What a wonderful, profitable weekend!

Welcome to new readers and new fans! 

Thanks to a dear friend who is a friend of the owners of La Fonda, I got a last minute offer to serve as Artist-in-Residence at La Fonda from last Friday through Sunday! It was the ideal venue for hawking my wares, as it were, with its Fred Harvey/Couriers history. They set up two tables with black table cloths, two comfortable padded chairs, and a really snazzy backdrop. Parking and lunch were both complementary, as well. 

I drove up Friday, arriving at 10:30 and leaving around 4:00 to check in at my hotel, El Sendero. Four people bought my book! It was also the debut of the turquoise and silver necklace that my friend Heidi lent me for just these events. Looks good with my funeral clothes, no? 

 

Lunch was a to-die-for charcuterie board from the La Fiesta Lounge. Highly recommended. I suppose you could share it -- but why? I had to leave the table unattended, but everything was as I left it, except the level of candy in the bowl. 😆 Lots of people in the lobby, there for a wedding. I sold one book to a very nice young couple who kindly hung around and chatted with this bored author. 

The next morning found me at Garcia Street Books, in company with two other members of New Mexico Book Association -- Ann and Dennis. I had just put the first stack of books on the table when a woman rushed up and pointed at the book, "Is this you?" I nodded. "Oh, good. My friend sent me here to buy a copy for her. She loves your work!" Ultimately, she bought one for her friend and one for herself. I still don't know what other work her friend is referring to, unless she's read my short stories. But I'm not about to quibble! Two more people bought my book before the morning was over. 

Then it was back to La Fonda for lunch --  burrata with port wine figs, pignoli, fresh peas, and baby greens -- and an afternoon of bookselling.

It was a wonderful afternoon. First, Ann from the morning came by just to say "Hi," but stayed to help me sell my books. After an hour or so, I suggested that she put her books out on the second table. The time went much faster with the two of us, and I observed that people were far more willing to walk up and look if the two of us were talking to each other. We weren't ignoring them, but we also weren't intensely fixated on them. Upshot was I sold another 5 books! One was to a couple from Kansas who are Fred Harvey fans! Of course I told them all about the Fred Harvey History Weekend and gave them the link to the website. 

So, that was Saturday. Sunday saw me back at the La Fonda at 9:00. Ann arrived shortly afterward. The morning was very quiet. It started to pick up around 11 or so. Between then and about 2, I sold another 5 books! Three men stopped and asked if the book were about Carlos Castaneda 🙄

My observations -- people who are checking in do not stop to look at books. They just want to get to their room. And they don't come back downstairs until dinner.  People who are checking out do not stop and look at books. They just want to get out and off to wherever they are going. If they came down for breakfast, it was a quick bite and then back up to pack. 

A very profitable weekend in every way! A total of 17 print books were sold and at least one ebook! Several more people took bookmarks, with promises to buy through that online vendor. At least as important, dozens of people are now aware of my book. The word is getting out.

Author talks and book signings galore!

My calendar went from empty to full -- and it continues to fill! I'm amazed at my new-found ability for self-promotion almost as much as by people actually buying my book. First up was the Tony Hillerman Branch Library, followed two weeks later by Page 1 Books, then South Valley Branch Library, and Juan Tabo Branch Library just last Saturday. I will be honest -- very few people show up to author talks at public libraries. In one branch, the library manager stayed just so that there would be someone in the audience. However, the people who do come are interested and engaged and full of questions and the desire to learn. A few bought books. All took bookmarks. At the suggestion of the library manager at Hillerman, I donated three copies of my book to the library. It is now in the catalog and ... all three copies are checked out! This bodes well. I have, however, given up on Erna Fergusson and Special Collections for the time being. Maybe once I'm famous and a real draw, but for now ... attendance doesn't warrant the additional time and effort. 

The staff at Page 1 Books were delightful and I sold 4 books -- a record! It is a very laid-back, kind of funky hipster (in a good way) community book store. Lots of used books as well as new and lots and lots of books by local authors. The wind, on the other hand -- they warned us that Albuquerque gets wind in the Spring. It would blew not only bookmarks but actual books onto the ground. I spent most of my time sprawled across the table holding things down. The staff felt so bad, they offered to host me again later in the summer, after the time of the winds!

This Saturday, June 7, I will be in Santa Fe at Garcia Street Books from 10-1 or 2, with two other authors, members of the New Mexico Book Association. The Association has an arrangement with Garcia Street Books for three authors on the first Saturday of the month. I'm so excited, I'm going up on Friday and staying over just so that I won't risk being late!

Wheels Museum is coming up on June 28, the Mesa Verde Literary Festival on July 12, and four others, including Page 1, are in the works for August and possibly September. These will be with the members of my writer's group, Write Minds, so we should attract more people to the tables, with our variety of works in a variety of genres. 

I still haven't heard back from the Castañeda or Plaza Hotels. I'll follow up one more time, but at this point, I'm thinking it might be better to just wait until November and the Fred Harvey Weekend.