Hi, fellow authors. Welcome to the July edition of BookConnector News. Last month we talked about the launch of BC's new "Connect to Booksigning Venues" service, which helps you find traditional and unique venues to give readings and signings. The launch has been quite a success, with over fifty new booksigning venues being added by BC members to our original list of 500.

I've heard so many great stories about the creative venues where authors have held signings that I'm devoting the bulk of the newsletter to sharing them. If you have a story of your own, please add the venue AND your experience to our database at http://bookconnector.com/addeditvenues1.aspx

Maryann Miller tells this wonderful story:

"Once I did a talk at a Senior Center in Michigan where the activities director had assured me there were lots of avid readers among the residents and they would love to meet an author. I was scheduled to follow the late-afternoon Bingo game when folks would already be assembled and willing to stay, since dinner would immediately follow the talk.

"I knew I was starting to lose them when a gentleman sitting up front asked if I was ever going to get the glass of water he'd asked for an hour ago. Then three women got up and left, muttering loudly that they must be in the wrong place since dinner wasn't coming yet and it was past time.

"In an effort to salvage something - anything - I abandoned my prepared speech and tried to engage the rest of the audience on a more personal level. I asked if they liked to read. One woman said she couldn't read but she liked to sing. I told her that was nice, and she asked if I'd like to hear something. Before I could respond, she launched into a lusty version of You Are My Sunshine.

"The other residents cheered when she was finished, so I took the hint. We spent the rest of the hour in a sing-along."

— Maryann Miller    
Author of: the mystery Doubletake (under the penname Sutton Miller); Coping With Weapons and Violence (nonfiction for teens);    
Managing Editor of WinnsboroToday , an online community magazine

Ann Parker worked an interesting tie-in with a true-life character from her historical mystery Silver Lies. Mattie Silks was a well-known, high class madam in Denver during the 1880's and 1890's. It turns out that one of her most famous venues is now a very nice, upscale restaurant called "Mattie's House of Mirrors" (you can read a bit about it and its history at mattieshouseofmirrors.com).

When her novel was published, Ann contacted the PR person at the restaurant and set up an event, where she spoke of her "search for Mattie Silks" and how she fit into her story. It was part of a larger dinner event called a "Ghost Dinner," which included a great dinner and another speaker who was a "ghost hunter" conducting paranormal research.

— Ann Parker
http://www.annparker.net
Silver Lies, published by Poisoned Pen Press

Since six of Janet Elaine Smith's novels are based on genealogical research, she sells them at genealogy workshops - and they sell well. "People love to see how even the scalawags in the family tree can turn into fun!" says Janet.

Her Keith trilogy has attracted a lot of attention from the current Keith clan, whose pride in the family name have benefited Janet's sales. Members of the family have her mail autographed books from her Keith trilogy, which they then take to the Scottish highland games all over the country to sell.

— Janet Elaine Smith
Author of historical novels Dunnottar, Marylebone, Par for the Course, House Call to the Past, My Dear Phebe, And They Called Her General Leigh
http://www.janetelainesmith.com

Kathleen M.K. Menke recently published "Haines for All Seasons--Northern Exposures from Alaska Reflecting Our Bond to the Land and Each Other." The 48-page, high quality photo book has 200 images taken in and around Haines, Alaska, including scenics, wildlife, northern lights, community, and cultural tradition.

What venue works best for a book written about a town? The whole town. "I carry the books with me in my vehicle wherever I go," says Kathleen. "When people see me, they ask about it and I just happen to have one or ten or fifteen."

Kathleen likes to take her books to where people already are: bike race finish lines, 4th of July picnics, small home town gatherings and causes where a percentage can be donated to the cause. She makes sure to get permission and to have a bit of publicity ahead of time. It seems to be working: her book has been on the streets only a couple of weeks, but already 1000 of the 3000 copy initial print run have found themselves a home.

— Kathleen M.K. Menke
Crystal Images Photography and Publishing
http://www.akmk.com

The Borders in Santa Monica, California isn't exactly a unique venue, but Hal Glatzer's approach to attracting an audience to readings from his Katy Green mysteries certainly qualifies as unique.

Says Hal: "The bookstore is on a popular pedestrian mall, and my 2003 appearance there was scheduled for a Saturday at noon. So, starting at 10 a.m., I went "busking" on the mall in front of the store. That is, I played guitar and sang - including, of course, the songs I'd written for Too Dead to Swing."

The twist: "The city of Santa Monica requires people to pay a fee and obtain a license in advance, to perform in public - which I did. But I did not solicit tips to recoup the expense. When people approached me on the mall, expecting to drop money in my guitar case, I instead gave them flyers for the book that promoted my appearance at the bookstore. A free show - it worked."

— Hal Glatzer
Too Dead to Swing (2002)
A Fugue in Hell's Kitchen (2004)
The Last Full Measure (2006)

Don Adam's book is about retiring in Mexico. Since signing venues in Mexico are limited, he has partnered with a local gallery that promotes indigenous craftsmen and sponsors a "Masters of Art" event each year. In this partnership, both sides contribute and both sides benefit. The gallery publicizes the signings (which run for multiple weeks), maintains stacks of books in between signings, and even serves snacks and drinks. The signings not only attract people to the store, but hold them there for a longer time.

Here's a tip from Don that he learned while observing Jean Auel: "What most impressed me about the event was that she took time to speak to each person, conversing briefly rather than assembly-lining the process. I always try to do that. This is a situation where I'm not tied to a chair; I mingle. And I usually write a sentence or two that's personal to the purchaser. And I always include my website and e-mail."

And some advice from his own experience: "It seems that sales increase if the prospective buyers feel like they're at a party. And I'm always satisfied with my numbers."

— Don Adams
www.headformexico.com

Marianne Carlson (Gallery owner) www.maestrosdelarte.com
Teresa Kendrick (wife/author) www.chapalaguide.com

Alina Adams writes: "Since I write The Figure Skating Mystery series, I've had a lot of fun signing at ice-rinks and in arenas during shows. I've signed during the Home Season for the Ice Theatre of New York, at a 9/11 skating fundraiser, for Figure Skating in Harlem and even at Skate Night at my son's school!"

— Alina Adams
http://www.AlinaAdams.com
Axel of Evil: A Figure Skating Mystery (January 2006)
On Thin Ice: A Figure Skating Mystery" (2004);
Murder on Ice: A Figure Skating Mystery (2003)

The best book signings for Colette Shaw have taken place at KISS fan conventions. While her book has only a loose tie-in with the group, the KISS Army fan base is passionate and supportive of the project because she has taken something with iconic value and put her own spin on it.

"Until you've seen a guy in full Gene Simmons makeup taking out his wallet for a signed book," she says, "I don't know if you can understand the rabid subculture that binds KISS and literature."

— Colette Shaw
www.KISSfiction.com

We are planning exciting new additions to our Connect to Book Review Site service, which will be part of package called Advanced Connector.

The Results page will also change. RIght now the service returns you a list of sites, with hot links to their home page. The new service will have links to the site's submission guidelines, and will note which sites also allow you to post book blurbs or booksigning events.