Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Garage Sale Book Sales.


Book Signing, Texas in March is a little cold.

Garage sales are definitely not the way to go to sell books! My expectations of selling books at a garage sale were right since everyone who came was looking for a bargain. In fact, many people would offer a lower price than what was on the already low priced items. But, Maureen still had some neighbors and friends who didn’t buy my book yet so I set up just in case one of them passed by. However, none did!! This is my first adventure of no sales!

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

My Next Selling Adventure.

My next adventure in book selling will be Saturday at a neighbor of Maureen’s garage sale. I will be setting up a card table in her garage. This will be interesting since most people who attend garage sales are looking for bargains and I am not ready to discount my book yet. If you are in the area of Lake Country Drive in the Sundown Ranch Community in Denton, Texas. Stop by and see us!

Sunday, March 16, 2008

The Big Day Finally Arrived!


Maureen and Liz at the book signing. The Cartoon Character and Liz.


Preparing for the Book Signing

Friday I took my books to Barnes & Noble and met with the manager. He gave me some pointers on how to greet the customers. He suggested that I approach the customers and introduce myself and say something to the effect, “Hi! I am Liz. I am the author of “Help! I Married a Cartoon Character” and I will be signing books for the next couple of hours. You should really read this book because:” I asked him, “Why?”He said, “You know.” The problem is the book covers so many situations that I don’t know how to describe it in a couple of sentences. However, Maureen’s friends who have read the book say, “We appreciate our husbands more than ever after reading the book.”
I guess I should practice my book pitch before I go to the book signing. I am not good at being spontaneous. I usually think things through before going into a new situation. This is certainly going to be a challenge with all the different personalities I will come in contact with. This new technique is making me step out of my comfort zone. At my other book signings, I just sat and my relatives and friends of course approached me. They knew what the book is about since I have been keeping them posted about the books progress for the last 2 years.

My Experience at the Book Signing

The book signing was a huge success! The area where I signed books had balloons and signs with my name on. I really enjoyed talking to the other self published authors. It was quite an experience approaching the public. I got many different reactions from the people I approached; however most were pleasant. I particularly enjoyed talking to a gentleman who asked questions about my publishing, my style of writing, and which word processor I used to write my book.
The book signing was coming to an end and I still had not sold a book to a complete stranger. All the books I sold were to Maureen’s friends. I thought I sold a book to a stranger in December but it turned out to be my granddaughter’s friend. I didn’t recognize the last name. My book has been out for 4 months and I still have not sold a book to a stranger. Everyone is a relative, a friend of a relative, a friend, or a friend of a friend.
We were getting ready to pack up when the manager came over and asked, “Well! How did you do?” I said, “Okay! But it doesn’t count. Everyone that bought a book from me was a friend of my daughter. I haven’t sold a book to a stranger yet.” He turned and walked over to the counter and picked up the microphone and announced, “The author Liz Lally will be walking around the store with her book. She has not sold a book to a stranger yet so she will be approaching you and explaining to you why you should buy her book.” I was mortified! But my daughter grabbed my arm and said, “Let’s go!” So I picked up a book and started looking for a potential buyer. We came upon a couple gentlemen who didn’t look too threatening. I started giving them my sales pitch and while they were squirming a lady came up behind me and started talking to my daughter so I left the men off the hook and diverted my attention the woman. However, she was interested in a book for her niece’s birthday party. I said, “This is not a children’s book.” Then she said, “My sister is floating around here somewhere and she just said, “I am looking for a book to read this weekend.” So we followed her around looking for her sister. Finally, we found her sister and I gave her my sob story of never selling a book to a stranger and then I gave her my rehearsed sales pitch. She looked at the book and said, “Okay, I’ll buy it!” We all cheered! Than the manager brought over the balloons and took our picture. I took her name and address for when I am famous and go on Oprah. I will invite her to go with me. Since they were having a party that night the manager gave them the balloons for their party.


The first stranger to buy my book.









Thursday, March 13, 2008

Denton Record-Chronicle article!




Wow! Check out this great article! I made the big time! Another “Ten Minutes of Fame!” I am going to buy more newspapers because I am sure my family would like a copy of the article from the newspaper

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Check this out!




This sign is located at the entrance of the Barnes & Noble book store in the Golden Triangle Mall! How cool is that! I walked around the store and the other entrance and found six similar signs. I first noticed the signs on Tuesday when we were shopping at the mall. My book signing is Saturday. I go to the mall everyday and admire my signs. I am really enjoying every moment of “My Ten Minutes of Fame.”
These signs are special because they are the first signs that someone else made to promote my book. Tom has made all the signs and flyers we used up until now.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Promoting Barnes & Noble Book Signing.

My sister-in-law notified the staff of a firm that she works at in Dallas about Saturday’s book signing. Maureen sent an e-mail to all the staff at her school and tomorrow she is taking a flyer to Curves.

I went to Starbucks and Panera and posted a flyer on their bulletin board about my book signing. We called and sent letters to relatives and friends in the Denton area.

We are waiting to hear from a coffee shop in Dallas and a bookstore in Lewisville.
I am starting to get excited about the book signing. It is my first book signing at a book store.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Denton, Texas Snowstorm in March.


My book signing scheduled at the school library Friday was cancelled since the school was closed due to a snow storm. Who would think that Denton, Texas would get seven inches of snow in March? I will do that book signing later in the month after spring break.
We didn’t cancel the wine and cheese book signing at Maureen’s house since the snow was melted off the roads by noon. The book signing was a success and I enjoyed meeting Maureen’s friends. I read a story from the chapter titled The Romantic and Maureen read her favorite story from that chapter. In a couple of weeks we are going to get together and have a Book Club and talk about my book.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Confirming Book Signing at Library

I went to Maureen’s classes and talked a little about the process of writing my book. They asked many interesting question. Following are some of their questions: “Why did you write a book?” “How long did it take you to write your book?” “What is your book about?” “Is your husband mad because you wrote the book?” “When are you going to write another book?”

I enjoyed talking to the students and I am looking forward to meeting the teachers and some of the parents at my book signing in the school library Friday.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Confirming Book Signing at Barnes & Noble.

Saturday I went to Barnes & Noble to meet with the Community Relations Manager to firm up my book signing. When I walked into the store there was a man walking with a hand full of signs. He asked me if he could help me and I said, “I am looking for Thomas, the Manager, and he said, “That’s me!” So I said, “Hi! I am Liz Lally.” As he put down the signs to shake my hand, I noticed my name on them. We talked for awhile and he showed me where the book signing would be set up and reminded me to bring my books in the day before the book signing on Friday the 14th.

He suggested that I take a press release to the local newspaper and gave me the names of a couple people to talk to about my book.

Later Maureen said, “That was definitely a sign! What are the odds of the first person you meet in Barnes & Noble being the manager you wanted to talk to and he is carrying signs with your name on about the book signing.” “A sign of what,” I thought!

If you are in the area come to my book signing on March 15th from 2:00-4:00 at Barnes & Noble in the Golden Triangle Mall
2201 1-35 East South Space NO18
Denton, Texas 76205
940-383-9261
Or
Go to my web site http://www.lizlally.com