Tag Archives: authors

A Publisher’s Rant

Posted on February 27, 2010 | 12 comments

BUY Thomas Riley at Amazon

Okay, I have to go on record with this one. We spent the day ( a very successful day) at the South Carolina Book Festival in Columbia, SC.

For the entire day we had a steady stream of customers in our booth. There was not a time at any point during the day that we were not selling a book. It was tremendous. Or as our cute little waitress at Longhorn said, it was “grand.”

So what could possibly be wrong with this? Well, it’s other writers. I would like to point out a few simple guidelines or ettiquette rules to consider if you are a writer heading out to an event.

1. If you are an aspiring author and you want to meet with a publisher, contact them prior to the event and set an appointment. If a publisher is at an event they are probably there to sell books. When you walk up unannounced and go into your whole sales pitch for your book it is distracting and honestly it is very rude for those who are there to shop or who have made appointments.

At Echelon we do work on a referral system and we do tell you to meet us at events and we mean it, but there is a proper way to do it. Put together a very small packet, honestly I am good with a business card with contact info and a one or two line brief about your story. Drop it off and move on. If a publishing rep or author is trying to tansact business GO AWAY. Do not stand their and contiue talking. Chances ar they won’t be rude to you, but don’t make them tell you to go away.

BUY Betrayed at Amazon.com

2. If you are a writer and you have a friend who is being featured at an event or a book signing, do NOT monopolize that author’s time. When an author goes to an event they have probably paid to be there and their main goal is to sell books. If you stand at the front of the booth constantly talking to the author who is trying to sell books you are inhibiting their ability to effectively sell books and give the readers and actual customers the attention they deserve. If you DO stop to talk and feel the need to chat, at least make it worth the author’s while and BUY THEIR BOOK!

This has become a major peeve of mine and I see it almost every event I go to. If you have no intention of buying a book, MOVE ON and give the real customers some room. If you want to chat with an old friend, call them on the phone or take them to lunch. Don’t rob them of the opportunity to increase their sales and recoup the money they have invested to be at an event.

3. Support your fellow authors. You know what it is like. If you have books to sell, you know how valuable time is. If you want someone to buy your book you have got to be willing to buy their book. Don’t make excuses. Either buy it, or move on. Period

4. Finally. When you go to visit a friend at an event, book signing, festival, whatever, DO NOT slip your promo material onto their table. If you did not pay for that space, it is NOT your space to promote in. At almost EVERY event I go to I throw away dozens of pieces of material that authors who have come to see a friend or even authors who have come to give me submission materials have left behind with hopes that they can get some free promo exposure.

I’m telling you, if you tell me you want to submit and then infiltrate the space paid for by or for my authors, to try and promote your other works, I will NOT publish you. I will also not like you.

These are just common sense, and yet more times than not this is what happens. Please be courteous to the rights and opportunities of your friends and fellow authors.

Okay, I am done. I apologize for this rant, but after today, I really felt this needed to be said. Want to buy books? Come and see us. Want to look at our books and see if maybe you might be interestd in something, come on over. Want to chat and catch up with someone you have not called in a year. Do it on Monday after the event.

I love to meet authors, but not at the expense of sales and my authors’ rights.

Karen Syed…wearing her publisher hat…

12 Comments

Posted in Blatherings, Business

Tagged author, authors, book festivals, books, courtesy, Echelon Press, etiquette, events, festivals, karen syed, publishing, readers, South Carolina Book Festival

South Carolina Book Festival 2010 Pregame

Posted on February 26, 2010 | Leave a comment

And here we are again in the lovely Columbia, SC. If my math is correct, this is our 6^th year in attendance. I am always thrilled to come back here because this is one of our most successful and fun festivals. This year I am really glad to be here this year because back in MD it is snowing and colder than…well cold.

This is one of my favorite book festivals because this area has some seriously loyal readers. We have a group of people that come and see us every year to buy all of our new releases. For me that is the ultimate compliment, because we have been seeing them for four or five years now and they are always excited to see us and to meet new authors.

When we first started attending the SC Book Festival we were placed on the very back wall and things were pretty dismal. But the coordinators listened to those of us back there and they designated that last row for the author signings. The other good thing that happened when we first started attending is that we met historian and author Richard Cote. He befriended us and the next year he requested that they place us next to him. The good news there was that he was on the main aisle as attendees come in the door. So we moved on up. Things have gotten better every year since. The bad news with that is that Richard is focusing more on his writing and no longer attends the festival. We got to keep our new space, but we miss Richard and his wit and charm tremendously.

Andrew Gross

The Dark Tide

So I drove in on Thursday so I could rest up for Friday set up. I am not as young and spry as I used to be and need the recovery time. So I got into town, checked into my hotel and spent the night in bed with Andrew Gross. Not only is Andrew handsome, but he is extraordinarily talented. And all of you with your minds in the gutter, you should be ashamed of yourself. I am reading THE DARK TIDE and if you follow me on Twitter you will know that I usually only get to read in the potty (and Andrew was okay with that), but I made the jump and actually packed his book to bring with me. I just couldn’t leave him at home.

The Advocae

Teresa Burrell, author of THE ADVOCATE is my actual roommate on this trip and she arrived at 5 am this morning, via Amtrak from FL. I did manage to fall back asleep for a couple hours, but then I had IHOP on my mind and we had to get up and go to breakfast. If anyone wants to butter Teresa up, IHOP is her favorite breakfast restaurant.

The best of Sam Morton

After breakfast we met Sam Morton, author of DISAVOWED and the recently released, and very controversial Young Adult novel BETRAYED at the convention center to set up our booth. For the record, we are in Booth 102 in the Columbia Convention Center.

As I was checking in I ran to my favorite SC conference gal Nancy who always makes me smile.

I got another pleasant surprise when my most favorite children’s author, Bobbi Hinman, came strolling up the aisle. If you have small children who love books, you MUST visit http://www.bestfairybooks.com. She is the author of THE KNOT FAIRY, THE SOCK FAIRY, THE BELLYBUTTON FAIRY, and the upcoming coming THE FART FAIRY. Bobby is one of the neatest people ever and I was so thrilled to see her and hubby Harry.

: Thomas Riley

Soon after, superstar Nick Valentino, author of THOMAS RILEY, a super cool steampunk novel, showed up to set up his display. If you have never met Nick or seen him in action, you definitely need to come by our booth and meet him. It is well worth the trip.

With all the work out of the way, it was back to the hotel room where I have been holed up and doing some brainstorming with a few authors. But now I think you are probably all bored senseless and I should close off.

I’ll be popping in again tomorrow to let you know how our first day of sales went. Don’t forget to stop in and see us.

It all Started…

Posted on February 14, 2010 | 1 comment

Okay, I wrote this post while on my trip but could not get good enough access to post it. So just prend that we have gone back in time and it is actually happening, though for obvious reasons I will NOT be traveling back with you.

* * *

Well, here I am. I am sitting in the parlor of my husband’s parent’s house in Islamabad, Pakistan. We have been here since Sunday. For those of you wondering why we chose Pakistan, it is because of family. This is my husband’s birthplace and he comes every year to see his family. This is my first trip abroad and I am really enjoying it. Did I mention I am writing this in the dark? Load-sharing. Every two hours the lights go off for an hour. The family all gathers in one room and talks. It is amazing to see families talking. This is something sorely lacking in American culture. People don’t talk AT you here, they talk TO you.

Let’s start at the beginning.

We flew Delta and Emirates. The food on Emirates was better than most restaurant food I have had. I was in absolute heaven. The planes are really nice and I got to catch up on my movies a bit. I watched G.I. Joe, not bad. I enjoyed it, but I won’t need to buy it for rewatching.

The Proposal

Then I watched The Proposal with Sandra Bullock. Now, I must say that everyone out there better hope I NEVER become the kind of publisher that Sandra played in this movie. On the other hand, this was one of the funniest movies I have seen in a VERY long time. It was 3 am, everyone else was sleeping on the plane and I was laughing out loud. Hubby shooshed me several times. It was FABULOUS!!

I also watch UP. I really really enjoyed that one. Will definitely need to own both of the latter DVDs.

Okay, my actual visit.

Day 1: I arrived at Pakistan at 2 am. My luggage did NOT! It seems Emirates chose not to put 10 pieces of luggage on and 3 of them were mine.

Day 2: Still no luggage. I am wearing the same clothes I flew in because NO ONE in Pakistani is the same size as me. Went shopping for clothes to change into. Nothing. Mother-in-law and sister-in-law had some fabric so we took it to the tailor to have an outfit made for me. Will pick it up on Monday.

Day 3: Luggage finally arrived at noon. Shortly after picking up suit that was made too small. STILL wearing clothes I flew in.

Day 4: Woke up at 3 a.m. sick. Trying not to be a downer, and after lunch went shopping with MIL, SIL, husband and 14-y-o nephew. Still sick, but able to buy fabric for 5 more outfits. Never too sick to shop.

I am loving the food, though milk straight from (whatever animal) is giving me some issues. Did I mention the food is AWESOME?

Now let’s talk about the traffic and driving. Wrong side of the road…was prepared for that. But there do not appear to be any traffic signs, speed limits, or traffic lights that work. It is my observation that EVERYONE drives on the same side of the road–the MIDDLE–going both directions. I am not the squeamish type, but both trips out into traffic almost rendered me unconscious! No exaggeration.

Just found out that we are going to Lahore on Sunday and the following Sunday there will be a small gathering for us with just family, only 40 people. OY!

Well, that is it for today’s update. For those of you wondering what the publisher in me is doing while here. I am editing a manuscript, have been working on royalty statements (inserting data) and checking out the local bookstores. There are TONS of bookstores around here. How cool is that?

Until next time…