by Tracey Atkins

Created on: June 14, 2009

My first book- signing was great, and I will never forget it. I had no idea of the whats, wheres, or how to, but I did it. I was nervous, and scared. I thopught to myself that it would not be a good day for me. I had my first book-signing at a popular mall in New York. It was on a Saturday, and the mall was crowded.

I knew the mall would be crowded, because I shopped there myself. I was well known in my neighborhood for tutoring, and doing all sorts of activities with the kids. I'd sold alot of books, and already signed them, so I was surprised when people started coming, and buying books. Of course I had free gifts, and marketing tools. My bookmark told you all about the book, and my T shirts had the book cover on front, and the synospis =written on the back.

I was so busy signing books, and talking to people, that I didn't realize I had a line of people waiting. I started to panic inside, because if you take to much time with one customer,others will leave. I'd already been signing books for an hour, and I only had another hour to go. The customers gradually kept coming. It seemed everytime I looked up, someone else had gotten in line. I needed ten or more hands, and a few more mouths to answer all the questions, and sigh all the books. As the time wound down, the line finally seemed to be getting shorter.

My books were selling fast, and so were the T shirts. In between customers, I said silent prayers that I wouldn't run out of books. I had more in the car waiting, but I didn't expect to sell so many. All in all my first book-signing was a big success. I met quite a few writers, and made some new friends. I learned that day, to always expect the unexpected, and since then whenever I have a book-signing, I take all of my books, no matter how many I have. Imagine having a line full of people waiting to buy your book, and you run out. That would be so embarassing. I also learned that you cant judge a book by it's cover is such a true saying. Some of the people that stopped to buy my books told me that they weren't readers, but the good gossip about the drew them in. Alot of the people were from my own neighbood, even though I'd never met them before.

I had such a good time talking to everyone about their feelings for my book. Imagine how i felt when every few customer told me that they thought my book was good enough to be a movie on the Lifetime Channel, and also said that they couldn't wait to read part 2. A book-signing is a great way to network with people in all fields of work. You never know who reads unless you ask.

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