A simple book siging to most. The biggest event to me - besides my son's birth.

Me (in white shirt), Son (in camo), Fan (in middle)

What a day! For my first trick I will attempt to speak to a crowd ... and it worked. I forgot about telling people what a great book I put together and instead talked with the crowd about what it meant to write it. Seems pretty simple, right? Kind of. Sort of. Well, some how it
worked.
For being my first time sitting in front of a group, I shook from nerves and ran back t the house a few times for things I had left behind. Was there a chance I would even make it to my own engagement? I thought to myself. Time would only tell if I could pull it off. I even had the intentions to leave early just in case something happened; and it seems it did.
Once at the library and running out of time I forgot to concentrate on the speech and more about getting in my seat before it started. By that time things moved fast as I set up my novels on the table and arranged everything just right. The announcer introduced us (there would be two authors speaking in the hour timeframe) as some of the stragglers left outside shuffled in. What I didn't expect was for him to have me speak first. In the back of my head hopes of hearing the veteran author of us two speak might help me understand what it was I might say.

No luck.

Needless to say, I started a little shaky and built up momentum with my short lived speech. Then I opened it up to questions. Some asked if it was like other like-styled authors and one question that I didn't expect. It was the second time I have been asked this question which for some reason still baffles me. Ready for it?

"Is this book based on a true story or is it something you made up in your mind?"

Now, before this was asked I had already explained the book is about undead (a type of zombie but reimagined) with vampires and werewolves. To be asked this questions after giving out some of the details of my novel took be off guard a little. I blurted of, "I really hope so!" without thinking of the answer first.

This did get a chuckle from the crowd and set my nerves straight. The rest of the night would work out just fine.

Overall, I ended up selling to 1/3 of the crowd and that is saying something. Best of luck to any new authors out there reading this and having the same jitters about speaking as I did. It all comes out in the wash, so don't beat yourself up worrying about what hasn't happened yet. You only fail at something if it is what you believe will happen, not what is to come.

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