summer.  Instead my “vacation” was attending 4 author events within a 10-day span.  Two were at the public library and two were at indie bookstores. 
I like hearing the author read an excerpt from the book, but not for too long.  One author read for 45 minutes–way too long.  I enjoy the Q&A time the best.  That’s when I get a feel for the author as a person.  I also enjoy hearing what the authors themselves read and their thoughts on popular current books.  For example, Duke professor Karla Holloway, author of “Private Bodies, Public Texts: race, gender and a cultural bioethics,” had interesting observations about “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.”  First time author (at age 71!) Anna Jean Mayhew was asked how her “The Dry Grass of August” compared to ”The Help” — both books involve black domestics working for white families. 
Most of all, when I have already read the book, I welcome the chance to tell the author face to face how much the book meant to me.  It’s like closing the loop on a conversation.

One of my favorite things about Seattle is that we do get a lot of authors coming through, even though we are way up north on the left coast.  This summer I had the good fortune of seeing China Meiville one week and Neil Gaiman about a week later.  Geek heaven!  China was amazing, intelligent, funny, and fabulous. He signed my Kindle (HINT: cover with clear nail polish to keep the signature from rubbing away over time). Neil Stephensen was just hanging around while he signed books; I only knew because some other people pointed him out to me.  Sure enough, it was Neil (lives in the area).

I’ve seen Neil Gaiman a few times over the many years I’ve been a fan.  He is always incredibly entertaining and fun to listen to.  However, on this particular visit I thought the person doing the interview was so very distracting that it took away from the enjoyment.  She talked WAY too much and was quite provocative and unusual behaving in my opinion.  After the event I tried to go online and find out if other people felt the same way.  The interviewer was also an author and perhaps she wanted to share the spotlight? 

One of the most creative, funny author events I’ve had the pleasure of attending was Jasper Fforde.  He was fabulous!

Thanks for the wonderful podcasts, I look forward to my booktalk fix every week.

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