Popping My Signing Event Cherry #RRA17
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October 21, 2017. A wet and dreary spring day. A day that I had been waiting all year for. A day that, as it came nearer and nearer, I became more and more anxious for.
Nervous-anxious.
It was the same sort of feeling I get when I am about to travel overseas.
I first discovered the existence of these signings at the beginning of the year (Book Splash was the first one I knew of) and since then, I have been following on FB as my American book besties attended these gatherings from one weekend to the next without seeming to stop for a breath. As an aspiring indie author, I knew I wanted in on the action. But I wasn’t sure if that would ever happen since I was in Australia and they were all overseas.
Or so I thought…
I kind of went backwards in this author networking of mine, making masses of connections in the USA first, then a few in the UK and Italy (shout out to Laura Rossi) before finally connecting with some homegrown authors. It was then that I realised that Australia had a slowly-growing volume of signings itself. There were events earlier in the year that I had missed due to not knowing about them. So, Riveting Reads tickets came up at exactly the right time. I made a heap of pre-orders, and roped my friend, Colleen, into coming with me for a good girls’ day out and also for moral support.
I wasn’t sure how I would approach people. I didn’t know the etiquette. How long was I allowed to talk to authors for? What could I take to carry my purchases in (because trust me… me and a book convention? It’s like feeding a kid sweets)? Would the people I’ve been talking to online all this time be as wonderful in person?
I needn’t have worried. Firstly, the online group was super friendly. The authors were all incredibly friendly and warm and the small gathering Kate Sterritt and Jennifer Ryder put together was relaxed and fun. It was great to walk around as an attendee and take everything in as I got to mingle and meet not only authors I greatly admire, but also one of my cover designers.
Book people are amazing. They’re people I can relate to far and beyond any others. I learned so much at this event about table set up, swag, the way to conduct yourself and how to talk to people I had never met in person before. Our online interactions have helped me so much and I am so grateful to Kate Sterritt and Leesa Bow and Jennifer Ryder for being so supportive of my own journey on becoming published and offering me some invaluable insights into the industry.
Not to mention, I scored some wicked awesome books that I cannot wait to read!
I can’t wait to do it all again. Perhaps I’ll see some of you next year on the Gold Coast?
In the meantime… LOOK OUT, SEATTLE
**I will be attending Readers & Writers Seattle July 14, 2018. This will be her first official signing as an attending author. I hope to see you there!**
