If you follow my personal Facebook page, not the professional one, you may be aware that last week I was stressing over what cake to order for a family event. (I promise you I would never talk about cake at the professional page. Nor would I post a picture of myself holding the cake that finally made it to the restaurant.) Anyway, I am not adept at hosting...anything. When I'm watching House Hunters and the home shoppers are touring houses and saying things like, "This room would be great for entertaining," I always think, That is the last thing I would think about if I were buying house. No, actually, it's not the last thing I would think about because I would never think about it. If my husband and I happen to both be in the room when one of those shows is on, we look at each other and go, "Who are these people? Is something wrong with them?"
Anyway, I was just over at Cynsations reading a post in which Greg Leitich Smith talks about planning a public event for a book launch. I got to the part where he was talking about booking your facility and deciding whether you want to have a wine and cheese event or a "raucous hootinanny," and I could feel my tension level going up. Then I got to the pictures he took of the serving table he set up at his own book launch with close ups of various offerings, and I became just plain stressed. (While I was eating lunch, by the way.) I don't know if I'll be able to work this afternoon.
You've probably guessed that I've never had a party to celebrate publication of any of my books. In fact, I'm quite certain I was cleaning toilets the day My Life Among the Aliens was published. I know. There are people who would say this speaks volumes about my career.
By the way, that unsettling post about book launches was entitled "Guest Post: Greg Leitich Smith on How to Plan a Book Launch (Part One)." Part One. That means there will be more on this subject coming up. I hope not right away. I need some recovery time.
I AM SO WITH YOU ON THE HOSTING.
ReplyDeleteI've not even done a reading; I managed to get out of the required one at grad school.
I'm always pleased about my books, but "book launch"ing seems a bit ridiculous when Amazon comes out with things before everyone else, and people have already pre-ordered and read the ARC.
Or, maybe I just lack Greg's sense of celebration. Or, need dinosaurs in my books?
Have you seen Cyn's cakes/celebrations? They're even more fab!!!!! And scary...
Plus a party book launch isn't national or even regional. Given the state of book coverage, you're unlikely to get much local press for it. It's not going to make a lot of difference to your book.
ReplyDeleteMy impression from reading Cynthia's blog is that there's an active children's lit community in Texas, and if a member of said community holds an event, they can be assured of a turnout, even if it's primarily friends. I suspect that that's not the case in many areas, and there have probably been many writers holding launch parties who were left feeling very uncomfortable about their books, themselves...everything.
I am hoping to get to a friend's book lauch next month. We'll see how that goes. I may post pictures.