How to Get KateKintail to Buy Your Books

[katekintailbc]

I was at the Kensington, MD, Day of the Book Festival today with the other members of BCinDC, handing out over 1,000 books for free to readers. Our booth was at the very end of the row, next to the food trucks, and we could spread out nicely (a luxury we won't have at Gaithersburg next month). I walked the length of the festival (which had really expanded this year) in hopes of finding some material about the festival that I could put in my scrapbook. I was a bit overwhelmed by booths on either side and a lot of self-published authors or local authors who write in genres that I don't often read. There were book sellers and other organizations/companies who sponsored the festivals. I made it to the end without stopping or making more than a few smiles and nods along the way. I listened to a bit of the steampunk reading (very cool). I ducked into a few stores to look for literature and finally found some (yay) then I headed back.

I walked back pretty quickly, not wanting or intending to buy anything. I literally walked past a table, glancing nicely at the people sitting there and at the books spread out there. Just as I passed, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the poster on display advertising them as YA. Now, there's a lot of YA out there, but there usually isn't all that much at local book festivals like this. Plus, well, one of the covers had a rather cute gent on it. I asked for a bookmark, and the woman sitting at the table told me I could have one, of course, and that the author had been by earlier to sign some copies.

Autographed copies are special to me, even when I don't know the author. I like author's handwriting and it's neat that they've touched that particular copy and put a little more of themselves into it specially. But I really didn't intend to buy. I don't really have the money to spend on copies of books I've never heard of!

Then the woman said "They're on sale today: two for $10." Well, all right then. $10 for two signed YA books? I couldn't pass that up. I looked at the selection, thinking. "Unless there isn't another one you want." HA! You've got a table full of YA titles and you think I'm hesitating because I don't want another one? No, I hesitate because I can't choose from your selection which I want! She asked what kind of stories I like and I rambled off a bunch of things. The girl sitting next to the woman pointed at the first book in a series and told me that one was the best.

So there it was. I didn't even read the back covers! LOL And, hey, I probably should have bought MORE! All the books! But now that I've had a chance to read the back covers/inside flaps, I'm excited about them.

I feel like such an easy mark... but I'm really excited about the deal and the adventure reading a completely unknown-to-me author. Turns out the author studied at the university I work for. So that's pretty cool. I feel good about supporting her a little. And it's nice to know that if I like the first book, there's a series I can dive into as well.

Comments

Can't wait to hear if you like it!

[karsyn smith (from livejournal.com)]

Sounds like you had a great time! YAY. I'd LOOOOVE to go to something like that, I've never been. Sounds so fun!

Re: Can't wait to hear if you like it!

[katekintailbc.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'll have to do a full write-up about the festivals some time. I usually go to four book festivals a year (two in the spring and two in the fall). I've got Gaithersburg in just a few weeks and tons of books I'll need to go buy and register/release for the festival. I have a few books set aside already, but I could use another 300 or so.

I highly recommend book festivals, especially the annual one in Washington, D.C., as people come from all over the world to attend that one!