Last weekend I held a book launch party at our local public library, the first of this type of event I have ever done.
Yikes. I wasn’t sure what to do or expect. Thankfully a bunch of my writer friends *waves* have done this sort of thing before and posted about their experiences. The impression I got from other writers is that everyone kinda does their own thing.
How do you plan this sort of thing when you’ve never done it before?
You don’t. I knew I wanted to read the first chapter of the book. Other than that, it was “make it up as I go”.
It was a good turnout, even if half of the people there were relatives (some of whom came from the Twin Cities, no less). Having worked at the library, I recognized most of the locals. The library is a small-town library, with enough room for maybe thirty chairs comfortably, and almost all the chairs were filled.
I drafted my daughter to take pictures for me, but didn’t know what to tell her to take pictures of. She did miss the airplane-shaped cookies the library director made for the event. Those were cool, and everyone liked them. The library director had a new grandbaby arrive the night before the event, so she missed out (but she got to see her first boy grandbaby!)
After introductions, I read the first chapter of my book, which is short enough to read and ends with a cliffhanger.
Then questions. My daughter (actually, my hubs fed her lines) asked a bunch when no one else did, so it was a nice Q&A session. Afterwards, people mingled and bought books. There were a few people I haven’t seen for a while there, so it was nice to catch up a little with them.
The best part was hearing how much people enjoyed the book. Few of the attendees had read the book, but one patron, who is a voracious–and discerning–mystery reader, loved it. She is someone who won’t hesitate to tell you if she didn’t finish a book or doesn’t like an author’s writing. She is great word-of-mouth advertising!
The local newspaper guy was there, so I also got my picture in the paper.
All in all, it was a great event. We invited family over to our house afterward to visit for a bit (and bribed them with pizza 😀 ).
Our local library and the library league are great at sponsoring events like this, and bringing in authors. We have had Marc Brown (Arthur children’s books) and the authors of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day), as well as many others, do presentations. Check in with your local library league to do events at the library. I mean, where else do booklovers go if there isn’t a bookstore handy?
This weekend I’m heading to a local indie bookstore with a reputation for supporting local mystery authors for a signing event with a fellow member of our Sisters in Crime chapter. It’ll be another first for me, but I’m looking forward to picking my fellow author’s brain a bit on setting up signings at other bookstores, which he’s been busy with since his second book came out early this year. I have to set up more author events, and it’ll be nice to get some tips.
And SPRING! The trees are getting green, the grass is super-green, and I saw tulips blooming yesterday. The local greenhouse has flowers out now. There’s nothing like those bursts of color after a long, gray, and dreary week. I stopped in to pick up seed potatoes and onion sets, because last year I didn’t get there early enough and all the potatoes and onions were gone. I’ll go back to get seeds and plants in a few weeks once hubs gets the garden tilled.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
May 4, 2019 at 7:18 am
Very glad to hear it went so well, Julie!! Oh, wait – I don’t see your Muse in the ‘photo. Was he taking pictures? 😉
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May 5, 2019 at 6:41 am
Thanks, Margot! Heh, I think my Muse was in the corner keeping an eye on me and checking his watch; time not spent writing 😀
Have a great week!
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May 4, 2019 at 7:54 am
Congratulations to you Julie, your event sounds so well organised and well connected with the visitors.
I love your display table, it catches ones eye. To have such events in a library is indeed good. I have
attended a few in our local library and it gives a closeness between authour and reader.
So, keep flying.
miriam
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May 5, 2019 at 6:43 am
Thanks, Miriam! I think having the events at the library is great–everyone knows where it is, and it’s a nice, book-centered place. And you are right, there is an intimacy between author and reader about it.
Have a wonderful week!
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May 4, 2019 at 9:07 am
Congratulations 🙂
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May 5, 2019 at 6:43 am
Thank you!
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May 4, 2019 at 11:27 am
Congratulations, Julie! So happy it was a success (not that I ever had a doubt).
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May 5, 2019 at 6:45 am
Thank you, Staci! The first one is always a big question mark as to how things will go. I discovered my daughter made a video of part of it (the reading), so that was an unexpected bonus since I hadn’t done any practice.
Enjoy your week!
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May 4, 2019 at 11:45 am
Yah! So happy for you, Julie! So funny that your daughter asked Qs fed by your hubs. Heehee! (Random aside: When I gave a talk at a conf in DC two years ago, I had my friend who came with me ask a Q. She sat next to me at our table and helped me sell books at the back, so it was obv we were together. When she asked her Q, I said, “Thank you for that excellent Q, random stranger!”) This is just the beginning for you! You’re taking off! (Pun definitely intended.) Airplane cookies–what a sweetheart!
Hi, Zoey!!! Purr. Purr.
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May 5, 2019 at 6:53 am
LOL! I think it was good he was prompting her, and it definitely helped with the Q&A session. And it was my daughter, so I couldn’t claim I didn’t know her (well, I could, but no one would believe me 😀 ) I wish she had gotten a pic of the cookies, they were great! And the library director made them herself before her grandson was born. I made sure to tell her everyone loved them and wondered where she found the airplane cookie cutter (amazon.com!).
Zoey says Hi! (and “let me outside”. Then, 5 minutes later, “let me inside”. Then 5 minutes later, “let me outside”. Yep, maybe a cat door is in order (except for winter. and varmints using it) )
Have a great week, Betsy!
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May 5, 2019 at 11:33 am
I assume you gave your husband the Qs to feed your daughter? Glad you let the librarian know how well the cookies were received. Ugh–varmints using the cat door. The thought of that. Shudder!
P.S. Editor said she’d be done with my book by the “end of the month or thereabouts.” Still nothing. Ach!
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May 4, 2019 at 12:36 pm
Sounds like an amazing event, Julie:) I love the pictures and the cookies! Good idea with having your daughter ask questions if no one did. I think people tend to be shy with that part. Congrats on such a successful event…yay!
I have to get plants going in our green house hopefully this weekend. Not sure what yet! Glad to hear the colors of spring are with you now. Have a great weekend
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May 5, 2019 at 7:18 am
It went well–I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was nice to see as many locals there as there were. And yes, I’m glad my husband prompted my daughter to ask questions, otherwise it would have been pretty quiet 🙂
I expect hubs will till the garden in the next week or two, so I’ll be able to at least get some cool weather stuff in. I try not to put the tomatoes or peppers in until Memorial Day weekend if we’ve had a cooler spring (which we have this year). Part of me can’t wait!
Enjoy your week, Denise!
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May 4, 2019 at 12:50 pm
That looks like it went great–kudos to you, Julie! I would have been beyond nervous but it sounds like everyone pitched in to help. Love that support system.
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May 5, 2019 at 7:23 am
I was pleasantly surprised it went as well as it did! Actually, I was pleasantly surprised at the number of locals who showed up, so at least the audience wasn’t all family (not that family in the audience is a bad thing–love the support!) And I loved that it was in the library, where I’ve been subbing for the past 3 yrs or so. Love libraries!
Have a great week, Jacqui!
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May 4, 2019 at 5:13 pm
Congrats Julie! What a great gathering. It looked like it went great for you. You had wonderful family support and an awesome audience response. Enjoy your weekend too! 📚 Christine
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May 5, 2019 at 7:30 am
Thank you, Christine! It did go well, and I was glad so many of the locals came, and my family! My dad and one of my brothers made the 1 hr+ drive to be there for me. So thankful!
Have a wonderful week!
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May 5, 2019 at 9:48 am
Congratulations, Julie! This is a joy to read and see. 🙂 Cheers to you!
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May 5, 2019 at 1:13 pm
Thank you, Natalie! Have a wonderful week!
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May 5, 2019 at 3:05 pm
Wow, you had a awesome turn out! What a great event and press coverage too. Fabulous!
Now, Zoey needs to wake up and realize she is in the presence of a successful author, lol!
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May 5, 2019 at 3:12 pm
LOL! I think Zoey is waiting for me to put her in a book 😀 Now that the launch is over, it’s time to work on getting into indie bookstores for tourist season. Ugh, promo stuff!
Have a wonderful week, Mae!
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May 5, 2019 at 3:25 pm
You, too, Julie. 🙂
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May 6, 2019 at 12:35 am
Aw, Julie, congrats! That’s a good turnout and it sounds like you got an enthusiastic response! And how fun to end up in the paper too. Enjoy the glory. Now you have to keep writing because your fans want the next one. 🙂
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May 6, 2019 at 9:11 am
YES! I have to keep writing. That amid the full-time job and promo stuff. Oh, and gardening coming soon. Know of a good cloning machine? 😉
Have a wonderful week, Diana!
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May 6, 2019 at 10:32 am
We need robots if not clones.
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May 8, 2019 at 3:59 pm
A milestone. Congrats, Julie !
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May 8, 2019 at 8:34 pm
Thank you, Dennis!
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May 10, 2019 at 3:24 am
Yeah! 😀 Congratulations, Julie and now you’ve started there will be no stopping you! A great turnout for your launch party and it’s looks terrific. I reckon your daughter didn’t get a photo of the cookies since they disappeared so quickly! Libraries are great at supporting authors and it’s always fun to attend events!
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May 11, 2019 at 5:41 am
Thanks, Annika! Our library director is great at supporting local writers, and she did a lot more that I expected to promote the event. It was great to see some locals I used to work at my previous job. Lots of support 😀
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May 15, 2019 at 8:57 am
Amazing launch and so good of your library to support local writers. 🙂
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May 15, 2019 at 9:33 pm
Thanks, Kevin! And the local library really is great at supporting local writers 😀
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