Don't bother with a book signing.....unless.

That's right. Don't accept a book signing gig unless---and this unless is very important, if you value your time. Get some pre-signing publicity! When The Red Scarf was first published, I was eager, as most authors are, to see my book on the shelves in a bookstore and sit behind a big poster and sign books. However, I learned the hard way how to do a book signing. One of my first signings took place in Monroe, La. It was a very nice independent book store, and everything was set up just as I had asked. However, I sat there for two hours and signed less than five books--a lot less than five! Contrast that with a signing I had a Barnes and Nobel in Little Rock where I signed 76 books in two hours. The difference? It all boils down to publicity. I had essentially none in Monroe, but I had 10 minutes in Little Rock. That 10 minutes on KATV Channel 7 made the difference. This is how you should prepare for a successful book signing. Every city of any size has a local morning show, and those shows are always in need of guests. You will be surprised how easy it is to get a five to ten minute spot on their six to eight o'clock morning show. However, don't go on the show before the day of the signing, and when you're on, mention where you will be signing later in the day. But most important, you have to sell your book. Don't go on TV cold turkey. Practice what you're going to say, give the person that does the interview a list of questions to ask, and be animated--even if you're not a naturally animated person. That 10 minutes on KATV sold the books. When I went to the bookstore at 11:00 o'clock, they had a stack of books already sold for me to sign. Most of the folks that lined up to buy one of my books commented that they had seen me that morning on television. Now, my strategy for book signing must be proceeded by some good publicity---a TV appearance. It works!